Youths, ages 11 to 17, can start preparing for summer jobs now by signing up for Babysitting Training classes offered by the American Red Cross of Ventura County. The first session is offered April 9-10 at the Ventura office located at 2355 Portola Road. The second session is scheduled June 25-26 at the Camarillo headquarters located at the Betty R. Plotkin Center, 836 Calle Plano.

The Friday session will take place from 4 to 9 p.m. and will cover basic child care such as diaper changing, tips on feeding and supervising children, instruction on handling bedtime and discipline issues in addition to resume writing. The Saturday class will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and will mainly cover CPR and First Aid.

The cost is $85 for both the babysitting training and CPR/First Aid instruction, and $50 for the Babysitting training only. Registration is offered on a first-come, first-serve basis. Participants will receive a Babysitters Certificate as well as an Emergency Training Reference Guide, CD-Rom and a Training Handbook. A Babysitter’s Essential Kit containing a first aid flashlight will also be available for purchase for $12.

Individuals can register by calling Rachele Ford at 805-339-2234, ext. 281, or online at www.arcventura.org.

Since 1917, the American Red Cross of Ventura County has been meeting needs throughout the communities it serves. Each year, more than 1,200 local volunteers respond to more than 50 local disasters, teach tens of thousands of individual’s vital lifesaving skills, and support the men and women in the U.S. Armed Forces. The American Red Cross is not a government agency.