THE SALVATION ARMY OF CENTRAL MARYLAND INTRODUCES LIFE SKILLS COURSES TO BALTIMORE
Not everyone has the needed skills to tackle life’s daily struggles. Even adults who have life experience may lack characteristics and traits that can adapt them well into day-to-day life.
Life Skills are skills that some may acquire in childhood, but adults can fully regain later on in life through taking Life-Skill-related courses.
What some people don’t know is that the brain’s structure begins developing before birth, and the experiences you have in the first couple of years shape how your brain connects and communicates. With positive, healthy experiences between a child and their caregiver, that can help build a strong foundation for learning and healthy behavior into adulthood. Not all adults grew up with positive, healthy experiences with their caregivers, and that impacts skills picked up as functioning adults.
There are many adults living in Baltimore City and in Baltimore County who didn’t have a formative childhood that equipped them with skills on paying for bills, eating healthy, or with fitness. Adults coming from a difficult childhood or life, carry ongoing stress that triggers “fight or flight” responses with daily decisions that ignites “to act first and think later”.
When that response is repeated by dire stress that can overload the brain’s capacity for more reflective, intentional responses. Not having a formative childhood, and growing up in a stressful environment, impacts a child’s brain during childhood (and into adulthood) to perceive and respond quickly to threats: Instead of the ability to assess and respond to situations thoughtfully.
On the same train of thought, growing up in abject poverty and from a lower socio-economic status can contribute to brain growth, formation, and with discerning connections. Poverty and the effects that tie to it including chaos at home, violence, malnutrition, abuse, and unemployment can deeply affect how a child learns new skills or adapt to life’s changes as an adult.
Not all adults developed necessary core life skills early on in life and even later into adulthood—but it’s not too late for adults to strengthen or learn new skills. Especially with The Salvation Army’s Life Skill’s courses that have recently been introduced as of April 2022.
Life skills are defined as a group of psychosocial competencies and interpersonal skills that help people solve problems, think creatively, communicate effectively, and make informed decisions. With proper life skills, people can also build healthy relationships, empathize with others, and cope with stress triggers so they can live their life responsibly.
Adults who take life skills classes can learn time management, money management, housekeeping, communication, improved self-esteem, growth mindset, stress management, fitness, bible study and cooking.
Taking a Life Skills class is also a form of “Adulting” that can help people, who go through daily trials and tribulations, feel prepared for everyday challenges. The Salvation Army of Central Maryland wants to give Baltimore residents who didn’t have opportunities to learn nutrition, finance, goal-setting, bible study, and yoga an opportunity to grow and learn. Just because childhood ended, doesn’t mean it’s not too late to learn new skills as a seasoned adult.
Here are testimonials from our Staff and from our Students
1.) William Boone, our Area Boys and Girls Club Director, taught a Bible Studies class to adult students as part of our Life Skills Course Program.
His focus for today's class was on Colossians, a book from the New Testament, that digs deep into thankfulness.
"The heart of the class is for our students to embrace thankfulness in their day to day lives. Often times, circumstances or events can mar a person from seeing the blessing of each day. Our two takeaways that I want our students to embraces is to learn more about Jesus and to be thankful amidst adversity and struggles." said William Boone.
2.) Staff and guests at The Salvation Army took a CPR training class this afternoon.
Maria, our Boys and Girls Club Division Director, taught this class to share knowledge that can save a life.
3.) Our "Money Matters" financial course made an impact on several of our students today.
Latissa (pictured left) thought this class was worth taking again. What she liked most about it was "there was someone guiding you in ways to pull you out of times of need."
Veronica (pictured right) also said, " Money Matters is a very good class. We really like our instructor and hope he teaches again. This class was informative and, at the same time, gives you hope. After taking this class, you feel that your situation will get better."
It's a busy day at The Salvation Army today.
Our team is running multiple Life Skills Classes ranging from cooking, CPR, finance, and bible study throughout the day for our Angel Tree clients to take.
4.) Nina Christian, our Social Services Director, is teaching her class how to make enough chicken salad that can feed a family of 4 for dinner. Along with picking up culinary skills, each student gets to take home a week's worth of pantry items that can feed a family of 4 for an entire week. "I like this class because it's a new experience. I would take more classes if offered," said Pallasteni.
