Christian Womens Job Corps Of Middle Tennessee

CWJC MIDDLE TN EMPOWERS INDIVIDUALS TO OVERCOME OBSTACLES CAUSED BY POVERTY BY PROVIDING EDUCATION, MENTORING, AND RESOURCES.

CHRISTIAN WOMEN'S JOB CORPS OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE (DBA BEGIN ANEW OF MIDDLE TENNESSEE) WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1997 AS AN ADULT EDUCATION MINISTRY OF THE NASHVILLE BAPTIST ASSOCIATION. IN FEBRUARY 2003, CHRISTIAN WOMEN'S JOB CORPS INCORPORATED AS A 501(C)3 ORGANIZATION, AND WE ADDED SERVICES TO MEN IN 2008. THE NAME CHANGED TO BEGIN ANEW IN 2016 IN ORDER TO REPRESENT THE ORGANIZATION'S SCOPE AND PURPOSE. BEGIN ANEW EMPOWERS INDIVIDUALS TO OVERCOME THE OBSTACLES CAUSED BY POVERTY BY PROVIDING EDUCATION, MENTORING, AND RESOURCES. WE BELIEVE EVERYONE DESERVES A CHANCE TO BEGIN ANEW AND WALK A JOURNEY TO A BRIGHTER FUTURE. BEGIN ANEW PROVIDES THREE EDUCATION TRACKS TO ADULT STUDENTS: HSE (HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY), ELL (ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNING), AND COMPUTER AND JOB SKILLS TRAINING. THE HSE TRACK OFFERS TUTORING AND/OR CLASSES IN FIVE SUBJECTS: LANGUAGE ARTS - READING, LANGUAGE ARTS - WRITING, MATHEMATICS, SCIENCE, AND SOCIAL STUDIES IN PREPARATION FOR A STUDENT TAKING THE NATIONAL HISET (HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY TEST) EXAM ADMINISTERED BY ETS, WHO ALSO HANDLES THE SAT FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS. THE ELL TRACK ACCOMMODATES THREE LEVELS OF INSTRUCTION: LEVEL 1 (BEGINNER), LEVEL 2 (INTERMEDIATE), AND LEVEL 3 (ADVANCED). LEVEL 1 FOCUSES ON FOUNDATIONAL VOCABULARY AND BASIC GRAMMAR WITH READING, WRITING, AND LISTENING IN MIND. LEVEL 2 BUILDS ON VOCABULARY AND GRAMMAR WITH ADDITIONAL VERB TENSES, INTRODUCES ADVERBS, AND TEACHES LONGER SENTENCE STRUCTURES IN ORDER TO ADVANCE A STUDENT'S LIFE SKILLS. LEVEL 3 PREPARES A STUDENT FOR WORKPLACE VOCABULARY BY LEARNING PHRASES, SAYINGS, AND CONCEPTS SUCH AS HOW TO EXERCISE CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS AND SPENDS MORE TIME IN COMPREHENSIVE READING AND WRITING. THE COMPUTER AND JOB SKILLS TRAINING TEACHES PROGRAMS SUCH AS EXCEL, OUTLOOK, WINDOWS, AND WORD, ALONG WITH SKILLS SUCH AS BUILDING A RESUME, INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES, BUDGETING, GOAL SETTING, ETC. BEGIN ANEW PRIMARILY SERVES STUDENTS OVER THE AGE OF 18 (WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A FEW MINORS WITH PARENTAL AND SCHOOL BOARD PERMISSION) WITH FIVE PROGRAMS AT FOUR LOCATIONS ACROSS MIDDLE TENNESSEE: MADISON, COMBINED MEN AND WOMEN (MADISON CHURCH OF CHRIST 106 GALLATIN PIKE NORTH, MADISON, TN 37115), NASHVILLE, WOMEN ONLY, (NASHVILLE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH 108 7TH AVENUE SOUTH, NASHVILLE, TN 37203), WILLIAMSON MEN AND WILLIAMSON WOMEN (WALKER BAPTIST CHURCH 1350 WEST MAIN ST., FRANKLIN, TN 37064), AND WOODBINE, COMBINED MEN AND WOMEN, (THE CHURCH AT WOODBINE 29 WHITSETT RD., NASHVILLE, TN 37210). A PROGRAM MANAGER OVERSEES THE VOLUNTEERS AND STUDENTS AT EACH PROGRAM BY PROVIDING OVERSIGHT, TRAINING, AND DIRECTION. EACH LOCATION HOLDS CLASSES FOR TWO HOURS ON MONDAY AND THURSDAY EVENINGS FROM 6-8PM, EXCEPT WILLIAMSON WHICH MEETS ON TUESDAY AND THURSDAY EVENINGS FROM 6-8PM AS WELL AS MAKES A DAYTIME CLASS AVAILABLE ON THURSDAY FROM 9AM-NOON. IN ADDITION TO OUR ADULT EDUCATION TRACKS, WE