Skill-Building Education Changes a Handout To a Hand Up

Many people who have been on the rolls of welfare and have gotten back on their feet would say there's a difference between a handout and a hand up.

It's arguable that the difference is empowerment. Knowledge is empowering; it is often an element that makes a significant difference between staying down or moving up, or a difference in self-esteem and lifestyle. Several Colorado State University Extension agents in the metropolitan Denver area and Colorado's Front Range counties devote time to work with many individuals and programs in the Welfare to Work process, including limited income and low-income audiences through the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) Program, doing what it takes to provide education about key life skills, and giving participants a hand up out of government assistance programs.

One of those educators, Jane Frobose, Extension consumer and family agent in Denver County, juggles commitments to a plethora of groups and agencies, developing partnerships, collaborations--whatever works, to reach and ultimately strengthen Colorado families.

"I work through the guiding principle that if adults know how to deal with family issues--how to stretch their budget, understand their children through development stages, feed their families so they're healthy--they will be under less stress, and therefore their families will be stronger. When things are going well at home, then it's easier for them to focus on developing workforce skills and finding fulfilling work," said Frobose. "I try to aim all that I do at strengthening families by providing women and other family members the survival skills and knowledge they need to help them become more self-sufficient."

Kay Zimka and Doreen LaDuca, Extension consumer and family agents in Jefferson County, also partner with an extensive group of professionals to provide life-skills education to participants in that county's Welfare to Work program. They provide educational classes on managing finances, stress and time management, helping participants eat more nutritiously while stretching their food dollars, and food safety. Other team members focus on conflict and anger management, parenting, dress for success, decisions about car repair, computer training, job preparation, and a multitude of other topics.

Zimka said, "Many participants face barriers that affect their desire and ability to focus and learn. All of us as educators are challenged to help participants solve problems, handle conflict, and function in a structured environment. Our programs attempt to empower participants to make informed choices."

To accomplish that task, the consumer and family educators work with both public and private agencies. They provide classes for people through partnerships with schools and non-profit agencies such as Head Start and Even Start, county human service departments, homeless and victim shelters, battered women's shelters, half-way houses, drug and substance abuse rehabilitation centers, homes for the disabled, single-parent transitional housing, and the list goes on. Their work includes providing community audiences with health, nutrition and disease prevention education, and age-appropriate human development and parenting information and education.

Shawan Turner, an instructor at the Center for Women's Employment and Education in Denver, can attest to how effective these Extension agents' skill-building efforts have been. The center helps women on low income, no income or TANF, transition into the workplace by providing classes that include everything from work skills to home skills. Turner, who transitioned off of government support herself several years ago, asks Frobose to teach personal budgeting skills to each class group.

"Jane helps these women understand the value of a dollar, and she teaches them how to budget and shop smart," Turner said. "A person in the system with one child may get up to $200 a month in food stamp assistance, but when working at a beginning position without government assistance and with other expenses, that person often doesn't have much more to spend on food. These women have to learn how to spend more carefully."

Turner added that it's also tempting to overspend when one is beginning to receive a paycheck, but overspending can quickly send someone back into the welfare system. She describes the consumer lessons about shopping wisely and spending wisely as a tremendous help, and lessons that can calm fears and build confidence.

"I wish I'd met Jane when I was a student transitioning out of the government assistance system," Turner said. "She empowers these women, and she makes them feel comfortable. They leave her presentations with confidence. That's why I have her here as often as I can."

--Dell Rae Moellenberg

For more information, contact your local Colorado State University Extension office.

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Uploaded Tuesday, September 25, 2007

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