Navigating Adulthood for Alumni

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by Karen Montgomery | July 29, 2024

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This summer, Ms. Danielle hosted workshops she called “Adulting Workshops” for our alumni and their families which were an incredible success! Held on Tuesday nights at Refuge Coffee in Clarkston, these workshops provided guidance on essential life skills. They covered topics such as financial literacy, work skills, car ownership, and navigating financial systems. The workshops catered to our alumni, their sisters, and parents.

These workshops had high participation, with 34 attendees, which doubled last summer’s number! The sessions were all held in-person, fostering a sense of community and hands-on learning. There were six sessions in total, five dedicated to our alumni and their sisters, and one special session for parents.

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Our program featured a dedicated team of contract workers who taught financial literacy and navigating financial systems, alongside enthusiastic volunteers who taught life and work skills, working with attendees in small groups. One GVP alumna helped lead sessions, adding a relatable perspective to the learning experience as someone who participated in these workshops last summer.

Some immediate outcomes of the workshops were that one participant successfully obtained her driver’s permit and two others secured their first jobs with the support of the team.

The feedback from participants was overwhelmingly positive. All students who filled out a survey expressed their eagerness to attend again next year. One student responded, “Definitely yes. I learned how to step up doing things on my own that I can’t do before.”

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The two-hour session for parents that followed, focused on learning how to open bank accounts, understanding housing and leases, and renewing food stamps and Medicaid. This session was led by a financial literacy instructor and four life skills instructors, all of whom are social workers and caseworkers familiar with the Clarkston community and its unique needs. Eight parents from six families attended, with interpreters and transportation provided to ensure understanding for all.