Neighborhood Engagement Team Changes Leadership
Misty Boos, manager of JABA’s Mary Williams Community Center, has been leading the Engagement Team at the Jefferson School City Center for the past two years but will be leaving her position on March 1 to pursue other dreams. The Neighborhood Engagement Team at the Jefferson School City Center was an opportunity for members of the surrounding neighborhoods to voice their opinions to the nonprofit organizations housed at the Jefferson School. Over the course of the last several years, the team has held meetings between the nonprofit tenants and people from surrounding neighborhoods. An average of ten community members attended each session. Residents of the Star Hill, Rose Hill,10th and Page, Fifeville, and Ridge Street neighborhoods have been able to offer suggestions to the nonprofit leaders about how community needs can be met.
“My favorite part of each meeting was asking the question, ‘Who else should be at this table?’” said Boos. “New invitations were always being sent out and new community members joined the group at each meeting. I loved learning more about Charlottesville’s history. Building relationships with the neighborhoods around the Jefferson School City Center has been a valuable experience. It was an honor to serve as a facilitator for these meetings.”
A new engagement team contact will be announced soon. Now that the tenant organizations have settled in at the Jefferson School, the engagement team is defining what role it will play in the operations at the Center. The nonprofits located at the Center are committed to having a forum for receiving feedback from neighborhood representatives.
Roller Skating at Carver Recreation Center
A long-standing community tradition in Charlottesville has returned. Roller skating is being offered once again at Carver Recreation Center! This event occurs most Fridays from 5pm–8pm and Sundays from 1pm–6pm. Skates are provided and there is no charge for this activity. Skaters are also welcome to bring their own skates or rollerblades to the rink at the Jefferson School City Center.
Walk-in Wellness Clinic for Women
The Women’s Initiative has provided a listening ear to over 4000 women in Charlottesville since they opened their doors in 2008. Now the counselors of The Women’s Initiative are available at the Jefferson School City Center. Walk-in hours for a free, one-on-one session with a counselor are Tuesday mornings from 9am-12pm or Wednesday afternoons from 2-5pm. Staff can provide immediate, short-term assistance to those in need of referrals or emotional support. “We’re offering effective mental health care to women, regardless of their financial means,” said Outreach Coordinator and Licensed Clinical Social Worker Eboni Bugg. “We can help women transform challenging life situations into opportunities for personal growth.” For more information please contact Eboni at 434-202-7692.
Literacy Volunteers New Tutor Training
Literacy Volunteers has seen a threefold increase in requests for services since moving to the Jefferson School City Center on December 1. The high demand for English as a Second Language services prompted LVCA to offer additional new tutor trainings, with the next one scheduled for March 23, 9:30am to 4pm.
Ninety percent of Literacy Volunteer learners are ESL students. They come from a variety of backgrounds but they share the need to acquire the skills to independently pursue their goals, support their families, and participate in Charlottesville activities. Often, these are adults who have so few English skills they are not capable of keeping up in a classroom situation and need the one-to-one attention that Literacy Volunteers can provide.
There is always a waiting list of adult students who need help. New tutor trainings are designed to give volunteers all the skills they need to be great tutors, so no formal teaching experience is necessary. Register for the March 23 training by calling 434-977-3838.
Jefferson School City Center is a voice of the nine nonprofits located at Charlottesville’s intergenerational community center, the restored Jefferson School. We are a legacy preserved . . . a soul reborn . . . in the heart of Cville!
