Before coming to Goodwill Finland I drifted around for years studying, working fixed-term employment contracts and being unemployed. I also had some health problems. The puzzle of my life was always missing some pieces.
I graduated from Business School in 1994 with a major in accounting, and then I did my military service in 1995. After that, I did some cleaning work when I wasn’t unemployed. Then I continued studying business, but my studies were interrupted due to illness. After overcoming the illnesses, I did some sales work, but the company that I worked for went bankrupt, so I was out of work again and I could not find any work. Then after a while I continued studying, but the allowed study time for my studies was over before I could graduate. Then I worked for Karhulan työväennäyttämö (an amateur theatre), but ended up unemployed again after my contract expired. In 2014, I ended up in a career change plan course. I could have started studies to become a chef but a sudden illness changed my plans and I was inactive while waiting for a proper diagnosis, because I did not want to strain myself for fear of heart disease. At the same time, my health got worse. Ultimately, the diagnosis revealed that I was suffering from breast inflammation and panic attacks.
After getting proper diagnosis, I got into the Haavi group, which aims to increase working life skills so that the participant has the opportunity to work in rehabilitative work, vocational training, work trial or salary support work. Through the Haavi team, I got to Goodwill to work in the fall of 2015. My health condition was still so bad that I could only work four hours at a time one day a week.
While working at Goodwill, my rehabilitation progressed. Social contacts in work and customer service alleviated my panic attacks. At Goodwill, customer service has become my strength and I’ve learned to get along with different people. I also talked about my panic attacks with a professional and it has helped me a lot.
As my health improved, my duties were increased, I learned new skills and I began to remember things from my studies. I finally got to do what I can and want to do. Now I am managing the Goodwill Karhula book department.
Working with Goodwill has improved my self-confidence and I now look positively towards the future and new job opportunities. The level of my life has also improved significantly with daily routines and for this I’m very grateful to Goodwill and my work coaches. I want to continue working in customer service in the future. Thanks to Goodwill I’m finally finding those missing pieces of my life.
