Opportunity Knocks: 2 Youth Gain Full Time Employment

posted by: aschiffer | Thursday 8/23/12

Our Independent Living program helps youth ages 17-21 transition out of foster care to living on their own, the program is designed to address the life skills these youth will need to succeed. Their worker helps them search for an apartment while teaching them how to review leases and set up utilities for the apartment. Additionally, the worker is able to help them with getting enrolled in college and aid them in finding a job.

In this environment it is difficult for any teenager to find a job, but especially our youth in care. Many of them have lacked stability in their most recent years and may not have a good pool of references. References are absolutely crucial to a teen seeking employment that has little to no job experience.

We are so happy to announce that as of yesterday two independent living males have gained full time employment, with overtime pay.  This an extremely amazing opportunity that they will have to put forth a considerable amount of hard work to keep, as they are on a 30 day probationary period. A job is so much more than a pay check, it teaches responsiblity, decision making, goal setting and the value of a hard day’s work. 

The CHOICES family wishes them the best as they begin this new path, but ultimately their success is up to them. Our staff offered a considerable amount of encouragement and emphasized accountability when the two young men excitedly shared they were EMPLOYED with big smiles.

Our community partners in the Dayton region are so very important to us, and this is just another illustration of how together we can all make a difference. If your place of employment has any opportunities available for our youth please contact Ashley Schiffer at (937) 264-0084 ext. 122 or aschiffer@choicesfostercare.com .

It’s the Little Things

posted by: aschiffer | Friday 8/10/12

Every teenager in America struggles with it and every parent nags about it, doing chores. It is no different with our kids in care, but one of them has turned around and we think it is worth noting!

We have a fourteen year old female in care that has been told by her foster mom to do chores over and over.  The plea never changed, but it was consistent.  Her CHOICES and county worker have been working with her as well, and someone must have gotten through to her because suddenly she was motivated.

This young lady went from not doing any chores to completing all of her chores the last 2 weeks and cooking a meal for the family once a week. Her foster mom is so proud of her and amazed with the turn-around, and so are we!

Sorry, guys we don’t have a plan that you can implement in your home to see the same result, persistence pays off, and hopefully this gives you hope with your teens!