Back On His Feet: Black’s New Path

Black was born on a reserve in Kamloops, but he and his mother moved around often due to his mother and father's unhealthy relationship. His family fell into debt when his mom was diagnosed with cancer, and as the oldest of 4 children, he started looking for work. Eventually, taking on so much responsibility at such a young age took its toll on him. "I was working two jobs, but then I got burnt out and started my crime cycle," he shares.

Through his sentence, Black moved from Kamloops to Abbotsford. When he was released into a halfway house in Vancouver, he advocated against being sent back to Kamloops to avoid falling back into old patterns. During this time, Black worked at temp agencies to try to get back into the workforce, but despite his willingness to work, he was often overlooked due to his parole status and lack of certifications. When he expressed these challenges to other residents of his building, they suggested he check out Mission Possible. "It's a good opportunity to help you get on your feet," they shared with him, "You can also get work certificates, and they also help with other things, like housing."

Black joined the Clean Team and quickly noticed improvements in his confidence, communication, and leadership skills. He watched how other associates and his supervisors acted and learned from their examples. "Being around good people helps you grow and become better as well." Furthermore, he was able to access daily lunches and the Community Food Pantry, which got him through the day and helped him focus on work, not his hunger.

When an internal opportunity to become a Lead Associate arose, Black worked with the job support team to update his resume and cover letter to not only include his new work experience at MP, but also his improved soft skills. Seeking out support led him to successfully land the role where he now leads associate teams safely down the Hastings Street route, one of the busiest Clean Team contracts.

With his confidence up and more stability in his life, Black is ready to continue moving forward. His goals include securing stable housing and getting the necessary certifications to become a First Aid Attendant. 

Black expresses his gratitude to MP, sharing, "I'm very grateful for MP for helping me get back on my feet, especially with a dry spell of trying to look for work after being released, and helping me step by step to get better, working towards goals that I can actually grasp, and see into the future."

Black consistently shows up with a positive attitude and is eager to continue improving himself.

Stay tuned, we are excited to share more about his journey next month!