Located on the corner of Apache Blvd. and Dorsey Ln., Tempe’s new EnVision Center will offer employment services and training, health and wellness programs and other social services under one roof. This is only the second center to be opened in Arizona, with the other being located in Downtown Phoenix. Specifically, their initiative aims to provide financial wellness and digital literacy services to those without access to the internet, and targets locals living in underprivileged communities. This particular location is being spearheaded by the City of Tempe Director of Health and Human Services, Tim Burch.

Tempe sports a relatively average unemployment rate of 3.9%, which comes in slightly lower than their target rate of 4% according to the City of Tempe. Burch however, says that the problem with workforce participation lies more with other factors.

“I think that underemployment, people working below their skill level at a lower wage, because of all the challenges we’ve had with the cost of living rising but wages not going up is a real problem everywhere across the valley,” said Burch. These issues are the main target of programs like the EnVision Center, which aims to help residents learn the necessary procedures to score better jobs and promotions.

Tempe officials have said a big emphasis of these services are the media and digital literacy aspect of the center. Much of the unhoused and low income populations residing in Tempe don’t have access to the internet or know how to navigate basic computer programs. The Hive, created by the The Institute for Digital Inclusion Acceleration, is a new program offered by EnVision to educate the community on these important capabilities. These skills are essential to getting a job in the modern market according to Maricopa County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jack Seller.

“The projected economic impact of IDIA’s work is impressive. With an estimated $315 million in direct wages and up to $630 million in total economic contribution annually,” Seller said. “This is driven by workforce participation, digital skills training and embedding these resources into our highest need communities.”

The EnVision Center will serve as a hub for these types of services and others like health and wellness and local food programs, said Tempe councilwoman, Berdetta Hodge. Without a consolidated building, these resources were less accessible to those without consistent transportation or internet access.

“It’s a full service… that's the reason why this is so important because they were scattered around, most of them were held out of the Tempe Library Complex… it was all over the city,” she said. “Now it’s a one stop shop for them.”

The EnVision Center is open to the public from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m, Monday through Friday. Although it is largely targeted at residents of Tempe, Director of Health and Human Services Tim Burch said that nobody will be turned away. The center offers a multitude of other resources beyond employment, including crisis management, nutrition and education opportunities. Councilwoman Hodge said she hopes the center will have an immediate impact on Tempe's most vulnerable.

“I believe that this is the beginning of trying to help with the poverty and the unsheltered community and I think that this a great step in the right direction,” said Hodge.