Building Connections, Building Character
April 2021 Newsletter
College and Career Development at GA
GA has a full time College and Career Development Specialist who focuses on  providing individual-based support, including linkages to external resources, to increase youth access to practical opportunities needed to help them progress along their identified career pathway.

This is done through the creation of Individual Academic Success Plans that provide a roadmap to success, taking into consideration results of assessments to gauge interest, affinity, and aptitude. Youth are encouraged to imagine the possibilities and are presented with a plethora of opportunities for post-secondary success including:

  • 2 and 4-year college and university
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Trade/Vocational school
  • Apprenticeship

The College and Career Development Specialist meets with youth on an individual basis to learn about their interests and to help them identify career pathways and barriers to success through various assessments. This service is a marriage of our Positive Youth Development and Workforce Development Pillars of Service.
Services include:
 
  • College preparation (including assistance with preparing applications)
  • Entrepreneurship development
  • Work readiness training
  • Links to vocational training and support services
  • Links to internships and apprenticeships opportunities
Check Out Our New Podcast! 
Do you understand your credit score and how it influences borrowing money and getting credit? It affects your ability to get a job, buy a car or get a loan. When you do borrow money, a higher credit score affords you a better interest rate, costing you less money when you pay back the loan. If you would like to increase your credit score, we give you some tips on how to do that.
Click here to learn more and tune into our latest 15-minute podcast titled "Credit Scores and Rebuilding Credit" with Dashweil Ervin, GA’s College and Career Specialist and Dawn Clark from WeFlorida Financial Credit Union.  
Mental Health First Aid Training
GA continues to invest in training for our staff. One of our latest efforts is for Mental Health First Aid Training, a 6-hour virtual workshop with materials from the National Council for Behavioral Health. There were two trainings in March, one focused on helping youth and one for adults. Staff were assigned the training that matched the population their program primarily serves.
 
The workshops covered how to recognize the signs and symptoms that suggest a potential mental health challenge, how to listen non-judgmentally and give reassurance to a young person or adult who may be experiencing a mental health challenge, and how to refer a youth or adult to appropriate professional support and services.
 
Learning these skills allows our staff to be the first line of support for a child, youth or adult in need. We are there to help them feel less distressed and be a vital resource in helping them seek further assistance. Our goal is to be the one to make a difference in the life of someone with a mental health challenge. #BeTheDifference
Spotlight on Heaven
Heaven Jones is currently enrolled in RENEW Broward. Upon enrollment, Heaven expressed an interest in obtaining her GED and gaining employment as a truck driver. With assistance and mentoring from RENEW Broward staff and partners, Heaven was able to enroll in GED classes and lease a laptop to utilize during her prep course. She recently obtained her GED and is now enrolled in the Commercial Driving License class!
Upcoming April Events
Click on any event for more info
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