SHA Employees

Chris Trevethan has been promoted to ESOL/ELA instructor in the Resident Services Department, where he works with SHA residents on gaining English skills and reaching their educational and professional goals.

Trevethan has worked at SHA for nearly a decade as a writing tutor, mostly at the Deborah Barton Neighborhood Network Center, at Sullivan Apartments. He recently stepped into a full-time position at the same location, but with more of a focus on Adult Basic Education programs.

“My focus is on helping adults gain skills they can use either in college, or with career readiness,” Trevethan said.

Chris Trevethan on the job at Sullivan Apartments.

He said he is enjoying the work.

“It’s very fulfilling for me,” said Trevethan, who is nearly done with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing at Western New England University. “I appreciate it 100 percent for myself, but also for the fact that the work entails helping others.”

Lately, he has also been working with youth in the Talk/Read/Succeed! and after-school programs at Sullivan, where he helps children gain literacy skills through a variety of fun activities, including growing a vegetable garden behind the center.

“My focus is on reading appreciation, and we try to have fun with that. Gardening with the children raises a lot of learning lessons, and they love helping with it,” he said.

“It’s a nice thing for children to get involved in gardening. It’s great for them to know where their food is coming from, and while we’re at it, we work on socializing skills, how to work together and how to best talk with each other.”