Empowerment Training Center

The Empowerment Training Center (ETC) is a workforce development program that is uniquely designed to strengthen skills and development of employees locally, state wide, and nationally. SSYAF’s Empowerment Training Center also provides training and support to individuals with lived experience who are on a path of recovery and are willing and able to assist others who are in earlier stages of the recovery process. These individuals’ viewpoints and experiences are included in the training, education, and support. The Empowerment Training Center also includes wellness, recovery, and resiliency principles; instills hope; encourages self-leadership techniques; is culturally responsive; and includes a training model that ensures services are provided in the best interest of families and community.

There are multiple branches of support trainings under the ETC initiative that all members of the community can utilize:

- Community Resource Trainings: Community based trainings and info sessions are open to the public via zoom to learn more about community resources, panels, and facilitated training sessions. These trainings can also be brought directly to agencies, schools, and community partners for individualized training sessions facilitated by a Peer advocate.

- Parent University: A school based training series to empower parents to become full partners in their children’s lives for the purpose of building additional skills, knowledge, resources, and confidence as a parent.

- Life University: A school based training collaborative for students in middle and high school to learn more about life skills in a safe and affirming learning environment.

- Peer Pipeline: A training and mentorship initiative for individuals with lived experience with system navigation who want to strengthen their skills as a Peer Advocate, or strengthen their readiness for the peer Advocacy field.

Questions?

Contact Erin Reynolds, Associate Director of Diversity Equity and Inclusion, at etrainingcenter@ssyaf.org or call (916) 344-0199.