OFFER FREE CHILDREN'S PROGRAMMING WHILE STUDENTS ATTEND CLASSES, PROVIDE STUDENTS WITH A VOLUNTEER MENTOR/ENCOURAGER, MAKE REFERRALS TO MEET STUDENT NEEDS, AND CONTINUALLY SEEK TO CREATE A SAFE COMMUNITY THAT CARES FOR ONE ANOTHER. HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2021: DURING THE SPRING AND SUMMER SEMESTERS OF 2021, BEGIN ANEW CONTINUED TO DELIVER EDUCATION PROGRAMMING TO STUDENTS VIRTUALLY USING OUR ZOOM EDUCATION GRANT, DIGITAL CURRICULUM (SUCH AS NEW READER'S PRESS, READ THEORY, KHAN ACADEMY, AND ETS-HISET STUDY MATERIALS AND TEST PREP QUESTIONS), CHROMEBOOK LOANS, AND UTILIZING DIGITAL SURVEYS SUCH AS GOOGLE FORMS TO UPDATE STUDENT INFORMATION. IN FEBRUARY 2021, BEGIN ANEW APPLIED FOR AND RECEIVED THE SECOND ROUND OF PPP FUNDING DUE TO THE COVID PANDEMIC MAKING FUNDING EXPECTATIONS UNCERTAIN AS THE SPRING FUNDRAISER MOVED TO A VIRTUAL FORMAT FOR THE SECOND YEAR IN A ROW. IN APRIL 2021, NASHVILLE PROGRAM MANAGER, JULIE RUSSELL, RECEIVED THE HONOR OF BEING RUNNER-UP FOR THE MIDDLE TENNESSEE ADULT EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR AS RECOGNIZED BY THE NASHVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY IN CONJUNCTION WITH DOLLAR GENERAL AT THE ANNUAL ADULT EDUCATION SPRING SUMMIT. WITH A FOCUS ON PROVIDING EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE ENTIRE FAMILY, BEGIN ANEW USED THE PROLONGED BREAK FROM IN PERSON LEARNING TO REIMAGINE HOW TO SERVE THE CHILDREN OF OUR STUDENTS. BEGIN ANEW EXPANDED FROM FREE CHILDCARE TO OFFERING CHILDREN'S PROGRAMMING AT NO COST TO CONTINUE REMOVING A BARRIER FOR ADULT EDUCATION. CHILDREN'S PROGRAMMING CONSISTS OF THREE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS: 1.HOMEWORK HELP - BY PROVIDING ASSISTANCE THROUGH A NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH HOMEWORK HOTLINE, BEGIN ANEW TEACHES THE CHILDREN OF ADULT STUDENTS HOW TO USE A VALUABLE FREE RESOURCE TO RECEIVE ONE-ON-ONE TUTORING AND HOMEWORK HELP FROM CERTIFIED AND RETIRED TEACHERS USING PHONE CALLS AND ONLINE CHAT. THIS SERVICE CAN BE UTILIZED AT ANY TIME. SO, AS CHILDREN LEARN HOW TO ACCESS THIS VALUABLE RESOURCE, THEY CAN CONTINUE TO CONTACT THE HOMEWORK HOTLINE ON THEIR OWN TO "LEARN, UNDERSTAND AND COMPLETE CHALLENGING ASSIGNMENTS, AND MASTER NEW CONCEPTS" ACCORDING TO THE HOMEWORK HOTLINE MISSION STATEMENT. 2.BIBLE STUDY - THE JESUS STORYBOOK BIBLE AND MATCHING CURRICULUM SET INVITE EVEN THE YOUNGEST ONES IN OUR CARE TO KNOW JESUS AS THEIR LORD AND SAVIOR AND BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW THIS CHOICE IMPACTS OUR LIFE, ACTIONS, AND ATTITUDE. 3.CRAFT/PLAY TIME - CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES WILL REINFORCE AND IMPACT NINE LIFE SKILLS: KINDNESS, INTEGRITY, INITIATIVE, COOPERATION, LOVE, CURIOSITY, PROBLEM-SOLVING, PERSEVERANCE, AND HUMOR. ON AUGUST 16, 2021, BEGIN ANEW JOYFULLY RESUMED IN PERSON LEARNING FOR THE FIRST TIME AT ALL FOUR LOCATIONS SINCE THE COVID PANDEMIC BEGAN IN MARCH 2020. SOME STUDENTS AND VOLUNTEERS CHOSE TO REMAIN VIRTUAL DUE TO THE FLEXIBILITY OFFERED, SCHEDULING CONFLICTS WITH CLASS TIMES, AND THE ADDED BENEFIT OF 24/7 INSTRUCTION OPPORTUNITIES SO THAT STUDENTS COULD MOVE THROUGH EDUCATION MATERIAL FASTER WHEN HIGHLY MOTIVATED TO FINISH. THROUGHOUT 2021, BEGIN ANEW MAINTAINED QUALITY PROGRAMMING AT REDUCED COSTS DUE TO UTILIZING TRAINED VOLUNTEERS, DONATED SPACE, AND NEWLY ACQUIRED