Life in a Group Home: Life Skills Training

One of the most important programs we run for the residents in our group homes is Life Skills Training! Life skills training offers residents the opportunity to learn about basic adult life skills, including managing finances and applying to rent an apartment. But it also offers residents a chance to learn about professional development, healthy habits, and more. Today we wanted to share a snapshot of what our residents at Putnam Place have been learning about this fall. 

In September, our Life Skills Coordinator Tori Pangia introduced the residents at Putnam to the basics of being politically engaged. They started with voting, learning about how to get registered and why it’s important to vote. One resident even got registered! We have many residents at Putnam who are unable to register to vote due to their immigration status, but after learning about it, many still seemed interested in planning to vote in the future, once they become legally able to do so. 

Putnam Place residents cooking together, something that happens regularly in our group home.

The residents also had open discussions about current events, and talked about some of the basics of the political system in America. They learned about the positions held by public officials like Nancy Pelosi and Mitch McConnell, and discussed the similarities and differences between the Republican and Democratic parties. Tori also showed them the presidential debate, using it as a tool for the residents to learn about communication skills and ways of respectfully disagreeing with someone. 

October is Permanency Month at the group homes. Mary Ann Cronin, CFCS’s Permanency Coordinator, will talk to the residents about identifying and building healthy relationships. They’ll do creative activities like writing letters and making “connection trees,” which are similar to family trees. And each resident will make Permanency Pacts, identifying what their needs will be when they leave the child welfare system and what supportive adults in their life they want to support them. 

In November, both Putnam and TLC will start a program called Healthy Me, where they’ll learn about healthy relationships, sex and dating, addiction, mental health and other important aspects of staying physically and emotionally healthy. The residents have been discussing mental health with each other a lot this year. One resident at Putnam even shared a presentation he made at school on mental health, and led a discussion with his fellow residents.  

We offer a smorgasbord of options for our residents to learn about and engage with their communities and themselves in a positive, constructive way. We try to ensure that every resident leaves our care with a more well-rounded, positive mindset, ready to develop their own supportive networks and conquer their dreams!