By Amy Hamilton, Shelter Network Committee Member
Shelter Network hosted its first workshop for 2011-2012 at First Step for Families in San Mateo on Wednesday, September 7th - it was very successful! The training included 3 sessions led by Shelter Network committee members in small groups of 2-4 clients - Time Management, Money Management, and Interview Skills and How to Keep a Job.
The 10 Shelter Network clients who attended included one family, one couple, and other individuals. The clients received workshop materials relevant to the sessions (i.e. we provided alarm clocks during the Time Management session). The Shelter Network clients seemed very engaged and asked many questions! One client commented, Great! I am glad that I chose this meeting! Another exclaimed, I'm very appreciative that they have the time to help. Love it!.
I think the Junior League Shelter Network committee members get as much out of the Workshops as the clients! We really feel like we can make a difference when the clients ask questions and tell us their stories. Committee members have been asked to review resumes and give opinions such as what to wear to an interview and whether someone should cover their tattoo.
One of the best parts of the Workshops is the small groups. Each committee member discusses her topic with 1-4 Shelter Network clients at a time. This is a small enough group to facilitate discussions and feedback. We hand out course material and checklists for each topic along with relevant workshop materials including the alarm clocks and calculators. We will hold 10 Workshops during the League year (August, 2011 - May, 2012) - 5 Workshops at Haven House in Menlo Park and 5 at First Steps for Families in San Mateo. It should be a rewarding year!
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