CDO Summer Kick -Off!
CDO Youth employees kicked off the summer program participating in a workshop entitled; “Are you Ready for the World of Work?” presented by CDO youth counselor Cheryl Mason. This workshop focused on how a having a summer job provides valuable work experience and helps build positive work references. Work-readiness skills such as teamwork, organization, problem solving, time management, and communication are critical skills to demonstrate when on the job. Effective communication skills, both verbal and non-verbal were stressed as a part of the workshop and all participants role-played communication activities. The youth also developed goals and plans to help them improve their skills in these areas.
Another area the workshop focused on was cyber safety and the digital footprint that is created every time individuals log in or post something online. This part of the workshop examined the type of cyber footprint students are leaving and what ways they can improve this footprint to be more marketable to employers and college entrance committees.
Several Financial Literacy Workshops were held over the summer in the following locations:
Why do people work?
What does work do for us?
How does education increase earning potential?
What is a budget and how can creating and using one increase wealth?
How can saving now lead to fiscal security in the future?
What is a credit score and why is it important?
What’s the difference debit and credit?
These are just some of the questions that were the focus of these financial literacy and budgeting workshop. The purpose of the workshop was to help young workers think about the money they earn and how it can impact their life in the future. The participants were given a budget and worked in pairs to adjust the budget so that the character could meet their financial goals. The group considered housing costs, daily living costs such as transportation, utilities and food. They were asked to determine how they would use any discretionary funds left over. Most groups set aside discretionary funds into savings!
The pairs also looked at credit scenarios of several different youth and made determinations as to whether they were “managing” or “damaging” their credit.
The workshop culminated with the groups creating a budget with the money they anticipated over the summer. Many of the students indicated that they would be saving the majority of their money for college expenses, or a major purchase such as a car!
Financial Literacy Workshop
