BETA shares real world experience with residents

For most, 4 a.m. is an unfamiliar hour, a time still spent slumbered between sheets encompassed by the darkness of closed eyelids. For Desiree Funchess, it’s a whirlwind hour of quick showers, breakfast cereal and changing buses.

While the rest of the world sleeps, young mothers like Funchess, rise early to prepare themselves and their children for the day ahead. For Funchess that may mean a quick shower and breakfast, then at least two buses to catch to get her 7-month-old son Desmond to daycare and herself to work.

If she wants to go school to better her chances at a good job, she has to somehow coordinate that into her already exhausting schedule.

“Every day is a challenge, just trying to get everything done,” Funchess said.

And that’s just for transportation. Factor in healthcare, financial or family issues or any number of other life stressors, and she says the tasks can sometimes seem insurmountable.

But this summer, Funchess found help through local organizations coming together to help young single mothers from Orlando succeed.

Orlando’s pregnancy and parenthood resource hub, BETA Center, teamed up with Workforce Central Florida’s Project CoNEXTions, which offers a youth internship program for 16- to 21-year-olds experiencing challenges entering the workforce.

At BETA, young women are able to complete their high school education, get counseling and job search support and access to quality childcare. The CoNEXTions program provides the girls with job skills training and the opportunity to put those skills to practice in a seven-week internship.

Funchess and two other women from BETA completed the program this summer, interning at BETA Center doing clerical work, customer service and learning to be responsible employees.

“We expected them to act as any employee, clocking in, calling in if necessary and taking responsibility for their actions,” said Residence Case Manager Aja Smith, who supervised the interns.

In many cases, Smith said the remaining challenge that stands between these young mothers and independence is their inability to find and keep a good job. This program taught them the basics of being a good employee, while providing free childcare and allowing the women to earn hourly part-time paychecks for their work.

Smith met bi-weekly with the interns to evaluate their progress and offer suggestions or praise as needed.

“They learned a lot about their strengths and weaknesses and that is a huge help when going out into the workforce,” she said.

Funchess said she saw the internship as an opportunity to build skills and network for the future.

“I learned the proper way to provide great customer service and I worked on taking initiative, which I know is really important on the job,” Funchess said.

Funchess plans to start classes in January at Valencia College, and is currently looking for a job where she can use her new skills.

“Desiree was an outstanding intern,” Smith said. “She took responsibility like a pro.”

“She tackled every task to make herself more employable and really grew in both confidence and skills.”

Funchess said after her experiences in both BETA’s residential program and the internship over the summer, she feels ready to take on life’s challenges in the real world.

“I’m really thankful to have BETA in my life,” Funchess said. “It’s been a blessing, it’s like another family.”

Smith said the greatest thing she hopes girls will get from the program is the gift of independence.

“No one ever takes the time to recognize the challenges for these girls,” Smith said. “If we can help them make it just that much easier to get there, we have achieved our goal.”