New center to help homeless, foster children with job training to open in Selbyville

SELBYVILLE, Del. –  A new after-school program in Selbyville is hoping to give homeless teens and those in and about to age out of the foster system a place to go to build skills required for finding jobs.

The Rise Center at Community Inspired Action is set to open on Monday, October 11th, and will be able to serve up to 15 children in person, as well as additional students remotely depending on the demand from 2:30 pm to 7 pm on weekdays.

“Rise is for resilient, independent self-sufficient, and empowered which is what we are trying to get these kids to be,” said Community Inspired Actions Executive Director Ketanya Moore. Moore tells us the center will help these kids thrive by learning skills like resume writing, interviewing, and networking.

“A lot of these youth don’t have the skills they need to go and search for jobs look for jobs we have our computer centers here to have access to the internet, search for jobs and training so everything they’d need they’ll find it here,” she said. The building will also feature a lounge, with a couch and tv, to help give the kids a sense of home, safety, and belonging that Moore says kids in the foster system often don’t feel.

“It’s a sense of belonging and feeling loved and that genuine caring that they are lacking currently,” she said.

Moore says a PlayStation game system is on the way for the center, and Rise received a donation of 10 computers to get up and running. She’s hoping to work with the Bethany-Fenwick Area Chamber of Commerce can help line up jobs for her students once they have the skills they need.

“We are a great link, with connecting people and the needs, we have at least 700 businesses in our membership and I would say 95 percent of which are looking for workers,” said Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lauren Weaver.

Moore believes intervention programs like hers can help to give kids the options for success they deserve and save money over the long term for communities.

“If we don’t teach these kids now or help and provide them with the resources needed down the road we will be spending tax dollars to get them out of a bad situation,” Moore said.

Moore hopes to expand the spoke of Community Inspired Action’s programming, with the hopes to eventually build a transitional housing facility to help homeless teens that have aged out of the foster care system by turning 18.

Weaver told 47 ABC that the Chamber of Commerce building on Fenwick Island would be the drop-off point for donations to the facility, helping to raise supplies, and raise awareness for the Rise facility.

Moore says she currently has 4 slots of the maximum of 15 filled and hopes more students who could benefit from the service apply for help on their website, but she says while the focus will be on those soft skills and technology training, the center will be welcome to all looking for a safe and educational place after school is out.