The mission of the Social Services department is to promote stability and skill competencies of urban Native Americans as a way of fostering economic, educational, and social self-sufficiency. Social Services emphasizes family oriented, customer service based care. We are client oriented and our help is strength based - that is, we focus on successes and achievements, and as we partner with our clients, we jointly address the challenges that our clients face. Social Services provide three (3) core services: case management, Living Skills workshops, and counseling. We endeavor to assist our clients in meeting needs that range from immediate/crisis driven ones (for example, emergency food assistance and eviction prevention) to long range ones, such as heightened sense of personal and family security and growth.
Case Management - Project Transitions
The intent of case management is to promote the stability of Native American families in short-tern crisis so that they may acquire skills that will lead them to self-sufficiency. Where supportive services are necessary for meeting the needs created by problems such as short term economic crisis, threats of eviction or utility shut off, transitioning to Phoenix from the reservation, poor health, and employment related issues, clients are referred to case management. Case managers conduct assessments, provide information and referral, deliver direct services, advocate for their clients, and perform follow-up. Emphasis is placed on utilizing client strengths and heightening living skills to maximize goal achievement. Importantly, to better serve individuals with disabilities, case management also provides specialized services for clients with disability related needs.
Living Skills
The Living Skills program works in conjunction with case management to promote Native American self-sufficiency. For many that are newly arrived to metropolitan Phoenix, it provides a supportive and informative forum as staff and Living Skills members jointly attend to the issues that most commonly present themselves in an urban society. Utilizing both a traditional and contemporary philosophy to problem solving, group participants learn methods of gaining greater, more satisfying control over their lives.
The Living Skills program is a six week program that meets two times per week, two hours per evening. Utilizing text material, video and audio tapes, and guest speakers, members learn to effectively address and prevent crises. Group members attend to a hierarchy of skills that lead to achievement in employment, community, and personal and family relationships. Incrementally, Living skills programming focuses on helping clients move from coming under external control to being internally directed. This in turn results in movement toward heightened self-image.
The goal of Living Skills is to improve basics communication and problem solving skills. Members attend to understanding the conditioning processes and attitudes and behaviors that both limit and encourage growth. In an interactive setting, members learn and explore new attitudes and behaviors and by program completion report a heightened sense of self-esteem, being more capable of meeting the demands of an urban life-style. Significantly, at graduation, Living Skills graduates report feeling more in touch with their family, tradition, and spirit. Also important, members report that by program completion, they are more confident in taking advantage of the opportunities that have opened up to them. It is with great pride that we at the Center assist and witness the strides made in personal, familial and community growth and success by our Living Skills members. It is also with a deep sense of pride that we view the strong, positive impact our members make upon both the Native American community and community at large.
Counseling Services
The Phoenix Indian Center counseling program is designed to meet the needs of the Native American couple and family. Counseling services are offered in a culturally sensitive, competent, and professional manner. Services are strength based, solution focused, and culturally sensitive. We offer a counseling atmosphere that values tradition and understands the healing process that best addresses the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual needs of our clients and families. In addition, if desired, counseling clients can receive a full complement of counseling, social service, education and employment related services in a comprehensive setting via our supportive services available right here at the Center.
Powerful Families Financial Literacy Program Philosophy
The Phoenix Indian Center has proudly served Urban Native Americans since 1947. Throughout its sixty year history, the Center has continued its pledge to help Native Americans living in the Phoenix area achieve greater self-sufficiency. In keeping with this supportive stance, the Phoenix Indian Center offers its Powerful Families Financial Literacy program. Powerful Families is a financial literacy based program that provides opportunities for participants to become more self-sufficient and less dependent upon others for their financial well-being. The Powerful Families program addresses the needs of those individuals that are committed to self-exploration, making positive financial changes in their lives, and being more self-reliant.
Program Content
Like its sister program, Living Skills, the Powerful Families Financial Literacy program attends to the most common barriers to individual, couple, and family success. However, unlike Living Skills, Powerful Families participants focus primarily upon the most commonly reported cause of individual and familial stress, frustration, and difficulty: financial instability. During the course of the nine week program, participants meet one night per week, for two hours, and study, examine, and address the following topics:
1. You and Your Money
2. ABCs: Accounts, Banks, and Credit Unions
3. Ins and Outs of Credit
4. Improving Your Credit
5. Fundamentals of Budgets
6. Your Personal Budget and Savings Plan
7. Growing Your Money
8. Economic Justice: Identifying Scams and Protecting Your Assets
9. Turning Ideas into Actions
The Phoenix Indian Center, in partnership with Casey Family Programs, provides participants with a copy of the Powerful Families Financial Literacy work book, transportation assistance, and child care – all cost free to Powerful Families participants. Food and beverage is provided free of charge as well. Importantly, all participants receive a copy of their credit report, also free of charge. Needless-to-say, Powerful Family participants have consistency verbalized appreciation for the consideration the Center has given to making enrollment into this program as barrier-free as possible.
Key Points:
* The primary goal of the Powerful Family Financial Literacy program is to help individuals and families become more self-sufficient by heightening their level of financial literacy. This results in Powerful Families participants improving their problem solving and financial management skills required to achieve a greater level of success and sense of well-being.
* Powerful Families program uses a group process to facilitate the learning of financial skills.
* Powerful Families program delivers its lesson material in a manner that helps participants incorporate their learning into everyday living.
How can Powerful Families benefit me?
Powerful Families participants report the following gains:
* Financial decision making and problem solving skills
* Communication skills
* Planning skills
* Time and money management
* Attitude for success
* Positive habits
* Independence
* Financial literacy
* Satisfaction in relationships
* Career potential
* Urban Living Skills
* Friends and social support
What do I Earn?
Financial Literacy Program Certificate
How do I register?
The next Powerful Families Financial Literacy class begins Tuesday, October 2, 2007. Classes will be held each Tuesday between 5:30 P.M. and 7:30 P.M. Participants will graduate on November 27, 2007. Child care will be provided. Classes will be conducted at the Phoenix Indian Center, located at 4520 N. Central Avenue, Suite 250, Phoenix, AZ 85012.
Please contact Ms. Rose Thompson, Powerful Families program facilitator, at 602-263-1017 for program registration and/or additional program information.
Powerful Families is supported by Casey Family Programs, Valley of the Sun United Way, Navajo Nation, and Arizona Department of Economic Security
