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Living
In Safe Alternatives, is
a private, non-profit organization that has served the
needs of abused, abandoned adjudicated and neglected
youth for 38 years. Click
here
for more information about us.
A Stitch In Time
 A
Stitch In Time is
a vocational training program for youth, primarily girls,
ages 14-21 years of age. The goal of the program is
to assist the participants in developing or strengthening
their vocational skills in order to enter competitive
employment market. Our long term objective for each
participant is to obtain successful employment, in a
field of interest, leading to their becoming economically
self-sufficient, healthy and productive members of society.
 A
Stitch In Time - The
program teaches vocational skills through participant
operation of an actual yarn shop and handicraft
business. Participants are involved in
all aspects of the business including:
- Retail yarn
sales over the internet, by private sale
and at craft shows.
- Learning to knit and crochet to produce handcrafted
items for sale.
- Marketing and finances.
This type of hands on environment provides the youth
with a sense of accomplishment along with the work,
interpersonal, and coping skills necessary to succeed
in a community work environment.
Participants
receive regular feedback regarding their work performance
and are paid in the form of a stipend provided for hours
worked. Classes on vocational and employment skills
are integrated into the program. The curriculum covers
job skills and career planning, with an emphasis on
the benefits of completing high school and going on
to higher education.
A
Stitch In Time has been a part of the
Living In Safe Alternatives
(L.I.S.A., Inc.) community since
2003. The program founder, Jill Schoenfuss, conceived
an idea of developing the vocational program where the
youth of L.I.S.A, Inc.’s residential programs
were given the opportunity to learn vocational skills
in a hands-on work experience. An avid knitter and published
designer, she incorporated knitting into the vocational
training and a hands-on
retail web based business to assist the
participants in learning the skills necessary to be
successful in the community work environment. This is
an innovative concept, in that we know of no other program
in Connecticut which utilizes knitting as a vocational
medium.
In our experience, most teenage girls enjoy engaging
in craft activities. Knitting can be an outlet for creative
self-expression and fostering self-esteem, but also
requires skill to learn, including fine motor and eye-hand
coordination, following written directions that involve
interpretation of abbreviations and symbols, and mathematic
skill. Knitting also has a tangible outcome that requires
planning to initiate, patience to follow through and
a sense of accomplishment when the project is complete.
Additionally, knitting can be a relaxing, stress reducing
and constructive hobby which can be learned and enjoyed
for years to come. In fact, a majority of our participants
do knit in their free time and most indicated on a survey
that they would continue to knit in the future.
A
Stitch In Time's staff understands the
challenges involved in working with the population served
by the program. They provide guidance, information and
feedback in an age appropriate and supportive manner
to maximize participant success and self-esteem. Along
with their skills in working with the participants,
the program’s staff brings with them business
experience and knowledge of knitting with the enthusiasm
to share that knowledge with others.
A
Stitch In Time is located in a small
building on the grounds of L.I.S.A. Inc.’s residential
program in Plainville, CT. Participants from the agency’s
other residential programs are transported to the location
for the vocational program. A Stitch In Time operates
on Mondays and Thursdays from 3 pm to 5pm. Special events
and craft fairs assist the participants in learning
customer service skills as well as packing and shipping
orders from those received through the web based
venues.
Financial
support for the program has been provided by the Women
& Girls’ Fund of the Main Street Community
Foundation, American Savings Foundation, L.I.S.A., Inc.
agency reserve funds and income generated from the program
business.
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