Group holds job training sessions

A local community center has partnered with the Blair Sports Academy (BSA) to provide students with job skills training and to connect them to outside jobs.

Workers from the Maryland Multicultural Youth Center (MMYC) in Silver Spring held their first workshop after school on March 1 for students in the BSA. It focused on positive and negative attitudes and behaviors in the workplace, with an emphasis on anger management skills. "We gave the students different handouts with scenarios in a workplace situation. Then we had a discussion so that they could relate it to themselves," said MMYC Job Developer Luis Quiñones of the roughly 17 attendees. "They were really insightful. We almost ran out of time."

The MMYC began conducting workshops during the academic support portion of the BSA as part of its life skills and job training program. The goals of the workshops include setting up career days, establishing conflict resolution training and teaching students how to complete online job applications for different agencies, according to Gabriel Albornoz, deputy director of MMYC.

BSA Director Jose Segura looks forward to working with the MMYC and continuing the workshops because of their initial success. "I heard it was excellent, and the kids really enjoyed it," he said.
The MMYC was not able to hold another workshop for the rest of March due to paperwork constraints. The partnership was finalized on March 24, and Quiñones is currently in contact with Segura to plan another workshop.

When the MMYC initially opened last October, workers chose Blair as one of the first high schools where they would implement the MMYC's services for youth. Susan Gardiner, who leads Blair's gang task force, initiated the contact between the MMYC and the BSA, Quiñones said. MMYC workers then presented their plans and made an impression on BSA representatives, who invited them to start workshops during the BSA.

The MMYC joins the approximately 24 other organizations involved in the BSA. "The workshops fit in very well with our goals," Segura said. "We're targeting at-risk kids and providing them with services."