It may come as no surprise that Riverside House clients often face a myriad of hurdles when applying for jobs. One of our goals is to not only help our clients overcome these challenges, but to encourage them succeed to despite the odds that they face. Our individualized programs include job interview coaching and employment skills training. As a result, 69 percent of our clients (in-house and in home confinement) are employed.
Here are a couple of recent stories of how two of our clients overcame trials to find even better employment opportunities.
Prior to his arrival to Riverside house in December, *Hank Brown had been marked by many encounters with the law, authority, and a lengthy time in prison. Upon meeting Mr. Brown, our Chaplain first noticed that contrary to his record, he had great intellect. After speaking with him continually throughout his stay at Riverside House, our team discovered that he was very educated.
While in prison, he graduated from college with a GPA of 3.8. Despite having a degree and a highly impressive GPA, Mr. Brown was continually told “no,” and “we don’t hire felons” from potential employers. Nevertheless, Mr. Brown didn’t let that stop him. In fact, he seemed to become even more motivated to prove those that turned their back on him wrong.
Through his perseverance and determination, Mr. Brown finally got the phone call that he worked so diligently for. A former client of Riverside House offered him a position that pays above minimum wage, offers benefits and has room for advancement. Since being hired, Mr. Brown has been focused and has developed better work ethic, understanding that hard work pays off.
Like Mr. Brown, *David Greene had experienced his fair share of employment struggles. After being terminated from a job due to a misunderstanding with his supervisor, Mr. Greene remained hopeful. He steadily searched for a new job while diligently working on his job skills. As a result, he was recently offered two jobs, both of which will pay him more money and give him better hours.
*Name changed to protect the individual’s identity.
