Parent Resource Center Program

Parent Resource Center program was established in 1997 soon after the enactment of the Welfare to Work Act, which required public assistance recipients to find work if they were capable of doing so. These centers were established in school districts where there were high numbers of public assistance recipients, immigrants and low-income residents.

The program provides parents of school age children with the resources needed to find employment. Early in the program, approximately 50% of the participants were drawn from among welfare recipients. Several of the programs served customers who needed to improve their English language skills.

Since its inception, the program has served over 8,500 parents with educational and cultural classes that helped them find employment. The Parent Resource Center program is funded by the New York State Department of Education and the Department of Labor, as well as Adult Basic Literacy funding. Many of the classes the parents take are in the same schools their children attend.

The educational and job-preparedness classes include:

• Basic Adult Education, General Education Diploma and English as a Second Language.
• Introduction to computers with applications for job preparation.
• “Life Skills” workshops, including parenting, stress management and budgeting.
• Orientation to career choices in child care, health care, office
  occupations and food preparation.
• Job readiness and job search skills.
• Work experience through internships, job shadowing and workplace simulations.
• Job counseling and job placement assistance.

Participants are also encouraged to seek employment or enroll in culinary arts preparatory training programs offered at CWE’s Artisan Baking Center, 36-46 37th Street, Long Island City, Queens. Telephone (718) 392-0025.

For more information visit the center’s website at www.artisanbakingcenter.org.

There are currently six Parent Resource Centers