VIRTUAL LEARNING PLATFORMS AND ONLINE CURRICULUM. IN 2021, 309 VOLUNTEERS CONTRIBUTED 4691 VOLUNTEER HOURS (A VALUE OF 115,000 ACCORDING TO THE INDEPENDENT SECTOR) AS TUTORS, TEACHERS, CHILDREN'S PROGRAM PROVIDERS, MENTORS, EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS, FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE MEMBERS, MEAL PREPARERS, MEAL SERVERS, GREETERS, AND MORE AREA CHURCHES AND LOFTIS STEEL AND ALUMINUM DONATED SPACE FOR ADULT EDUCATION PROGRAMS, CHILDREN'S PROGRAMMING, AND ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES, WHICH AMOUNTED TO 114,580 OF IN KIND RENT DONATIONS. IN 2021, BEGIN ANEW SERVED 317 STUDENTS AND 70 CHILDREN. WE GRADUATED 29 STUDENTS FROM 30 PROGRAMS: 9 HSE, 14 ELL LEVEL 1, 5 ELL LEVEL 2, AND 2 COMPUTER AND JOB SKILLS WITH OTHER STUDENTS CONTINUING TO MAKE FORWARD PROGRESS. OUR STUDENTS REPRESENTED 34 COUNTRIES OF ORIGIN: BURMA, CANADA, CHINA, COLUMBIA, COSTA RICA, CUBA, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO, ECUADOR, EGYPT, EL SALVADOR, ETHIOPIA, GUATEMALA, HAITI, HONDURAS, INDIA, IRAN, IRAQ, ISRAEL, JAMAICA, JAPAN, JORDAN, MEXICO, NICARAGUA, NIGERIA, PERU, SOUTH KOREA, SPAIN, TURKEY, UKRAINE, UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, UZBEKISTAN, VENEZUELA, AND VIETNAM. FINALLY, WE RECOGNIZED AND CELEBRATED WHAT BEGIN ANEW DESIRED TO DO WITH EXCELLENCE: EDUCATE, MENTOR, AND PROVIDE RESOURCES. EDUCATION AND MENTORING CONTINUED TO THRIVE. THEREFORE, OUR STAFF INCREASED OUR EFFORTS OF BUILDING STRONGER RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS, WHICH BEGAN IN 2019, IN ORDER TO EQUIP OUR STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES WITH BETTER RESOURCES. WE KNEW THAT THROUGH SOLID PARTNERSHIPS WITH CHURCHES, NON-PROFITS, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, BUSINESSES, AND OTHER AGENCIES - OUR STUDENTS BENEFITTED THE MOST. WITH AN ATMOSPHERE OF COMMUNITY, THE STUDENTS OF BEGIN ANEW OFTEN SHARED THEIR GREATEST CURRENT NEEDS THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMIC. THIS PAST YEAR ALLOWED OUR STAFF TO FIND NEW PARTNERSHIPS AND CONTINUE TO ESTABLISH NEW WAYS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR STUDENTS AS WE CONNECTED THEM TO A LARGER NETWORK OF RESOURCES AND PARTNERSHIPS. BEGIN ANEW'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, HEATHER NORVELL, CONTINUED IN HER LEADERSHIP ROLE AS PART OF THE THREE AGENCY BACKBONE LEADERSHIP OF THE ADULT EDUCATION COLLECTIVE IMPACT (AECI) WHICH REBRANDED AS GOAL COLLECTIVE IN 2021 - GROWING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADULT LEARNERS, AND ELAINE GORDON CO- LED THE MESSAGING WORKGROUP. IN ADDITION, HEATHER CO-LED THE FUNDRAISING WORKGROUP. GOAL COLLECTIVE REMAINS A GROUP OF ADULT EDUCATION PROVIDERS COLLABORATING TO MAKE PROGRESS ON ADULT LEARNING IN NASHVILLE. WE WORKED WITH INDIVIDUAL NON-PROFITS AS ORGANIZATION WIDE PARTNERS TO ADVANCE OUR UNDERSTANDING OF ADULT EDUCATION, MUTUALLY REFER STUDENTS, SHARE INSIGHTS AND IDEAS, AND OBTAIN VOUCHERS FOR STUDENT HISET EXAM FEES AS FOLLOWS: MARTHA O'BRYAN CENTER, NASHVILLE ADULT LITERACY COUNCIL, NASHVILLE INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR EMPOWERMENT, NASHVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY, TN DEPARTMENT OF LABOR & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ADULT EDUCATION DIVISION, TENNESSEE LANGUAGE CENTER, AND WORKFORCE