Career and Job Training Readiness Center

Part of my job is to support the educational efforts and goals of individuals who encounter barriers to learning.  Many of my adult students have had a difficult time in school, have been in special education, or have dropped out many years ago.  I work with each person to set achievable goals and to find the right methods and teaching techniques to allow them to progress.  I also offer connections in the community to the local community college, adult education programs, and so forth.  Together, my students and I navigate around whatever barriers we find and work towards learning goals.  Ultimately, they become more employable and empowered to take charge of their own destinies.

Today, I enjoyed a training event in Lansing about supported education in various community mental health programs.  It was fun to hear the details and inner workings of programs similar to and different from our own.  It was gratifying to see over 100 people all focused on making learning more accessible to marginalized community members.  And it was really helpful to share ideas and insights about what is working around our area of Michigan.  I came away with several burning ideas for improvement, both for that local program and for this website. 

Have you encountered barriers to furthering your education?  How have you conquered them?  Please share your story as a comment, and who knows?  Maybe we can talk and share ideas too someday.