Reducing Barriers to Employment & Advancement: Terrance & JobsWork MKE
Hope. High expectations. Holistic support.
These are the three H’s that JobsWork MKE, supported by United Way’s Reducing Barriers to Employment & Advancement initiative, instill in their participants as they navigate finding a job. Participants in JobsWork programs are fully supported by a caring staff, who recognize that barriers to employment affect more than a paycheck. Barriers to employment, like someone’s past, can affect their mental health and self-worth.
“Hope is key at the beginning. Because it’s allowing someone to know that you’re not what you’ve done, you’re who you are,” emphasized Clinton Wray, Director of Employment Development at JobsWork MKE. “So, they get to find out that they can do the things they were meant to do.”
Terrance found hope through JobsWork MKE. As a justice-impacted individual, he was eager for a fresh start. He’s always been a hard worker, but he struggled with doubting himself, which prevented him from realizing his potential and even applying for jobs. Workshops at JobsWork allowed him to break through the barriers of doubt.
“It’s holding yourself accountable. Not trying to take the easy way out. It’s being strong. Being driven. Being focused,” Terrance said.
Beyond helping participants find jobs through resume development, practicing interviewing skills, and in job placement, JobsWork focuses on reconnecting them to their passions. This level of attention is carried throughout an individual’s journey to employment. It underscores the hope that someone like Terrance looks for.
Now, Terrance is flourishing in his role at Aurora and continues to help other participants at JobsWork MKE.
“It’s a feeling of family,” he reflected. “I’ve been with JobsWork for a long time. They truly, truly are good people.”
Your donation to United Way’s Reducing Barriers to Employment & Advancement initiative supports individuals like Terrance break the mental barriers that are holding them back from reaching their potential. With JobsWork MKE, United is the Way we help people who are ready to change get ready for work.