This Friday, like we do every month, our team will gather to celebrate the Associates who are graduating from our Employment Readiness Program.
It’s a big deal to graduate from this program. It takes determination, tenacity and courage to put yourself back in the workforce after years, or maybe decades, of being shut out.
Every person has their own unique story, but we do see common threads at Mission Possible: abuse, trauma, addiction, homelessness, and mental health challenges—these are just some of the hurdles that often keep people from meaningful work.
People like Rob.
Rob turned to alcohol at age 12 to help him cope with abuse at home. It wasn’t long before he was caught up in a cycle of drinking, drugs, crime and prison. He lived for 20 years in the Downtown Eastside, where he found it difficult to distance himself from the habits and people that kept him in this cycle.
In 2014 he was hospitalized for three months with liver failure. He quit drinking–cold turkey—and committed himself to a new life. He now lives in the Olympic Village neighbourhood and is focused on building a more stable future for himself.
That doesn’t mean it was easy for him to find work and create financial stability. Without a long employment history or a network of references to rely on, it was hard to find an employer who would take a risk on him.
This is where your support of Mission Possible is critical.
Together, we could help Rob when no one else would.
Rob was referred to Mission Possible from WorkBC and he’s been a valuable member of our Clean Team ever since. Rob works four different routes each week, walking nearly five miles a day and keeping Vancouver’s streets clean.
Rob enjoys being a part of a team. He is happiest when he is making people laugh.
Thank you for helping us build a community that empowers and inspires people to rebuild their lives.