Features
Life Skills Education
Harbor Homes offers program participants the support and opportunity to strengthen a range of skills that will enhance their employability and inclusion in the community. The residence provides a safe and secure environment where individuals can begin to assess their lives, develop an individualized plan to maintain a successful tenancy and set personal goals.
Harbor Homes promotes “lifelong learning.” First, it reintroduces formerly homeless adults to the routines and responsibilities of living in a community. This includes maintaining basic hygiene, doing laundry, assisting with cleaning and chores, planning meals, food shopping, paying toward program upkeep, etc.
Second, with the support of the house case manager, the program is self-governed by adults who come to appreciate the importance of developing social competency skills including conflict resolution, cooperative decision making, appropriate and assertive communication, positive interpersonal relationships, empathy, and teamwork in order to reside comfortably together.
Lastly, the Harbor Homes case manager and volunteer staff are available to mentor program participants in developing prevocational skills that are important in attaining and sustaining employment. These include practicing good personal hygiene, dressing appropriately for work, interviewing for a job, being responsible, reliable, and dependable at work, taking pride in one’s work, accepting authority and being a team player, exhibiting a good attitude, following directions, and being eager to learn.
Low income and/or homeless individuals are often disenfranchised from educational and employment opportunities. Once housed, they may need encouragement from staff and volunteers to reengage in the learning process. The Division of Adult Education and Literacy (USDE 1992) has identified successful instructional strategies in addressing the needs of formerly homeless individuals including “life planning, family literacy, stress management, plus mastery of instruction in small, self-contained units". Harbor Homes will offer program participants opportunities to identify their personal skills and interests and practice problem solving and decision making in daily life. Each house will have internet and computer access available to program participants. In addition, the community will provide a supportive environment that fosters self confidence, promotes healthy interpersonal relationships, and instills hope – the foundations for successful engagement in the community and employment.