Do you know a young person who wants his or her own living space but is daunted by the prospect of living away from home due to a lack of knowledge of the relevant life skills? A new four-session class from the Clinton Human Services Department starting in October is designed to help develop those skills.

The four-part class, called the Adulting Series, will run on Wednesdays in October at 3 p.m. at a cost of $5 per class, or $15 for all four classes. The class is aimed at current high school seniors and recent graduates from Clinton, Westbrook, and Old Saybrook. Registration is required and can be done by contacting Program Coordinator Jill Paglino at 860-664-1155 or emailing jpaglino@clintonct.org.

The class will meet in person. Due to space requirements, a maximum of eight students will be allowed to attend. Paglino said that, if there is enough interest, the program will be run again later this year.

The program will provide lessons in aspects of “adulting” such as personal finances, how to interview for a job and format a résumé, how build a budget and read an apartment lease, along with guidance in tasks like changing a tire, and cooking basic meals. One lesson will cover mental health, including how to recognize when something is wrong and how to correct the issues or get help.

Paglino said that the program will feature local professionals, such a banking representative one week who can discuss common concerns like setting up a credit card or loan, or a mechanic another week who can go over basic car care. The professionals will answer students’ questions and be equipped to teach the students about their respective fields.

Paglino said she wanted to bring the project to Clinton because “we recognize that young people aren’t always ready to launch.” Last year a survey of The Morgan School seniors assessing what skills they felt confident in and which ones they weren’t as confident in indicated there was an appetite for learning the basic life skills that are needed for those who go out and live on their own.

“We’re really trying to reach that young adult population that is out of school but still in town,” Paglino said.

While some students are ready to move out and live on their own upon graduating high school, Paglino said that there are also students who may want to do that but are not necessarily ready to do that. By offering this class, the department is hoping to reach those kids and assist them.

“It’s really hard to do out reach to those groups,” Paglino said.

Paglino said she could recall a time when she was younger and traveling alone and her car broke down and how overwhelmed she’d felt trying to change the tire while at the same time unsure if she should accept help from strangers.

“I wish I had someone who’d taught me about how to change a flat when I was younger,” Paglino said.

Paglino also mentioned that girls in particular are sometimes not taught how to do tire changes and maintenance work that could be really useful when living alone.

Paglino said that by taking the class it gives students the opportunity to learn these life skills in a friendly environment where they won’t feel intimidated to ask questions or admit they don’t know about some of what is being talked about.

Paglino said that the environment project is funded by the United Way and modeled after a similar program that has been in Old Saybrook.

To register for the class, call 860- 664-1155 or email jpaglino@clintonct.org.