MIFA Life Skills Institute

The Life Skills Institute team examines each client in terms of:
• Education
• Work readiness
• Literacy
• Family psycho-social well-being
• Finances
• Nutrition and health
• Parenting skills 

LSI focuses on improvement in the following areas:
• Money management
• Getting and keeping successful employment
• Preparation for home ownership
• Effective parenting
• Healthy lifestyle choices 

Based on the program’s intial assessments, an individual life skills curriculum is designed for each adult (this will soon be extended to children and teens). Elective courses are available on a variety of topics, including:

• Money Management
• THDA Certified Home Ownership Training
• Basic & Advanced Personal Computer Training (Microsoft Certifications available)
• Real World of Work Training
• Parenting Skills
• HIV & AIDS Prevention
• Sexual Abuse Prevention
• Time/Anger Management
• Conflict Resolution
• Health & Wellness - topics such as diabetes, controlling blood pressure, diet, exercise and nutrition

Completing the program: In addition to attending classes, residents are required to seek employment, pay down debt, save money, and set goals for progress. While they remain in MIFA housing, families are provided with case management, health care, counseling, and childcare. When they complete all the program’s requirements, they leave with furniture, savings, housing, and employment.

Continuing support: MIFA provides case management for an additional year, and the Exchange Club Family Center assists with domestic violence issues as needed.

Funding & Support: LSI receives volunteer and financial support from a variety of sources. First Tennessee Bank employees volunteer their services as money management instructors. Grace-St. Luke's Episcopal Church provides volunteers to assist in parenting education. Individuals like Chef Amy Pickle (chef) and Alona Davis Denton (sexual awareness instructor) offer their expertise for LSI classes. Volunteers from Hilton Corporation paint and refurbish LSI meeting and childcare rooms. Emotional Fitness Centers provide mental health assessments, referrals and support services. Other collaborations are with the Exchange Club Family Center (domestic violence instruction and counseling, parenting education); Memphis Literacy Council and Mid-South Reads (reading); the University of Tennessee Boling Center for Developmental Disabilities (early childhood development); NAPO (time management services); SCORE (business start-up); First Books (books) and Hnedak Bobo Group (children's art classes).
 
Major funding sources during FY2008 were Les Passees, Inc., First Tennessee Bank, Episcopal Church Home and Grace-St. Luke's Episcopal Church. Other funders were the Hohenberg Foundation, Community Foundation of Greater Memphis, the Junior League of Memphis, MGM Mirage, Medtronic, the Kemmons Wilson Family Foundation, and the Buckman Foundation, among others.