Children, like Trinity shown here, live in South Phoenix. What type of future will the children of South Phoenix have? My article on the Travis L. Williams Family Services Center discusses how to ensure that all children, and adults, are provided an opportunity to succeed.
Mike Brown
SOC 332, Modern City
March 7, 2003
Travis L. Williams Family Services Center
Travis L. Williams Family Services Center
The Travis L. Williams Family Services Center was the first Family Service Center established in the Phoenix area. Today there are several Family Service Centers throughout the valley. The Travis L. Williams Family Services Center provides a broad range of services, including meeting rooms. The following will discuss my classes lecture and the services available at the center.
Our class met at the Travis L. Williams Family Services Center several times. At one of our meetings Phyllis Crawford, who is the Center Manager for the Travis L. Williams Family Services Center, gave us an overview of the center. Phyllis spoke with us about how the Travis L. Williams Family Services Center is part of a community action program. As mentioned, the Travis L. Williams Family Services Center was the first in the Phoenix area. However the community center was not named that when it was established in the late 1960’s next to South Mountain. In 1999 the building was moved to its current location on South Central Avenue, where it then received its current name, Travis L. Williams Family Services Center, after the director of more than twenty years at the original center. Phyllis also informed us of how the center provides low income assistance and even acts as a homeless overflow shelter along with their many other services.
There are several quality services that are available at the Travis L. Williams Family Services Center. Until becoming a college student and taking this class, I was not aware of the Family Service Centers and the services that they provide; quite frankly I was quite surprised at the amount of community support that they offer. There mission statement is, “To promote the economic, physical, and social well being of residents of Phoenix by promoting self-sufficiency.” (1)
The support they offer to promote self sufficiency includes a client services program which consists of information and referral services, case management, emergency financial assistance, emergency food boxes, and bus tickets. Other supplemental programs include Young Families C.A.N. Program, Head Start, OneStop, The Phoenix Workforce Information Network, and The Neighborhood. In addition there are non-city services available at the center; such as the Salvation Army, English as a second language, and Unlimited Potential, Inc. (2)
Obviously these are all helpful, but I would like to further expand upon three services, case management, Head Start, and OneStop. Case management services can help with many things which I will not explain in detail, but the following list of things they can help with is impressive; welfare reform, abusive relationships, unemployment, medical assistance, job training, housing assistance, advocacy, counseling, financial assistance, social security claims, child care, and finance management. (3) Head Start is a child development program. Head Start is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and focuses on four major components to meet the child’s needs. They are education, health, parent involvement, and social services. They also help children with disabilities. (4) OneStop is part of a network of employment, training, and educational programs, also referred to as the Phoenix Workforce Connection. The OneStop Phoenix Workforce Connection helps the unemployed and the underemployed find jobs, and helps employers find qualified employees. (5)
With all these resources available to the community, it makes me sad to see all the people in need. But even I did not know of these resources until I took this class. To conclude, hopefully you the reader found this an informative paper and will pass the word on to those in need that community centers, like the Travis L. Williams Family Services Center, are available to all.
References:
1. City of Phoenix Human Services Department Community Services Division, Travis L. Williams Family Services Center pamphlet, 3/2003.
2. City of Phoenix Human Services Department Community Services Division, Travis L. Williams Family Services Center pamphlet, 3/2003.
3. City of Phoenix Human Services Department Community Services Division, Travis L. Williams Family Services Center pamphlet, 3/2003.
4. U.S. Department Of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families Head Start Bureau “A Child Development Program” pamphlet, pages 3-4. 3/2003.
5. City of Phoenix Human Services Department, Phoenix Workforce Connection OneStop publication, 9/2002.
