Connections: Healthy Relationships with Family, Friends, and Partners is sponsored by Independence Northwest.
Applications for the upcoming class are now open!
Winter 2025 Connections Class
In-person at the Independence Northwest office
Tuesday and Thursday afternoons
February 25th to March 13th
This class is about relationships and sexual health and will help you reach out and build stronger connections with the people you care about. The Connections class will give you tools and skills to be safe and happy in your relationships!
This class is for brokerage customers who want to strengthen their positive relationships with the people they interact with everyday. It’s also a great way to learn how to expand your circle of friends and think about dating and potentially developing intimate relationships.
At this time, this program is available to Independence Northwest, UCP Connections, UCP Mentors, and Community Pathways customers. Space is limited and we keep our classes small because that’s how they work best. (Minimum enrollment is 8 students, maximum is 12.)
The Winter 2025 Connections Class will be in person at the Independence Northwest office at 919 NE 19th Avenue #275 in Portland.
Interested and want to learn more?
You and family/support members are invited to attend a Connections Orientation from the convenience of your home, live on Zoom:
January 28th from 2pm – 3pm
Attendance is optional and will be an opportunity to meet the instructor, learn more about what we will talk about in the class, and ask any questions you might have.
If you would like to attend the orientation, RSVP to Connectionspeople@gmail.com. A Zoom link will be sent to you a few days before the class.
Ready to Apply?
1. Check Your Schedule
(Are you available to attend all classes?)
Attendance at every class is important because each class builds on the knowledge and skills learned in the previous session.
Tuesday February 25th 2pm to 4pm
Thursday February 27th 2pm to 4pm
Tuesday March 4th 2pm to 4pm
Thursday March 6th 2pm to 4pm
Tuesday March 11th 2pm to 4pm
Thursday March 13th 2pm to 4pm
Topics we’ll cover include:
Communication
Friendship
Dating
Becoming a Couple
Healthy Relationships
Understanding our Bodies
Sexual Health
Self-advocacy
and more!
This class helped me understand healthy relationships and become a stronger advocate.
Corinne Thomas-Kersting
Hello! I am Corinne Thomas-Kersting. I am looking forward to meeting you and teaching this Connections class with Alice. I am a speech-language pathologist and retired school administrator with Portland’s Community Transition Program for young adults. My career has focused on advocating for educational equity and supporting people becoming successful communicators. Since my retirement, I have been honored to serve as a Board Member of Independence Northwest and have taught communication workshops to Personal Support Workers. One of my favorite sayings is “Communication is the essence of human life.” It is also the essence of every human relationship. See you soon and we will start learning together!
Alice McKenzie
Hi! I am Alice McKenzie and am thrilled to be joining you on this journey to learn more about healthy connections and relationships. My background is in public policy and social justice. I have worked on programs with diverse teams of people across all sectors. I believe that understanding your own body and self is essential for every person to experience safe, healthy, and authentic sexual expression. My classes will focus on understanding your own body, reproductive health, and sexual health.