At-Risk Youth Graduate From Transition to Work Program And Learn the Value of Experience
October 6, 2016 | News
Family Residences and Essential Enterprises, Inc. (FREE), an agency that supports individuals with intellectual disabilities, mental illness and traumatic brain injury throughout Long Island, Queens and New York City, and Little Flower Children and Family Services of New York, one of the largest and most respected agencies providing critical programs and services to children, families and adults with developmental disabilities in New York City and across Long Island will be celebrating the “graduation” of four young men from FREE’s Transition to Work program, a collaborative venture between the two agencies. The ceremony will be taking place on Thursday, October 27, at 3:30 p.m. at FREE’s Saddle Rock Ranch, 41 Coram Swezeytown, Rd, Middle Island, NY.
Where:
Saddle Rock Ranch
41 Coram Swezeytown Rd Middle Island, NY 11953
When:
Thursday October 27, 2016 3:30p.m.
***Great Visuals as the interns will be presenting a culinary project and will be receiving their awards***
Work experience is a critical component of preparing youth for transition to adulthood. The collaboration between FREE and Little Flower has enabled 15 youth to gain valuable hands-on work experience in a safe and friendly environment. After completing the ten week transition to employment workshop, four Little Flower youth secured internships at FREE’s Saddle Rock Ranch in Middle Island, NY. The interns benefitted by gaining job readiness skills that employers look for in entry level workers such as communication, teamwork, adaptability, problem solving, and time management.
The youth came away with tangible occupational skills in construction, maintenance, property management, animal care, agricultural and the culinary arts. The Transition to Work Program was made possible by a grant from the Long Island Community Foundation.
About Little Flower Children and Family Services of New York
For over 85 years Little Flower has been guided by the mission to provide hope and help to thousands of people every year. In 2015 alone the agency managed the successful adoption of 59 children into new families, served over 585 children in loving foster families, cared for 130 children in the Residential Treatment and Inner Lights Program, helped 224 children return to their own families, assisted 112 young adults to begin life on their own, and helped over 372 adults with developmental disabilities to lead more rewarding lives. For more information, please visit www.littleflowerny.org.