Northern Light Health fosters healthcare career opportunities for veterans through meaningful employment collaborations – Piscataquis Observer

Report on Northern Light Health’s Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals Through Veteran Employment Initiatives

Alignment with SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

Northern Light Health is actively promoting sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth by creating pathways to full and productive employment for veterans. Through targeted initiatives, the organization facilitates decent work opportunities within the healthcare sector, contributing directly to the objectives of SDG 8.

• The organization provides veterans with access to meaningful and fulfilling career pathways.
• These employment opportunities support the economic well-being of veterans and their families.
• By integrating veterans into the workforce, Northern Light Health strengthens the local economy and healthcare system.

Advancing SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

The initiatives specifically address inequalities faced by veterans and transitioning service members in securing civilian employment. By offering dedicated support and career opportunities, Northern Light Health works to reduce disparities and ensure this demographic has equitable access to the workforce, in line with SDG 10.

Commitment to SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

Northern Light Health demonstrates a strong commitment to SDG 17 by forging multi-stakeholder partnerships to achieve its employment goals. These collaborations are essential for the success of the programs and involve key state and non-profit actors.

1. Hire-A-Vet Campaign: A partnership with a statewide campaign, which includes the Maine Department of Labor, to hire 100 veterans in 100 days. Northern Light Health staff participate on the planning committee and attend campaign events.
2. Boots2Roots: An ongoing collaboration with a non-profit organization that assists active-duty military members and veterans in finding meaningful work in Maine, connecting them with diverse healthcare career opportunities.

Supporting SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

By channeling skilled veterans into healthcare careers, Northern Light Health reinforces the infrastructure for community health and well-being, a core tenet of SDG 3. As noted by Erin Hammond, talent acquisition specialist, encouraging veterans to pursue careers in healthcare is “a way to support and serve our communities,” directly linking the employment initiatives to the broader goal of ensuring healthy lives for all.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • The article’s primary focus is on fostering “career opportunities” and “meaningful work” for veterans. Initiatives like the “Maine Hire-A-Vet campaign,” which aims to hire 100 veterans in 100 days, directly contribute to promoting sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all.

2. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • The employment opportunities are specifically within the healthcare sector, offered by “Northern Light Health.” By recruiting and employing more staff, the organization strengthens its workforce, which is essential for ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for the communities it serves.

3. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   • The programs specifically target veterans and transitioning service members, a distinct group that can face unique challenges when entering the civilian workforce. The article explicitly mentions a “commitment to the inclusion of veterans within our workforce,” which directly addresses the goal of reducing inequalities by promoting the social and economic inclusion of a specific demographic.

4. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   • The article highlights that Northern Light Health’s efforts are not isolated. They are achieved through “collaborations with organizations such as Hire-A-Vet and Boots2Roots” and the “Maine Department of Labor.” This multi-stakeholder approach, involving private sector (Northern Light Health), non-profit (Boots2Roots), and public sector (Maine Department of Labor) partners, exemplifies the spirit of SDG 17.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • Target 8.5: “By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men…”. The article directly addresses this target by describing concrete actions (the Hire-A-Vet campaign and Boots2Roots initiative) to provide “fulfilling career pathways” and “meaningful work” for veterans, a specific segment of the population.

2. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • Target 3.c: “Substantially increase… the recruitment, development, training and retention of the health workforce…”. By creating career pathways in healthcare for veterans, Northern Light Health is actively engaged in the “recruitment” of the health workforce, thereby strengthening the healthcare system in Maine.

3. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   • Target 10.2: “By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of… or other status.” The initiatives are designed to promote the “economic inclusion” of veterans, who are identified by their status as former service members. The article’s mention of a “commitment to the inclusion of veterans” is a direct reflection of this target.

4. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   • Target 17.17: “Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships…”. The article provides a clear example of this target in action. The collaboration between Northern Light Health (private), the Maine Department of Labor (public), and Boots2Roots (civil society/non-profit) is a multi-stakeholder partnership aimed at achieving a common employment goal.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • Implied Indicator: The article mentions a specific, measurable goal: “hiring 100 veterans and their family members in just 100 days.” This serves as a direct, quantifiable indicator of progress towards achieving productive employment for this group, aligning with the spirit of indicators under Target 8.5. The number of veterans connected with career opportunities through these programs is a clear metric.

2. SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

   • Implied Indicator: While no specific numbers are given, the number of veterans hired into healthcare positions at Northern Light Health would be a direct indicator of progress towards Target 3.c. This metric would measure the success of the recruitment efforts aimed at strengthening the health workforce.

3. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   • Implied Indicator: The existence of targeted programs like Hire-A-Vet and Boots2Roots, specifically designed to assist veterans, is a qualitative indicator of policies and initiatives aimed at promoting the economic inclusion of a specific demographic, which is central to Target 10.2. The number of veterans participating in these programs would be a quantitative measure.

4. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   • Mentioned Indicator: The article explicitly names the partners involved: “Northern Light Health,” “Hire-A-Vet,” “Boots2Roots,” and the “Maine Department of Labor.” The number and nature of these collaborations (public-private-non-profit) serve as a direct indicator of the formation of multi-stakeholder partnerships as described in Target 17.17.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: observer-me.com