Life Skills Program Overview
The Life Skills Program is designed to include:
- Fifteen (15) weeks of integrated life skills training
- Anger management training, fully integrated into the program curriculum
- A mandatory 50-hour job placement, partnering with local community businesses to provide practical skills and work experience
- Weekly classes in nutrition and budget planning, delivered through the adjoining Community Kitchen
Participants will be supported by Certified Life Skills Coaches in classroom-based groups of 10 to 15 participants, followed by individualized community-based work placements.
Program Outline
This program operates Monday through Thursday, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. A variety of delivery methodologies will be used to address diverse learning styles and participant needs.
Sensitivity to participants’ differing beliefs will be integral to all program activities. Elders and traditional learning and healing practices will play an important and visible role throughout the program.
Home visits and individualized personal support will assist registered participants in identifying and managing their specific life challenges. Participant attendance and positive engagement will be monitored daily and reviewed weekly.
Upon successful completion of the mandatory 50-hour job placement, participants will receive a certificate of completion based on a pass/fail evaluation.
Participant Evaluation
Life Skills Coaches will review participant progress throughout the 15-week program. Weekly evaluations will assess the following criteria:
1. Attendance.
2. Respectful attitude toward self and others.
3. Participation in group discussion.
4. Completion of assigned tasks.
5. Willingness to participate in the job placement.
6. Application of learned skills to daily living.
7. Keeping track of work hours with authorized signatures.
Skill Training Curriculum
Many potential participants have not previously had access to environments where essential life skills could be learned, practiced, and reinforced.
Life skills are defined as problem-solving behaviors that are used appropriately and responsibly in the management of personal affairs.
- Appropriate use requires adapting behaviors to time, place, and circumstance.
- Responsible use requires maturity, accountability, and self-awareness.
Without this foundation of social learning and problem-solving skills, participants may struggle to pursue further education, secure employment, or maintain long-term stability. This program offers the power of change by presenting positive alternatives to replace negative learned behaviors.
Program Goals and Outcomes
The primary goal of the Life Skills Program is to improve overall quality of life for participants and those connected to them. Positive outcomes may include:
- Reduction of grief-related, judicial, personal history, and anger-related challenges;
- Reduced involvement in criminal activity;
- Development of plans for further education;
- Achievement of part-time or full-time employment;
- Strengthened morals, values, and personal dignity;
- Commitment to ongoing counselling and healing; and/or
- Family reunification through child welfare processes.
Life Skills Core Units
The Life Skills curriculum focuses on five core areas of life responsibility. While the 15-week structure provides a consistent framework, participants may disclose personal challenges unique to their experiences. When appropriate, and where suitable for group learning, these issues may be addressed within the Life Skills group and incorporated into the program content.
Integrated Anger Management
Taming the Dragon
The integrated Anger Management component, Taming the Dragon, teaches participants how to reduce or eliminate problems arising from inappropriate expressions of anger. Participants learn:
- How anger develops and becomes problematic
- Personal anger triggers
- Healthy conflict resolution strategies
- Non-violent, solution-focused problem-solving skills
As participants develop these skills, they also work on recognizing unhelpful thinking patterns, building confidence and self-esteem, and developing assertive communication methods to meet their needs.
Participants are required to complete three (3) hours per week of anger management training throughout the program.
Work Experience Component
Participant Placement
All registered participants must complete a mandatory 50-hour job placement as part of the graduation requirement. This placement provides practical work experience and allows program staff to offer guidance toward continued education or potential permanent employment by the end of the 15-week program.
Participating Businesses
We are actively seeking Southern Alberta businesses to partner in the 50-hour job placement program. We recognize that developing life skills is a critical precursor to job readiness, job training, and successful employment.
Participating businesses will receive clear guidelines outlining the specific Life Skills competencies being developed through the program, ensuring mutual understanding, support, and meaningful placement experiences.