Kern Bridges Youth Homes Offers Training

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - April 24, 2014 - PRLog -- April 23, 2014

Contact:  Jim VanderZwan, Adoptions Director, Kern Bridges Youth Homes, 661-342-6229

Continuing Education Training offered - Strength-Based Culture in a Foster Home, School or Residential Environment

(Bakersfield, CA)  Kern Bridges Youth Homes (KBYH), a local nonprofit organization serving abused, neglected and most often orphaned children, as well as foster youth and their families, will present a continuing education training workshop, “Facilitating a Strength-Based Culture in a Foster Home, School or Residential Environment” by Neal Sternberg, M.S.C.J.A. on May 14, 8 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. at the Four Points Sheraton, Bakersfield.

The workshop will explore the biases and beliefs that impede staff/client/family relationships; challenge the participants to explore the areas that might impede success in forming successful relationships; discuss the process of recovery for families and clients and offer skills necessary for staff (supervisors, clinicians, child care workers and teachers) to develop a strength-based attitude and life style.  The training will address learning how to interpret the language of clients and families and recognize how subtly staff’ voice intonation, body language and consistency of message can dramatically affect how clients and family hear them.

Sternberg has 38 years of professional experience in residential and youth services, working in Probation, Mental Health and Residential Treatment Centers.  He was the executive director of Victor Treatment Centers, a multifaceted residential, school and out-patient Mental Health Program for mentally-ill youth and their families.  He serves on the Executive Board and is the Research chairman for The American Association of Children’s Residential Centers.

The training offers 5 CEU hours to MFT/LCSW for $25, including a light breakfast and lunch.  For registration information, contact Jim VanderZwan, KBYH Adoptions Director at 661-342-6229.  A Children’s Home Society of California grant to Kern Bridges Youth Homes has made it possible to for KBYH to offer the workshop at low cost.