News from
CONCERN
Eighth Annual Life Skills Seminar a Success
The eighth annual Life Skills Seminar was held on Thursday, August 20th at DeVry University, Fort Washington, Pennsylvania. Sponsored through a grant from the Morgan Stanley Foundation, 32 CONCERN clients ages 14 to 18 from CONCERN’s Southeast Regional Office, CONCERN Treatment Unit for Boys – Coatesville and Lehighton campuses, as well as clients from Valley Youth House and Bucks County Children and Youth were in attendance. In addition, 13 CONCERN, Valley Youth House, and Bucks County staff also attended.
The seminar featured presentations on resume writing, employment applications, and interviewing skills, led by Sandee Burns, CONCERN’s director of human resources. In addition, Greg Kobasa, a retired elementary school teacher, spoke about the attributes of a teaching profession; Sergeant Cory Jackson of the United States Army spoke about the virtues of military services; Robert Jacobus, III, assistant branch manager, of Harleysville National Bank discussed banking and budgeting issues; and Jim and Karen McCafferty of Sterling Mechanical Services, Inc., talked about owning a small business and the fields of heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and plumbing. Finally, a team of career counselors from DeVry University presented a career test for the seminar participants and CONCERN provided clients with the “Youth Self-Assessment: In Preparation for Independent Living.”
A book was given to each participant entitled “The Struggle to be Strong: A True Story by Teens about Overcoming Tough Times.” The book is written by teenagers for teenagers with 30 first-person accounts that tell how they overcame major life obstacles. Sample topics covered include: bereavement, body image, creativity, dating, depression, drug and alcohol issues, families, and peer pressure. In addition, all clients received a canvas briefcase and clipboard for attending. |
