Planning Ahead
Planning Ahead
*Independent Living Day returns on Saturday, April 24, and we are looking for volunteers.
Independent Living Day allows low to moderate income seniors and disabled residents to remain in their homes independently for longer periods of time. Additionally this project provides the seniors with a link to the outside community making them feel welcomed and cared for as part of the larger community.
There are a few different few shifts you can work: Morning at a Home, 9:30- 11:30 am; or Afternoon at a Home, 1-3 pm. We are looking for people willing to work one or both of these shifts, or even all day.
Contact Jessi at NYFS if you are interested in volunteering. Call her at the phone number at the end of this column or send her an email at JZeigler@NewtownYouthAndFamilyServices.org.
Family Programs & Events
*Parent Education Program (PEP): Putting Children First is a State of Connecticut program required as a prerequisite to granting a divorce.
Sessions are designed to help families cope with the effects of divorce on children. Call Sheila at NYFS for more information including the schedule.
Youth Programs & Activities
*âInterview Skills For Youthâ workshop: Learn how to prepare a resume, acquire skills for successful college and job interviews, and gain the confidence to make a memorable first impression.
This workshop will be held Monday, March 29, from 11:30 am to 2:30 pm, at the Newtown High School Career Center.
Contact Sheila at NYFS to register.
*Yoga: Are you looking for a new way to relax? Try taking yoga, taught by Newtown resident Karen Pierce.
Never done yoga before? Donât worry! Beginners are welcome and classes are designed for teens, 7th-12th grade only.
A new series of classes has begun. Contact Amanda at NYFS for details.
*Job Bank is now taking applications from qualified 13-17-year-olds who want employment babysitting, pet sitting or performing other household chores.
Call Monday through Thursday between 3 and 5 pm for an application.
*NYCAAP (Newtown Youth Creating AIDS Awareness for Peers) meets Mondays at Newtown High School from 2 to 3 pm.
Contact Jessi at NYFS for details.
Support Groups
*Alateen meetings are Tuesdays from 7 to 9 pm. This program is for youth affected by somebody elseâs alcoholism.
At meetings members share their personal experiences, and learn to find personal happiness, whether or not the alcoholic in their lives is still drinking.
*Children Of Divorce: This is a special group to help your child heal from the pain caused by a separation or divorce.
A new series for ages 5 to 9 will begin February 25, and continue each Thursday until April 4, meeting from 5 to 6 pm.
Call Jessi to sign up.
*Circle of Parents Group: A parent mutual self-help support program based on a simple and time tested model, Circle of Parents is a new offering from Newtown Youth & Family Services.
Through peer-to-peer leadership and support at weekly meetings, people in a parenting capacity can, over time, gain self-esteem, overcome isolation and improve their parenting skills by exchanging support and positive parenting suggestions.
The group meets on the first and third Monday of each month at 7 pm. Call Jessi at NYFS for details or to sign up.
*Coffee & Conversation: All parents want to raise healthy teens. NYFSâs new monthly discussion group offers practical parenting skills that can help prevent a wide range of risky behaviors including substance abuse.
Facilitated by Martha Shilstone, LCSW, Student Assistance Counselor, this group will help provide skills that you can use to keep your kids drug free. Learn what resources are available to you and your family. Learn what challenges are facing your teen, and discuss effective ways to communicate with teens about drugs and alcohol.
The group meets the first Wednesday of every month, from 8 to 9 am, at NYFSâs main office on Church Hill Road. For more information, call Martha at 203-270-4826 (school office) or 203-270-4335 (NYFS).
*Newtown PAC (Parents Advocating for their Children): This group is for parents of children with learning disabilities. The focus is on assisting parents in finding the resources that they need to help their children become successful.
The group meets the second Thursday of each month, 7 to 9 pm.
Contact Suzanne at 270-9869 for details or registration.
*Sibshop: This program acknowledges that being the brother or sister of a person with special needs is for some a good thing, others a not-so-good thing, and for many, somewhere in-between.
A series for ages 10-14 is meeting on Mondays, to February 15, from 5 to 6 pm each week. A new session for ages 5-9 will begin meeting on Mondays, also from 5 to 6 pm, February 24 to March 31. Call Jessi at NYFS to sign up for either group.
*Women Empowering Women is a support group for women to empower and encourage them to reach their fullest potential.
This group meets at 121 Mount Pleasant, and a new group is currently forming. Contact Thea at NYFS for details.
Programs take place at NYFS, 17 Church Hill Road, unless otherwise noted. For more information or to register call 270-4335.