A lot has happened since my last post on the blog. The biggest news is that Homeless Court is beginning to have a lot of people accepted into the program. With very little advertising, Homeless Court is attracting many new clients that come in each week to have their tickets dismissed.
Throughout my experience of meeting with all of these people, the quality that helps me the most is patience. I try to be as patient as I possibly can with each client, and it ultimately works for the best interest of the client and me. With every client, he or she wants to tell the story behind the ticket, why the ticket was issued, what the circumstances were, and I believe that part of my service at St. Vincent de Paul is listening to the stories. The client feels twice as comfortable and more at ease when he or she is listened to and a sense of openness and appreciation is conveyed which makes the process run so much more smoothly. I try to take these lessons of patience that I have learned from St. Vincent de Paul and apply them to my personal life. It is not always easy to practice patience but the more I do, the better I become.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Job Fair coming to SVdP
CWF/SVdP hosting a Job Fair on July 8 from 1-4pm
This job fair will place our clients in face-to-face contact with employers in Oakland and other parts of the East Bay who have job openings or expect to be hiring soon. We also plan to host vocational training programs and community service providers that address barriers to employment. Champion Workforce will prepare Transtional Employees to come dressed for succes with resumes in hand.
We'll be conducting mock interviews, resume workshops and computer classes. Our clients can learn from experts about financial empowerment, expunging a criminal background, training oppportunities from construction to culinary, and much more!
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Akil's story
Corey and Akil, graduates of the TE program, have been hired part-time in the Men’s Center and for Community Outreach, respectively.
Akil got in trouble with the law in 1998. Since then, he’s left a lot of things behind—drugs, prison and relationships. “I am broken hearted and sober; but those are the things I had to lose to be successful.” Now as a Transitional Employee since February, he feels lucky to
have been granted “an opportunity that’s often difficult because of my background.”
Hired by SVdP as a Safety Aide in the Free Dining Room, Akil works part-time, keeping the building exterior clean and the dining room clients calm. It’s not just a job, but “a stepping stone,” Akil says, “helping me to separate from the corruption on the outside world. I’m trying to use every service SVdP offers.”
A Bay Area native, Akil aspires to work with teens in the inner city by being a spokesperson for the community. Akil feels he’s recognized what is damaging his life and was willing to sever harmful relationships in order to survive and raise his son.
His advice for new people looking to turn their own lives, especially at SVdP: “Let it be your whole life. Don’t put anything in front of coming here and doing what you have to do to be a Transitional Employee. Don’t put friends, side hassles, relationships or anything in front of it. Let your job and SVdP be the number one priority in their life and they will be successful.”
Hired by SVdP as a Safety Aide in the Free Dining Room, Akil works part-time, keeping the building exterior clean and the dining room clients calm. It’s not just a job, but “a stepping stone,” Akil says, “helping me to separate from the corruption on the outside world. I’m trying to use every service SVdP offers.”
A Bay Area native, Akil aspires to work with teens in the inner city by being a spokesperson for the community. Akil feels he’s recognized what is damaging his life and was willing to sever harmful relationships in order to survive and raise his son.
His advice for new people looking to turn their own lives, especially at SVdP: “Let it be your whole life. Don’t put anything in front of coming here and doing what you have to do to be a Transitional Employee. Don’t put friends, side hassles, relationships or anything in front of it. Let your job and SVdP be the number one priority in their life and they will be successful.”
Monday, May 24, 2010
Oscar lands a full-time job
Oscar graduated from the Transitional Employee Baler position and Champion Workforce back in January. Since he started working at SVdP, he worked hard to move out of a shelter, into transitional housing to where he is now--his own apartment. This is a milestone for Oscar who after hard months of searching for employment, landed a full-time job as a laundry aide. His boss says he is a dedicated, hard working employee who brings a positive attitude each day.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Graduate of transitional employee program shares advice
Marcus
Graduated from the TE program in November 2009
Marcus is from Oakland and is now in his 2nd semester at Merritt College studying community social services and substance abuse.
What brought to you to SVDP?
I was looking for an internship for a community health class. This is a community that I knew had a lot of diversity, location of community center.
How has working at SVDP helped you?
It’s enabled me to get a first hand experience dealing with people in their disparities. Instead of being amongst it, I’m now on the other side trying to help. It lets me to see what people are really going through. It also sets the stage for me to go out in the community and do outreach for the clinic, make connections and gain good resources within the community.
How has SVDP been part of your journey towards self-progress?
It's widened my skills dealing with resources, understand delivery of resources.
SVDP helped me realize that it’s not just about money. Three years ago, it was all about asking “how much do you pay an hour?”, but now I’m so centered on how to help and volunteer. I get more out of it from just helping people. I still volunteer to understand people and myself.
Looking at how nonprofits are structured and some of the things I want to do, schooling is number one. Having a BA is going to be very important to have a voice in some situations. When I first came to SVDP, I was just focused on completing certificate, then I wanted to get an AA and now I am set on working towards a BA.
