Annual Report 2004 (p. 2)
"What It's All For"
Still, we soldier on with the
real business - our mission....Here's what's been happening on the
service front.
Teaching the Skills of Living
Last year, our
residential Program worked with 15 young mothers and 10 infants.
All of these residents participated in our behavioral program,
where they worked with staff to develop an individual treatment
plan; learned independent living skills in the program activities
and in specialized groups; attended parenting groups and our family
relationships (domestic violence prevention) group; went to school,
work, or our GED program; and were the main care-giver of their
child. They attended individual therapy and an anger management
group run by West Central Services. They also had time for trips
out of the program to attend concerts and go shopping (one of their
favorite activities), and two residents even went on a supervised
trip to Washington, DC.
We continue to provide
our popular Teen Panels to Upper Valley schools and organizations
in 2004. Teams of two or three Hannah House program participants
go into classrooms to talk about their experiences as teen parents.
Teachers tell us these panels are one of the best strategies there
is for preventing premature pregnancy because kids would sooner
listen to other kids than to what they perceive as moralizing
adults.
Teaching the Skills to Make a Living
In 2004 our Vocational
Program provided services to 25 outreach participants: 16 Upper
Valley residents and 9 former residents. Four participants were
involved in our internship program. This is where young mothers
who have a career interest in a particular field are matched with
a small business that agrees to expose them to the various aspects
of managing and operating that particular business. After a six
month internship, the business, the intern, and Hannah House staff
evaluate the experience. The outcomes nearly always exceed
expectations. Of the four young mothers involved in this program
last year, three of the internships turned into independent jobs!
We're especially proud of this program because it enables teen
parents to enter the job market above entry level, thereby giving
them fighting access to jobs with a liveable wage and opportunity for
advancement.
Besides the internship,
we also assist participants in getting more "traditional" jobs.
This process involves coaching in job interviewing, how to dress
and present oneself on the job, resume writing, and job selection.
Our Vocational Coordinator, Gwen Tuson, will take clients around
to pick up applications and, if appropriate, to fill then out.
Gwen will also act as a contact with job sites to help work out
any issues that may come up and to serve as an on-site mediator as
needed.
Teaching the Skills of Family Life
In 2004 our Outreach
Program worked with a total of 73 parenting youth. Most
participants were single mothers, but we did have some fathers
in our parenting education classes. Although the majority of
participants lived in the Lebanon (27) and White River Junction
(13) area, youth from 22 towns came to us for some kind of help,
including assistance with housing, parenting education, advocacy,
transportation, and household items.
We continue to provide
three parenting classes: Pregnancy & Childbirth, Newborn, and
Infant/Toddler. Our Outreach Case Manager, Kim Therrien, also
provides parenting education in participants' homes when
applicable.
Kim is out in the
community more than in our offices. She is a tireless advocate for
the youth she works with, accompanying them to appointments at the
DCYF offices in Claremont or to medical appointments. She says
housing issues continue to be the most difficult to remedy - not
only finding housing but, once attained, keeping the housing. Much
of her work as an advocate finds her dealing with landlords and
mediating housing issues.
As a big focus of our
work is helping young parents develop independence, Kim often
finds herself working with clients to learn basic skills such as
paying the rent on time, budgeting money, and making responsible
purchasing choices. Our level of involvement with outreach
participants varies widely. Sometimes we are asked to help with a
single issue, and, once that is resolved, there is not a lot of
contact until the next need arises. With other participants, our
involvement is much more intensive. It might involve weekly home
visits, almost daily phone contacts, regular requests for
transportation, or helping process a personal crisis.
The Hannah House river racing team. This
project was established
using a model program called "Rowing Together, Rowing Strong,"
developed in Holyoke, Massachusetts specifically for pregnant and
parenting teen girls. It's designed to enhance young moms' sense of
physical competence, self-esteem, and ability to work as part of
a team in meeting a common goal. The boat is borrowed from
Dartmouth College, which also provided coaching on a volunteer
basis.
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