Sadie G. Mays is a Health and Rehabilitation Center located in the heart of Atlanta. The facility, primarily serving long-term patients who require 24-hour skilled nursing care, is a typical nursing home, providing services to approximately 200 seniors. What stands out about this facility is the number of teenagers dressed in medical scrubs who walk the corridors.
These teens are participants in the Mayor’s Youth Program (MYP), an initiative started in 2005 by Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, to assist Atlanta Public School students to create and activate a plan to pursue post-secondary education and/or workforce training. Participants in the program receive training in their preferred occupation through summer internships and training opportunities. In 2009, funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act made it possible for the Mayor’s Youth Program to place over 1,500 students in workforce training and employment opportunities throughout the city.
The Healthcare Program, in partnership with Atlanta Technical College, provides teens with a paid-training opportunity to become Certified Nursing Assistants, Patient Care Technicians and Pharmacy Technicians. Students earn college credits for their coursework and are provided a weekly stipend. During the nine-week course, students complete clinicals at area healthcare facilities, working with industry professionals to gain hands-on training and enhance their customer service skills.
“The clinicals are very informative and help students become accustomed to working in a nursing home and caring for people,” said Brishawn Ballenger. Brishawn, 18, participated in the healthcare program in 2008, prior to her senior year at Benjamin E. Mays High School, where she earned her Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certification.
Abyria McCrary,17, will earn her Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) certification, before finishing her senior year at Maynard Jackson High School in Atlanta. This summer has taught her the skill sets that she will use throughout her career. “What I learned in this program is that it takes hard work and dedication to achieve your goals. You don’t have time to be with your friends or go on vacations. You have to study and practice hard.”
It is with that hard work and dedication that Abyria hopes to end up like Brishawn, who will likely receive a job offer to become a full-time employee of the Sadie G. Mays Center. Brishawn used her CNA certification to gain a summer internship at the center through the MYP’s 2009 Summer Internship Program. Brishawn’s training and work-experience have made her an excellent candidate for the job. “The Mayor’s Youth Program helped me get a job and gain experience on the job,” she said.
The Healthcare program provides an introduction to the medical field for students looking to pursue a variety of careers. Ja’Cari Thomas, 18, a 2009 graduate of the New Schools at Carver High School in Atlanta, is preparing to begin her first year of college at Tuskegee University. Her preferred major is Wildlife and Biology and she wants to become a Veterinarian. She participated in this summer’s healthcare program because she wanted more experience in the medical field. She hopes that her CNA certification will allow her to work while in school and help to pay for her education. “I have been saving the stipend money I earned during the program and will be using it for dorm room expenses and college supplies,” she said.
The partnership with Atlanta Technical College also provided a training program in Air Conditioning. On August 10th, all 49 students participating in training programs at Atlanta Technical College will receive a certificate of completion during a graduation ceremony at the school. Thirty-students will graduate from the Patient Care Assisting Program, nine from the Pharmacy Technician Program and eight from the Air Conditioning Technician Program. Ten of those students plan to attend Atlanta Technical College in the fall.
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For more information about this and services of the City of Atlanta visit our website at www.atlantaga.gov or watch City Channel 26
About Atlanta Workforce Development Agency
Atlanta Workforce Development Agency (AWDA) is a collaborative partnership between Atlanta’s public and private sector, which develops and cultivates an adequate pool of qualified employees for the growing business market. AWDA is a bureau of the City of Atlanta under the Executive Offices of the Mayor, and was created through the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) signed into legislation in 1998. AWDA's primary purpose is to administer employment and training programs to the citizens of Atlanta to offer workforce solution services to metro Atlanta businesses.
About the Mayor’s Youth Program
The Mayor’s Youth Program, managed by the Atlanta Workforce Development Agency, began in 2005 as Mayor Shirley Franklin’s initiative to adopt the Atlanta Public School System senior class and help them develop and implement a practical and individualized plan for their future. Students are connected to opportunities that enhance their ability to set goals for post-secondary success through workforce readiness training, summer internships, mentoring, and the financial assistance necessary to transition into a two or four year college, technical college, the workforce, or the military.