Amanda Kostman, Human Development and Relationships Educator
Rent Smart – Participants learn how to find and apply for rental housing, understand their responsibilities as a renter, how to communicate effectively with their landlords, and manage housing expenses. Through this, those new to renting are able to increase their ability to find and keep safe affordable housing, thereby increasing their stability and decreasing their reliance on public supports. The goal of this program is to increase participants’ ability to meet their financial goals and increase financial capability and/or renter knowledge for long-term financial success.
- Continued to offer an in-person 6-session course for renters at a local homeless shelter.
- Conducted one session for young people involved in the foster care system as part of Independent Living.
- Continued to offer a virtual 6-session course for renters in Walworth County and beyond.
- Conducted a four session (three-hours per session) Rent Smart Train the Trainer program designed to help about 50 social workers and other community service providers facilitate the Rent Smart program effectively in their own organizations and communities. Professionals and volunteers receive the tools they need to help their clients acquire and keep safe and affordable housing.
- Continued to offer a coaching program for families and individuals where participants learn how to create financial goals and gain money management skills. The goal of this program is to enable participants to prepare for and take charge of household financial situations that occur due to changes in income or unforeseen hardships.
- Participated in community workgroups, including Build HOPE Foundation (a housing initiative), ReEntry Group, CHIP/CHA Group, Walworth County Overdose Fatality Review (OFR), Anti Human Trafficking Coalition, and Join the Movement.
- Continued to offer one-on-one canner gauge testing and education for interested adults, where participants learn best practices in food preservation to ensure safe practices are followed to provide safe food to families. Offered one program to help individuals gain the knowledge to preserve food in safely.
- Worked with local jail staff to conduct four sessions of the ReEntry Ready program to the Walworth County Jail. Program objectives include:
- Provide people impacted by the legal system with resources necessary for reintegrating into society.
- Increase the financial capability of those impacted by the legal system through personal financial education.
- Facilitate participants’ ability to follow through on their plans to build, maintain, and enhance money management skills and behaviors.
- Offered credit and debt and financial record keeping programs with coaching after, to clients of Southeastern Monitoring.
- In partnership with Walworth County HHS, conducted a 6 session (2.5 hours per session) program for young adults aging out of care. This includes Rent Smart, as well as, meeting with community partners to learn about accessing healthcare, furthering education to obtain life sustaining careers, learning about healthy relationships, and other life skills.