To effectively end housing instability, we need to think systems-wide. Homelessness is a barrier to economic well-being for people across the nation, and without a stable, prevailing wage job, secure housing can remain out of reach. What if communities across the country could create comprehensive systems that pair pathways for supportive housing with supportive employment – a housing and jobs-first approach? The key to this complementary partnership: a type of business called an employment social enterprise (ESE). ESEs help employees access stabilizing support (assistance with housing, transportation, and childcare), while providing paid training, hard-and-soft-skill building, and resume and interview resources. These businesses have proven they can provide people with experiences of homelessness the skills they need to obtain and maintain employment – yielding at least 8 years of increased economic mobility and a 250% increase in long-term housing stability. In this workshop, you willl learn about the innovative public-private partnerships that connect housing resources and homeless response systems with employment social enterprises, and explore examples of projects and ecosystems around the U.S. that have successfully harnessed this approach. You’ll hear from REDF, the nation’s only venture philanthropy focused solely on employment social enterprises; the Los Angeles LGBT Center, a nonprofit and social enterprise offering housing services; and Homeward Bound of Marin, a social enterprise focused on ending homelessness. You will come away from this session with resources and frameworks to identify and partner with the employment social enterprises in your community.