Priscilla was a freshman in high school when she moved to Clark County in 2014. Entering high school was a very stressful time for Priscilla; her anxiety began to flare up. Priscilla states “When I was a freshman in high school, I started having really bad anxiety. The normal stress of high school was a lot for me to handle and I struggled. It took me a while to complete high school, but I did it. After High School, I really wanted to find a job, but it was very uncomfortable for me. I wanted to be employed and that is why I decided to enter the Goodwill Easterseals Miami Valley (GESMV) program.”
While receiving benefits from Job and Family Services in Clark County, Priscilla was referred to GESMV to help her build confidence and manage her anxiety. Priscilla was enrolled in the GESMV Comprehensive Case Management Employment Program. What the program does for participants is prepare individuals for meaningful employment to break the cycle of poverty. The program talks a lot about what are your goals, what interests you, what do you see in the future for jobs.
Beth, Priscilla’s job coach, describes how she was one of her best students. “She knew what she wanted to do. She wanted to work for Next Generation Daycare’s cleaning department. Priscilla wanted to work in janitorial and worked towards receiving the Janitorial Certificate.”
The certification programs offered at GESMV are there to help with both soft and hard employment skills. Certification classes are there to assist individuals to think about barriers and how to overcome those to build employment skills. Priscilla had the goal of working at the daycare, but she did have a lot of anxiety to overcome; so, GESMV worked with Priscilla to identify the anxiety and to work on those skills needed to be productive and obtain employment. “I think the class was so great for her self-esteem because she worked very hard and did so well in the Certification Program”, stated Beth.
Priscilla will tell you that she really enjoys cleaning. “I get to be by myself most of the time, which I like. It seems strange to like cleaning, but I really do enjoy it. It’s the after product and it looks nice; I feel as if I am doing my part to keep people safe and healthy especially during COVID-19.”
Priscilla would like others to know that there is help and you too can overcome your own barriers. “GESMV’s staff never judged me and are always so polite and helpful. I never feel out of place. Their kindness in the classes made me feel a lot more comfortable. If it wasn’t for the caseworkers, instructors, and GESMV, I probably would not have found a job. Who knows where I would be right now?”