By Lookout Staff

January 28, 2026 -- Santa Monica College has received $355,000 in funding from United Way of Greater Los Angeles to expand its groundbreaking Homeless Service Work program, school officials announced Wednesday.

The training program "equips students to become skilled street outreach workers, case managers and housing navigators" to help the 72,000 people who experience homelessness in LA County on any given night.

“The demand for trained professionals has never been greater,” said Dr. Kathryn E. Jeffery, SMC's superintendent and president.

“As we prepare to welcome our second cohort in February, this funding allows us to do what our community needs most -- prepare a skilled, compassionate workforce to support individuals experiencing homelessness.

"Our students and faculty are answering that call with heart, purpose, and dedication,” Jeffery said in a statement.

SMC's "one-of-a-kind" program was launched in 2024 with initial seed funding from United Way to respond to LA County’s "significant shortage of trained homelessness service professionals," school officials said.

"The program does more than teach concepts -- it provides students with front-line experience" and the skills needed for "crisis intervention, trauma-informed care, and housing navigation," officials said.

Participants in the program must complete 30 hours of hands-on fieldwork with local nonprofit partners and have all program costs fully covered by United Way's investment.

The program offers supervised internships with leading nonprofit agencies and individualized job-placement assistance, school officials said.

"Students receive guidance from faculty, counselors and seasoned industry veterans who bring years of experience working to address LA’s homelessness crisis," officials said.

A recent workforce analysis commissioned by United Way found that 60 percent of case managers "identified a lack of training as their biggest challenge, underscoring a critical gap in workforce preparedness."

It also found that "role-specific, skills-based learning not only supports career advancement but also significantly strengthens employee retention."

Prospective students are encouraged to apply, with classes meeting Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until noon on February 6, and the next cohort begins February 17.

Those interested in joining the program can get more information at smc.edu/HomelessServiceWork or by email at HomelessServiceWork@smc.edu.