
DATE: Saturday, August 9, 1997              TAG: 9708090290

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B5   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY REBECCA MYERS CUTCHINS, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH                        LENGTH:   66 lines

RED CROSS WILL OFFER WORKSHOPS ON LIFE SKILLS

Sure, everyone is taught reading, writing and arithmetic in school.

But where do you go to learn the little things in life that really help prepare you for the future - like balancing a checkbook, using credit wisely or shopping for the best price?

Try the Portsmouth/West Chesapeake Chapter of the American Red Cross. The agency is currently offering ``life skills'' training - workshops in everything from job searching to house hunting.

The monthly courses began in July with a class on resume writing and completing job applications. The next class, on job hunting and interviewing, will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Aug. 18. The program concludes next May with a mini-``graduation.''

The training is free and is aimed at young adults ages 16 to 24, but anyone is welcome, said program coordinator Regina Christopher-Clemons.

``Some of these life skills we kind of assume that everybody has, but unfortunately that is not the case,'' said Clemons, who handles special projects for the Red Cross Portsmouth/West Chesapeake chapter.

``If individuals are coming from an environment where their parents have not learned these skills, then they're not going to be equipped.''

The classes are designed to help young people prepare for the workplace and become self-sufficient, said Clemons. Participants are free to sign up for as many classes as they'd like.

``There will be people who probably will pick out specific topics, but we would like those who have not been in the job force for a long time - or who have not been there at all - to at least continue with it all the way through,'' she said.

Upcoming topics include: dressing for success; maintaining a professional disposition; budgeting; shopping; banking and using credit; apartment and house hunting; and career development.

Representatives from Portsmouth Social Services and Child and Family Service of Southwest Hampton Roads will teach a few of the classes.

But to round out the course, Clemons is inviting business people to serve as mentors, teach a particular topic or serve on a committee ``to lend their support and identify resources and places that young people can look for jobs and look for training.''

``Usually people complain about kids being on the corner and not having a job,'' she said. ``But this is the community's time to do something about that.''

Clemons said she needs professionals in real estate, banking and perhaps home economics to teach the sessions on apartment and house hunting, banking, using credit and shopping wisely.

``We're really looking to make this a community effort,'' she said. ILLUSTRATION: DETAILS

All Life Skills Training classes are held monthly from 6 to 8

p.m. on Mondays at the Portsmouth/West Chesapeake Chapter of

American Red Cross, 700 London Blvd. A tentative schedule follows:

Aug. 18 - Job hunting and interviewing.

Sept. 22 - Dressing for success.

Oct. 20 - Professional disposition.

Nov. 17 - Budgeting.

Dec. 15 - Shopping.

Jan. 26 - Banking and using credit.

Feb. 16 - Apartment and house hunting.

March 23 - Vocational career development.