WOMENSOURCE TRAINING INSTITUTE

The WomenSource Training Institute serves as an "umbrella" program to combine and coordinate all of the agency's educational opportunities, as well as offer new, creative and innovative curriculums. Thanks to our mission of empowerment, ACWC is uniquely positioned to offer an educational environment specific to the needs of the community.

With WomenSource, participants learn in a setting of physical and emotional safety, understanding, respect and comfort. In time, we expect WomenSource will become Atlantic County's leading women's training institute.

Child Development Associate (CDA): Initiated in 1971, the Child Development Associate (CDA) National Credentialing Program is a major national movement to improve the quality of child care. The program is designed to assess and credential early care and education professionals based on performance.

A Child Development Associate (CDA) is an individual who has successfully completed a CDA assessment and has been awarded the CDA Credential. S/he is able to meet the specific needs of children and works with parents and other adults to nurture children’s physical, social, emotional, and intellectual growth in a child development framework.

The CDA credential requires 120 hours of intensive classroom training and 480 hours of on-site child care experience.  ACWC WomenSource provides formal classroom training, meeting the 120 hour requirement.  Candidates are supported and mentored throughout the process of credentialing.  Mentoring and Advisement are available separately or as a component of the training program. More information about the CDA can be found at the South Jersey Early Childhood Educators website.

Computer Trainings: Individuals who acquire computer skills and keep them up-to-date are in extremely high demand. WomenSource offers a variety of computer training classes.  Many are designed to introduce participants to the skills they may need in the workplace.  Introductory and intermediate computer trainings offer participants the opportunity to learn and fine tune their computer skills.  Topics include Introductory Microsoft Word, Intermediate Microsoft Word Courses, and Introduction to Office Automation (copiers, faxes, telephone etiquette and scanners).  Classes are offered in Email and Internet applications, Getting Started with Online Auctions, Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, Access and PowerPoint, as well as Publisher.  In addition, WomenSource has trainings to help participants get acquainted with the personal computer by learning what the common problems are and how to repair them.  Classes are offered at various times and days to accommodate schedules.

Domestic Violence Response Team (DVRT): ACWC trains police department volunteers to become certified crisis counselors who respond to the station immediately following a domestic violence incident to ensure quality support services are provided to the victim including: counseling, assistance with filing a complaint and obtaining a temporary restraining order, locating temporary safe housing, and educating about the issues and implications of domestic violence.

Shattering the Silence Workshop: Is a full-day training designed to promote general awareness for sexual assault issues in our community. Some of the sessions offer an overview of the various “faces” of sexual assault, as well as an explanation of the service available to victims and their families.  The Sexual Assault Response Team/Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner program is explained.

Every 15 Seconds Domestic Violence Workshop: Every 15 Seconds is a full-day training designed to promote general awareness for domestic violence issues in our community. Some of the sessions offer domestic violence overview and an explanation of the domestic violence service agencies in Atlantic County. Other sessions are designed to improve the participants' listening skills, understanding of body language and how personal values impact any intervention or counseling. Participants have an opportunity put their new skills to use through role-playing and reviewing/critiquing a staff-simulated hotline crisis call.

GED (General Educational Development): The GED test measures how well someone has mastered the skills and general knowledge usually acquired during a traditional education that includes four years of high school.  Through the cooperative effort of ACWC, students and volunteers, students are able to receive instruction, help and support in a relaxed, tutorial-like environment.  Students work at their own pace and enrollment is open.  When a student is ready to take the GED test, ACWC staff work to connect them with the local testing sites.

WomenStrength; Women’s Day of Equality: A day of lectures, group and panel discussions examining economic and social perspectives on women in the 21^st century.  Topics explored include:  career building, parenting, feminism, goal building, sexual assault and domestic violence, women’s health and non-traditional careers, just to name a few.

Parents Plus Parenting Workshops: A series of classes designed to help improve parenting skills.  This program is available to parents/caregivers who want to learn positive parenting skills as well as for those who want to improve on the skills they already have.  The program is offered once a week over a 12 week period, with each week focusing on a different area.  Enrollment is open and participants can flow in and out as required.

Early Childhood Professional Trainings: As the lead Child Care Agency in Atlantic County, ACWC, through WomenSource offers a wide variety of Child Development and Early Childhood Education trainings each month.  Some of the trainings offered include: Family Child Care Registration, Multi-Holiday Arts and Crafts, Dental Health, Growth and Development, Abuse and Neglect, Emergent Literacy Skills, Emergent Science and Math Skills, Universal Precautions and Germ Transmission Prevention, Nutrition, Positive Communication, the Positive Parent/Provider Relationship, Music and Movement, Stories without Books, and Stories with Puppets.

Job Development Topics: Dress for Success, Interviewing Skills, Money Management, Income Tax Tips for Small Businesses, Non-Traditional Jobs, HTW Job Fair, How to Conduct a Job Search, Adult Learning Theory, as well as Establishing Credit.

Women’s Health Topics: Stress Management for Women, Positive Communication Skills, Dental Health, Understanding Menopause, Journey to Healing, Expressions groups, Identity Theft Prevention, and Financial Literacy.

To register or for more information, contact WomenSource at (609) 601-9925 x 204 or email us at webinfo@acwc.org.