Outreach Programs
New Beginnings is committed to developing partnerships with other groups to ensure the efficient use of our community resources. We respond to clearly recognized needs rather than duplicating services. Currently New Beginnings offers a nine-month life skills training program for low-income parents and their children, a homeless outreach program where we operate a safe parking program for people living in recreational vehicles and a youth outreach program where at-risk youth at San Marcos High School are offered group counseling. Our services focus on families, teenagers, the indigent, and others in need. We tailor our counseling and outreach programs to specific situations.
Life Skills Training Program
The Life Skills Training Program is a nine month educational group activity which is free to its participants. Funded by grants from various foundations and personal donations, the program is offered in Carpinteria and Santa Barbara. Participants must have a dependent child living with them and be able to make a nine month commitment to participate in the program. Parents meet weekly in a two hour group and spend one hour with their teacher/mentor developing individual goals. Some 42 adults and 30 children are enrolled for the 2006-07 school year. Enrollment begins in the fall each year. Contact the Center at 963-7777 for further details.
Through this program, we helped these parents stabilize their lives and those of their children, find permanent housing, improve parent-child communication and give them hope for their future. We taught them effective communication skills, time and money management, strategies for improving self-care involving diet, access to medical care and stress reduction, parenting skills, and spotting danger signs when trouble lurks in their life. We administered extensive pre- and post-testing to measure our success in helping them take control of their life. The results showed great improvement in self sufficiency and a sense of personal control over their lives.
Download an application for the Life Skills Program here:
english application
spanish application
Youth Outreach Program
Our youth outreach program at San Marcos High School targets high-risk youth who are referred by the guidance counselors at the school. A male and female team of interns work weekly with youth at the school. The program has been so successful that it has been integrated into a regular part of the school curriculum in order to reach more teenagers in need.
Homeless Outreach Program/
Safe Parking Program
Our RV Safe Parking Program provides an important service for people living in vehicles. Our Case Manager, Shaw Talley meets with perspective clients and after assessing their life situation places them in one of 10 locations provided by local churches and non-profits including a county and city parking lot adjoining the administrative building. Currently over 50 people participate in this program. Recently, the RV Safe Parking Project was featured on national ABC News, NPR and the PBS program, "California Connected." This program is recognized as a unique way for local people to solve a local problem with a collaborative effort. In the upcoming months, we hope to add additional parking sites to accommodate the demand for safe parking alternatives in the downtown and Isla Vista communities.
The Case Manager also provides job and housing assistance to any homeless person needing assistance. From his office at the Salvation Army, Shaw meets with clients referred from Casa Esparanza, the Salvation Army or the RV project to help them find housing or jobs. Interested parties should direct their calls to Shaw at 805-637-6242.
Job Placement
At New Beginnings, we have created a program that is dedicated to assisting
the homeless to find meaningful employment. We provide client assessment, job
development and job placement services to anyone needing our assistance. Our
job developer/case manager is available to meet with you on a personal and
confidential basis. Day and evening appointments are available
by calling Shaw Talley at (805) 637-6242.
He would be more than happy to assist you in finding a good job.