New Horizon Youth and Family Services began its life skills education to act as another layer in the process of rehabilitation, prevention, and independence. New Horizon offers classes in budgeting and money management, time management and goal setting, employment, and credit building and repair in addition to many more to clients to aid in their success. To increase the chances of success, a Life Skills Coach will work one on one with each client to help them use their new skills to achieve their goals.

Colorado’s youth are facing many challenges and the need of having an advocate or mentor is growing. At New Horizon Youth and Family Services, our advocates and mentors work with these youth to help them get back on track, provide a positive influence and an education in life skills to assist them in preparation for the adult world. Life shouldn’t be all work and no play, so in addition to working to improve their grades in school and life skills, our youth get the opportunity to go on adventures with their advocate/mentor that include hiking, movies, sports, crafts, volunteering and other activities as rewards for the improvements that they are making.

The New Horizon Life Skills Development Academy offers two separate academies - one geared to adults and another toward youth. This four week academy is broken down by Basic Necessities, Goals and Hindrances.

In Basic Necessities, students learn the importance of obtaining their vital documents, how to find employment and different education opportunities. The first session continues with teaching about budgeting, banking and the importance of a credit rating.

Session 2 of Basic Necessities focuses on goals and time management, empathy, impulse control and coping skills and discovering better choices. The skills learned in Basic Necessities lead to Session 3 where Goals are discussed. How to buy or rent a house and car and how to maintain a car are features of this session. It is closed by focusing on establishing values, healthy relationships and taking ownership of behaviors and choices.

With the basics established and goals set, Session 4 allows the student to explore how these things become hindered by bullying, theft, social media, gang involvement, substance abuse and teen pregnancy. Clients participating in the Life Skills Academy will also have the opportunity to sign up for advanced classes on individual topics that they would like more information about.