Free Job Skills Training Program for Women Starts in March

 

Project Self-Sufficiency announces that the next session of its popular employment skills training program, Higher Opportunities for Women (HOW), will launch March 3rd.  The 16-week “HOW” Program combines intensive computer skills training with classroom instruction and on-the-job experience.  Curriculum prepares women who have been out of the work force or underemployed to seek entry-level office administrative positions.  Classes will take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. at the agency’s campus, located at 127 Mill Street in Newton.  Open Houses about the Higher Opportunities for Women program will be held at 10:00 a.m., January 23rd, 30^th, and February 20^th, and at 4:00 p.m. February 18^th and 25^th.  Interested participants are invited to call 973-940-3500 or visit https://www.projectselfsufficiency.org/higher-opportunities-for-women to enroll.

 

Women who take part in the agency’s HOW program can expect 80 hours of computer skills training, including instruction in Microsoft Word, Excel, and other applications.  The HOW program also includes 40 hours of classroom instruction and 120 hours of an unpaid externship at a community employment site, which further prepares participants to successfully venture into the job market.  Additional coursework focuses on workplace navigation, life skills training, resume preparation, and interviewing strategies. 

 

Since the HOW program’s inception, more than 1,000 women have gained self-confidence and learned marketable skills which placed them on the path to economic self-sufficiency.  Deborah Berry-Toon, Executive Director of Project Self-Sufficiency explains that the HOW program is more than just a job-skills program.  “The job market is constantly evolving, and the Higher Opportunities for Women program gives participants the skills and confidence they need for success.”

 

Learn about Divorce at Free Seminar

 

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roject Self-Sufficiency will host a free, online Family Law seminar on Thursday, January 29^th, 7:00 p.m. Participants will discuss child support, grounds for divorce, court procedures, alimony, parenting time, equitable distribution of assets, and other topics related to divorce.  The presentation, which will be offered through Zoom, is free and open to the public; interested attendees should call Project Self-Sufficiency, 973-940-3500, to register and receive log-in details. 

New and Gently Used Prom Dresses Needed

 

Project Self-Sufficiency is seeking donations of new and gently used formal wear, including prom dresses, bridesmaids’ dresses, gowns for mothers-of-the-bride, evening bags, jewelry, wraps and shawls, as well as shoes in good condition for display in the agency’s annual “Sister-to-Sister” Prom Shop.  The dresses must be dry cleaned and on a hanger. All items will be displayed in a pop-up boutique housed on Project Self-Sufficiency’s Newton campus; teen girls are invited to select shoes, wraps and jewelry to complement their dress. The Sister-to-Sister Prom Shop will be open 3:00 – 6:00 p.m., March 23^rd, 24^th, 25^th; 3:00 – 8:00 p.m., March 26^th; 3:00 – 5:00 p.m., March 27^th; and 9:00 a.m. – noon, March 28^th. Open to the public; no appointment required.

 

“The community has been particularly supportive of the ‘Sister-to-Sister Prom Shop’ every year, and we hope to have a large collection of beautiful gowns and accessories for display,” commented Deborah Berry-Toon, Executive Director of Project Self-Sufficiency.  “We believe that every young woman deserves the chance to have a beautiful dress for that special, once-in-a-lifetime event, and we are looking forward to opening the prom shop in March.”

 

Donations will be accepted at Project Self-Sufficiency, Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.  Project Self-Sufficiency is located at 127 Mill Street in Newton.  The Sister-to-Sister Prom Shop is a program of the Journey Family Success Center at Project Self-Sufficiency.  For information about the Sister-to-Sister Prom Shop, or to find out more about any of the programs at Project Self-Sufficiency, call 973-940-3500 or visit www.projectselfsufficiency.org.