Parenting group: Tuesdays 10 to noon. This group discusses parenting as a form of leadership and reviews what makes a good leader. Discussion involves guests past experience with good leaders as a catalyst for creating a positive parenting experience. After the group, participants are given opportunities to practice general leadership skills by working with assistance dogs in training.
Family dinner and classes: Thursday 4:30 pm to 6 pm. This class begins with an optional hour of gardening in our new community garden. Participants work with volunteers from the Master Gardeners’ program to grow fruits and vegetables for participants to take home and use for healthy meals. Then, the guests rotate responsibility for leading a cooking class to teach the other participants some of their favorite healthy, budget-minded recipes. Here, we review literacy and math skills through the use of everyday cooking. After, the parents work in a budget class to create a personalized budget and discuss the possible barriers in an effort to overcome bad habits. The children work with the Play Conservatory to create a play. This helps the children work on literacy, non-verbal body language, motivations and team work. It gives the children an opportunity to feel a sense of accomplishment when they put on their final performance for parents and volunteers. The children also do a small amount of budgeting discussions. They receive mock money for turning in bi-weekly progress reports from teachers and for doing book reports or other activities. The mock money can be used in our “store” to buy trinkets for small amounts, or the children can save up for larger items or gift cards to local stores.
Literacy tutoring: All incoming parents are assessed for literacy deficits and educational needs. If it is determined that the parents need help in this area, they are matched with a tutor and with someone who will work individually with them for their job search requirement. This is funded through the NM Coalition for Literacy.
WorkKeys testing: All incoming parents who are not already employed take the WorkKeys test in our computer lab for Talent ABQ. Talent ABQ uses those scores to help match potential employees to employers. They partner with large employers in Albuquerque – including the City of Albuquerque. If the
parents are not satisfied with their results, we have on-line tutoring programs to help them improve their scores.
Case management: We offer intensive case management to help parents connect with resources and overcome barriers related to employment, housing, budgeting and parenting.
