Happy Wednesday!
New this week:
RFW Network In-Person Celebration
The Washing County Recovery Friendly Workplace Network invites you to an in-person celebration on March 7th from 5:30 — 7 pm at the MaineStreet Business Building, 19 Main Street, Machias. Register here. To learn more about the Recovery Friendly Workplace Network, we invite you to visit our website. There, you can view our FAQs and have an opportunity to complete a letter of intent to join the network. The recording of our February 24th virtual launch event will be shared on our website as soon as it is available. You may view the event presentation here.
Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month
NextStep is asking people to wear orange on February 6th to spread awareness about teen dating violence and to show your support. Tag us in photos @NextStepDVProject or use our hashtag #TDVAM24. You can also share resources with young people you know. We are looking for young adult books for the teens we work with and support. Download this flyer for details about our Teen Book Drive.
MCWE 2024
Save the date of June 27th for the 29th Maine Child Welfare Education Conference at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor. Keynote speaker is Scarlett Lewis, founder of Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement. Download a flyer for details.
University of Maine Cooperative Extension 4-H will offer 4-H Science Fridays beginning Feb. 23. Youth, ages nine to fourteen, will meet with 4-H Professional, Gabby Brodek, one Friday a month February through October on the campus of the University of Maine at Machias. This club will focus on exploring science topics and skills, spending time outside, and becoming familiar with the University of Maine at Machias campus. Sessions include Ice Cores on Feb. 23, Eclipse Investigations on Mar. 22, and Vernal Pools on May 24. The events are free; registration is required. Register and find more information on the program webpage. For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation, contact 207-255-3345; gabrielle.brodek@maine.edu.
The University of Maine Cooperative Extension is hosting a Starting Seeds Indoors workshop designed to provide participants with the best practices for growing seedlings indoors. The free course will be offered in both virtual and in-person formats. The in-person workshop will be held at the Bangor Public Library on Feb 10th. A virtual workshop will take place from 6-7:30 p.m. Feb. 15th. Participants will have the opportunity to learn how to develop a personalized seed starting calendar based on Maine weather conditions and receive practical tips for the small-scale home gardener. Pre-registration is required, and a recording of the workshop will be shared with all pre-registered participants. Led by Kate Garland, Extension horticulture professional, the comprehensive workshops are perfect for both beginner and experienced gardeners looking to enhance their seed starting skills. To register for either the virtual or in-person course, please visit the workshop webpage. For more information or to request a reasonable accommodation contact Shavaun Riglerat, shavaun.rigler@bangorpubliclibrary.org, 207-922-6058.
State of Maine Employment & Labor Changes and Updates for 2024
There are many upcoming changes that impact small businesses in 2024. CEI Women’s Business Center has provided a brief outline, with links to additional information, below:
- Minimum wage Increase
- MERIT– Maine Retirement Savings Plan
- FinCEN Corporate Transparency Law
- Paid Family and Medical Leave Program Update
Additionally, our colleagues at the Maine Small Business Development Centers have made a helpful video outlining many of these changes. 2024 Mandates: What Business Owners Need to Know.
SAMHSA Releases Peer Support Recovery Guide
SAMHSA’s recently released consumer guide titled How Can a Peer Specialist Support My Recovery From Problematic Substance Use? offers people with problematic substance use a how-to resource about working on recovery with a peer specialist. Peer specialists are trained professionals with lived experience of problematic substance use, behavior change, and recovery. Peer specialists have long worked at recovery-focused community organizations; they can now often be found in substance use disorder treatment programs and other settings.
This guide discusses in a conversational, reader-friendly way:
- Who peer specialists are.
- How peer support services can benefit people in or seeking recovery.
- The range of services that peer specialists may provide.
- Peer specialists’ roles and values.
- The types of organizations that offer peer support services, and how to find such places.
- How to get the most out of working with peer specialists.
- How peer support services are paid for.