THE
COMMUNITY BASED LIFE SKILLS PROGRAM
The Community
Based Life Skills (CBLS) is a twelve month program
offering comprehensive classroom and individual training
that covers material important for successful independent
living. The curriculum is geared towards improving
each youth's ability to maximize his or her potential
in school, at work and in the community.
The
Community Based Life Skills Program Assists Youth
in Gaining Invaluable Knowledge on Living Successfully
as an Independent Adult
Topics include:
o Nutrition
& food management
o Personal appearance & hygiene
o Money management & banking
o Buying & financing/Being an educated consumer
o Renting an apartment
o Understanding a lease
o Time management
o Improving academic achievement
o Educational planning & guidance
o Career & vocational guidance
o Job application & resume writing
o Job interviewing skills
o Legal rights & responsibilities
o AIDs, STDs & Sexual Awareness
o Drug & alcohol awareness
o Self-esteem and motivation
o Effective relationship building & problem
solving
o Personal responsibility & ethics
COMMUNITY
BASED LIFE SKILLS PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS
L.I.S.A.’s Community Based Life Skills Program
serves youth age 15 and older, who are in
the care of the State of Connecticut Department of
Children & Families. All youth attending CBLS
live in foster homes in the Greater Waterbury Area.
These are teens who are facing the transition into
adulthood and independence and are in need of building
skills to enable them to live independently.
Typically, ten teens are enrolled per session, allowing
for personalized instruction. Since each teen is facing
the same transition, and many share a common background,
lasting friendships are often made.
CBLS PROGRAM SCHEDULE
When
a youth is referred to our program, the Life Skills
Educator meets with the teen, the teen's caseworker,
and the foster parent. Upon acceptance, the youth
receives an assessment to identify their current abilities,
strengths and challenges. At the end of the course,
each teen is assessed again to determine gains made
during the 12 month program.
After the assessment phase is completed, participants
move on to four months of group education. Classes
usually occur twice weekly, with school vacations
and holidays off. The curriculum is adapted to reflect
the needs and interests of each group of students.
The classroom environment is structured, yet relaxed.
Course content focuses on the mastery of skills necessary
for independent living. Guest speakers, videos, games,
and discussions stimulate participants' thinking about
practical skills such as dealing with landlords, formulating
budgets, and conducting a successful job search. Improving
the interpersonal and communication skills needed
for success is also a focus of the program.
Upon completion of group/classroom curriculum the
Life Skills Educator updates the Individualized Learning
Plan for each youth, incorporating input from caregivers,
to address remaining needs,. The youth and the Educator
will continue to meet once weekly for 6 months to
concentrate on the areas identified in the Learning
Plan.
The
Life Skill Educator’s role is multi-faceted:
she is teacher, counselor, and advocate. During each
session, the Educator maintains regular contact with
other adults who live and work with each teen, both
to apprise them of the teen's progress and to enlist
their support in helping the teen accomplish his or
her goals. The Educator will also locate needed resources
in the community to assist youth and caregivers.
L.I.S.A.
offers two CBLS sessions each year. The youth will
receive a monthly stipend while attending the group
sessions. Upon successfully completing the twelve
month course, each teen receives a Certificate of
Completion and a cash stipend. These monetary incentives
are provided to acknowledge the intensive time commitment
required for the program.
