July 24 , 2009

 

ATLANTA’S MAYOR’S YOUTH PROGRAM:
PREPARING TEENS FOR THE HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY
Youth Program Aimed at Training Youth for Jobs in the Healthcare Industry and Employing them within the Community

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 begun in 2005 by Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, to assist high school seniors 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.

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 of $100 and a Marta card. 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 up her senior year at Maynard Jackson High School in Atlanta. This summer has taught her the skill sets that she will no doubt 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 to 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.  

Photo 1: Brishawn Balenger

 

Photo 2: Healthcare Program Participants (Abyria McCrary is Front Row, Far Left)