The YouthStop™ September 2018
101 N. Pine Street
Spartanburg • South Carolina • 29304
864.585.4433 • TTY : 711
“An equal opportunity employer/program”
“Auxiliary aids and services available
upon request to individuals with disabilities”
Odds ‘n Ends
Staff Development
MichelleW.HawkinsattendedtheSCWorksSpartanburgPartnerMeetingonSeptember21.ThegroupheardapresentationfromABLESC,anorganizationdevotedtocreating“greateraccessandopportunitiesforindependencethroughempoweringindividualswithdisabilitiesandpromotingcommunityinclusion.”(www.able-sc.org)AgroupfromtheU.S.CensusBureaualsosharedinformationaboutemploymentopportunitiesforthe2020census.SamEtheredgerepresentedTheYouthStop™attheSCWorksUpstateMOU/IFAQuarterlyMeetingonSeptember27,2018.Thegroupdiscussedstrategiesforgoodbusinesscommunicationservices.HandoutswereprovidedtofamiliarizepartnerswithservicesavailableatlocalSCWorksoffices.
DuringSeptember,TheYouthStop™offeredworkshopsdesignedtohelpstudentsgetfamiliarwithSamEtheredge,TheYSsocialworker.Thesessions,“WhoisMr.Sam”weredesignedtohelpparticipantsfeelcomfortableinsharinginformation,views,andproblemsinagroupsettingwithEtheredgeasthemoderator.Tofollow-up,eachparticipantwasgivenaMyers-Briggspersonalityassessmentandresultswerediscussedindividuallyand,moregenerally,inthegroupsetting.Myers-Briggsisusedtohelpparticipantsunderstandthestrengthsandchallengesofvariouspersonalitytypes.WorkshopswereofferedatlocationsinCherokee,Spartanburg,andUnioncounties.
Participantscontinuedawidevarietyofwork-basedlearningactivities,includingpaidworkexperiences.Inaddition,workreadinesssessionswereheldregularly.Theprogram,whichisdeliveredoveratwo-weekperiod,isdesignedtoteachsoftskillsandisrequiredforeachparticipantpriortoenteringapaidworkexperience.Thecurriculumincludesdemonstratinginitiativeandflexibility,dressingfortheworkplace,exhibitinganappropriateattitude,maintaininggoodoralandwrittencommunication,practicingconflictresolution,andusingeffectivejobsearchstrategies.
Participantsbegansignupfordriver’seducationandwillbeginclassesthisfall.Driver’seducationisofferedtohelpparticipantstoeliminatebarriersassociatedwithtransportation.
