[Services offered]
Ready to Rent©
A 6-week rental education class designed to help people learn how to be successful renters and deal with barriers to rental housing, such as no rental history, evictions, and poor credit history. Participants receive information, encouragement, and specific steps they can take to overcome any barriers, manage money, find affordable housing, and be a responsible tenant.
Ready to Rent is offered to the public six times a year. This class meets once a week for six weeks. Childcare is not available.
Our next session begins March 6, 2008. Classes meet on Thursdays from 6 p.m.-8 p.m., March 6-April 3, 2008.
If you have questions or are interested in signing up for the next class, contact Victoria Clevenger at (360) 906-9117. Introduction information and application forms are available here.
Life Skills & Financial Management
Group Education
All YW Housing residents are required to attend Group Education twice per month, usually on the first and third Wednesday of each month unless otherwise noted. These meeting take place at the YWCA’s community room and the topics vary. Some training programs such as Ready to Rent and Star Tenant are routinely offered during these meetings. Other meetings will cover topics such as personal safety, nutrition, college success, and others as time and interest allow. Childcare is available.
To find out more about upcoming meeting topics or to suggest a topic, call Teri Owen at (360) 798-5726.
The Star Tenant
This training is offered to residents of YW Housing following the Ready to Rent class. It serves as a supplement to that course. It covers additional topics such as conflict resolution, landlord-tenant law, fire safety and simple home maintenance including an in-home component with maintenance staff reviewing issues such as fire safety, appliance troubleshooting, and recycling and energy conservation. The Star Tenant classes are offered during the regular group education meetings.
Fannie Mae Money Management
This six-week financial literacy training delves more deeply into issues of credit repair, budgeting, and financial management. Participants receive their credit report from all three credit-reporting agencies. The training covers goal setting, record keeping, budgeting, checking accounts, credit and loans and financial security.
For more information, contact Valerie Norris at (360) 906-9144.
Community Partner Services
Clark College’s Displaced Homemakers program
Offers a 6 credit class that covers three major areas: career exploration (assessment tests, resume development, transferable skills); goal setting; returning to school (non-traditional employment, financial aid, short and long term educational programs). This is a free program. It is offered each quarter; classes meet Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. for four weeks.
Contact Valerie Norris at (360) 906-9144 for more information.
The Nurturing Parent
A ten-week parenting class for parents engaged in treatment or recovery, domestic violence counseling, or the criminal justice system that focuses on improving communication, reducing family conflict and violence and engaging families with the community, and includes individualized follow-up work with a Family Home Support Specialist.
This class is offered three times a year, typically on Mondays for ten weeks or Monday and Thursday for five weeks. Classes begin at 5:30 and run until 8pm. A light dinner is provided and childcare is available.
Our next session is Nov 5 - Dec 13 2007. There will be no class on Nov 12th & 22nd. Classes meet on Monday and Thursday from 5:30 - 8:00pm. Those who finish receive a certificate.
If you are interested in taking this class talk to your case manager or call Teri Owen at (360) 798-5726. This parenting program is funded by the Department of Community Services DASA prevention dollars.
Women Helping Women
An adult mentoring program that matches YW Housing residents with community women who provide companionship, encouragement, and role modeling.
Interested YW Housing residents must apply for a mentor. However, because we want to make an appropriate match, a mentor may not be available immediately. Through our recruiting activities, we will seek a suitable mentor and provide support to ensure a positive match. Mentors and mentees regularly meet casually to socialize. YW Housing, or the mentors as a group, may also occasionally coordinate group activities for mentors and mentees to share. Residents interested in receiving a mentor should contact Martha Brett at (360) 798-5415.