If I want to help people, being knowledgeable is the best tool I can have to help people. In the next 5-10 years jobs will be in community and preventive health.
What’s advice can you give to people job searching?
I would tell them that don’t get discouraged, sure the job market is hard, but at this day and time, school is going to be a good place to start because you can get a certificate or degree that’s sustainable for the long run. It’s not what you can do but what you know, a teacher told me “strong back, weak mind could live a middle class life, but today it’s not possible. All those jobs have been outsourced and now its about what you know.”
Even though things may not look up, you must stick with it, because in the long run, any hard work will pay off, sometimes you ask yourself what am I doing here. When you stick to stuff, things start to happen.
Graduated from the TE program in November 2009
Marcus is from Oakland and is now in his 2nd semester at Merritt College studying community social services and substance abuse.
What brought to you to SVDP?
I was looking for an internship for a community health class. This is a community that I knew had a lot of diversity, location of community center.
How has working at SVDP helped you?
It’s enabled me to get a first hand experience dealing with people in their disparities. Instead of being amongst it, I’m now on the other side trying to help. It lets me to see what people are really going through. It also sets the stage for me to go out in the community and do outreach for the clinic, make connections and gain good resources within the community.
How has SVDP been part of your journey towards self-progress?
It's widened my skills dealing with resources, understand delivery of resources.
SVDP helped me realize that it’s not just about money. Three years ago, it was all about asking “how much do you pay an hour?”, but now I’m so centered on how to help and volunteer. I get more out of it from just helping people. I still volunteer to understand people and myself.
Looking at how nonprofits are structured and some of the things I want to do, schooling is number one. Having a BA is going to be very important to have a voice in some situations. When I first came to SVDP, I was just focused on completing certificate, then I wanted to get an AA and now I am set on working towards a BA.
If I want to help people, being knowledgeable is the best tool I can have to help people. In the next 5-10 years jobs will be in community and preventive health.
What’s advice can you give to people job searching?
I would tell them that don’t get discouraged, sure the job market is hard, but at this day and time, school is going to be a good place to start because you can get a certificate or degree that’s sustainable for the long run. It’s not what you can do but what you know, a teacher told me “strong back, weak mind could live a middle class life, but today it’s not possible. All those jobs have been outsourced and now its about what you know.”
Even though things may not look up, you must stick with it, because in the long run, any hard work will pay off, sometimes you ask yourself what am I doing here. When you stick to stuff, things start to happen.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Guest Chef and Homeless Court
The Guest Chef Event was last night. I enjoyed seeing all the different types of food Chef Dupuis of Picán Restaurant and the Kitchen of Champions students had to prepare. I got to try some of the dishes and I enjoyed everything, especially the chocolate brownie-like pastry dessert. I liked this event, and the other guest Chef from À Côté, because I was able to see some new foods that I have never seen before. The mood was nice and classy as there was a jazz band, fine wine, and formal dress. As a server, I ran the food out to the guests, serving ladies first and from the guest’s left side. When the guest was finished with a dish, I reached for the empty plate from the right side. The rules are important.
It is a busy week. Tomorrow Homeless Court will be conducted at St. Vincent de Paul’s Community Center. All clients expect to have their tickets dismissed, and I do not think that they will be disappointed.
It is a busy week. Tomorrow Homeless Court will be conducted at St. Vincent de Paul’s Community Center. All clients expect to have their tickets dismissed, and I do not think that they will be disappointed.
Monday, February 8, 2010
An Encouraging Monday
I conducted the Homeless Court orientation today at St. Vincent de Paul. Every Monday at 9:45am clients come to St. Vincent de Paul to listen to the orientation and receive information on how the process works for Homeless Court. I have been meeting with a lot of clients lately, and I sincerely hope that I am making a positive difference in their lives.
Today I received some real feedback from a St. Vincent de Paul client of how I am helping the community. A woman came in to St. Vincent de Paul to go to the Women’s Center. She saw me and said, “You’re the Homeless Court guy.” I was surprised she knew who I was because I did not remember meeting her. She said that she was the mother of one of my previous clients. She stated his name and I remember him coming in for a Homeless Court session. She said that I really helped him out. Those words made me feel good, and reminded me that St. Vincent de Paul works to help people in a way that really matters. As I meet with clients, many times all day long, words like those give me energy and motivation to continue my work.
Today I received some real feedback from a St. Vincent de Paul client of how I am helping the community. A woman came in to St. Vincent de Paul to go to the Women’s Center. She saw me and said, “You’re the Homeless Court guy.” I was surprised she knew who I was because I did not remember meeting her. She said that she was the mother of one of my previous clients. She stated his name and I remember him coming in for a Homeless Court session. She said that I really helped him out. Those words made me feel good, and reminded me that St. Vincent de Paul works to help people in a way that really matters. As I meet with clients, many times all day long, words like those give me energy and motivation to continue my work.
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