These stories go from cautionary tales to future success.
For many young people just like you, moving into adulthood can be difficult. There are a variety of reasons people struggle at this point in life. Whatever the reason, it can leave you feeling frustrated, confused, and at times, scared. You don’t know what to do next. Below are inspiring stories that reflect the lives of young people who were struggling to move forward, but found the support and guidance they needed at Work At It.
TALI
“Before I joined Work At It, I had no idea that I had any talents or abilities. They showed me I had many”
When Tali came for an interview with Work At It, she did not believe she was good at anything. Because Tali was a beautiful and bright teen we were surprised she had such a self-defeating view of herself.
We were sure that we could help her discover another side to herself. We asked her to take the “16 Personalities test”, to get a better idea of hidden talents and strengths. Tali was amazed at how well the test pegged her. Even more intriguing to her were the career suggestions for her personality type. Our skills checklist highlighted abilities she had never considered worthwhile.
Tali left our first meeting feeling much more positive about her natural abilities, transferable skills, and future possibilities. We continue to support her efforts to explore different aspects of her abilities.
For some people, like Tali, a little self-discovery can be the spark that ignites a whole new take on life.
JONATHAN
At 14, Jonathan was abused by an adult he trusted. Throughout high school he struggled to come to grips with the experience. He was confused and angry. He soon discovered that abusing drugs let him escape the flashbacks and anxiety that haunted him. Drugs became the way he coped with all of life’s problems. Trapped in the cycle of addiction, Jonathan’s family relationships began to fall apart and he began to live with different relatives and friends. He was rudderless and his life was out of control. Eventually, at 19, Jonathan spent many months in inpatient rehab.
At the suggestion of his therapist, Jonathan reached out to Work At It. During his in-processing interview, he shared that he hoped to get a job working with disabled children. Over several sessions, our team began to work with him to develop interview skills and job etiquette. We built on his natural strengths, improving on his talents. Not long after this, Jonathan received an interview with a school for autistic children as a teacher’s aid. Jonathan accepted the job and began to get valuable on-the-job experiences. His confidence grew and he began to have hope that the future could be brighter. And though Jonathan deals with the ups and downs of substance recovery, he continues to work with his career coach, preparing for the next opportunity for personal growth.
DENA
Dena’s anxiety caused her to struggle academically. This left her feeling detached from her peers. Frustrated and depressed, she dropped out of high school at 15. For the next 2 years she isolated herself, rarely leaving the house and becoming more and more disconnected from the world around her.
When she came to Work At It, we understood that Dena’s anxiety would make placing her in a job challenging, to say the least. Nonetheless, our social worker began working very closely with Dena and her family. Using a variety of aptitude tests, personality assessments, and one-on-one conversations, we got to know her. We learned her interests and skills, not to mention her hopes and dreams. When the time was right, we found Dena a job and supported her as she worked through her anxiety. There were struggles along the way, and we collaborated with her extremely caring employer, encouraging them to understand Dena’s shortcomings while convincing them that Dena was striving to overcome her issues. It’s a good example of how Work At It tries to place the right client with the right employers.
Dena worked at the job for close to a year, developing a strong sense of responsibility while improving her social skills. More importantly, she began to gain valuable confidence that she can use as she moves forward in her career. Dena now has a marketable skill and is continuing down a better path in life.
DAN
“I knew where I wanted to go in life, I just didn’t know how to get there. Now I know myself better.”
Dan was the youngest child in a large family. His parents had a messy divorce when he was 13, and it turned his world upside down. By 16, he had dropped out of two different schools. When we met him, he had been without any formal structure for 6 months, and his increasing depression had his mother concerned. Dan often came across as angry and sarcastic, perhaps as a way of conveying the hurt and confusion he felt, but it could be off putting to many people. It would certainly make getting along in the workplace more difficult.
However, our team looked past Dan’s negative demeanor and saw the person we knew he could become. We began suggesting practical solutions to help him get control of his life. We took the time to build his confidence, and when he realized that our staff was genuinely rooting for him, he rallied. His mom overheard him saying, "I met the people at Work At It and decided to get off my butt and do something.” After several job interviews he was offered a job, and he started working soon after. It’s a big first step forward, helping Dan move beyond past hurts and guiding him towards a brighter future.