My Story: Charles Doddridge

Goodwill is celebrating Older Americans Month and recognizing the contributions older workers (ages 55 and up) make both inside and outside the workforce. At a time when employers need to build resilience, older workers can play a critical role. They bring experience, reliability and perspective to every workplace setting. Your purchases and donations make stories like Charles’ possible. 

Charles Doddridge is an older worker who can’t help but laugh when he talks about his past. He is not hesitant to share the mistake he’s made, and he is proud of the work he has done.

He talks excitedly about the small boy from Black Swan Lake who now has a second chance at life. “I was the guy who was trembling in jail for several weeks after living in my car,” he recalls. “I was so full of shame…had lost all of my possessions [and] money.”

Even now, Charles embraces his tumultuous journey. He isn’t ashamed of his past and looks to help others now that he is thriving.

In July 2021, Charles left jail and was referred to a shelter where he found assistance with the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) at Marion Goodwill Industries (Ohio). Through the program, Charles was placed within the Marion Goodwill contracts department for on-the-job training.

During his few months of community service, Charles was recognized as a dependable team player who learns quickly and constantly takes initiative. By November 2021, he was hired part-time in the contracts department, and he has since been promoted to a full-time employee.

“Through SCSEP, I received a number of supportive services while earning a steady wage,” Charles says.

He is now a part of the Goodwill team at Marion Goodwill Industries. He is open to talking about his past, the struggles he’s faced, and the challenges and courage it took to change the direction of his life. He admits making these changes was not an easy course, but says it was the most important decision he’s ever made.

Charles is grateful to SCSEP and Goodwill for the opportunity. He encourages future SCSEP participants to work the program and stay focused.

If you are an older job seeker looking for help with training or paid work experience, contact your local SCSEP representative to see if you qualify. Learn more about SCSEP and find a SCSEP location near you.

Anyone looking to learn more about Goodwill job training programs or career search assistance can also contact their local Goodwill.

Goodwill  proudly participates in the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP), a national employment and training program funded by the U.S. Department of Labor. A $22,938,400 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor provided 90 percent of the funding for Goodwill’s SCSEP programs in the program year 2021. Goodwill provided the remaining 10 percent through in-kind contributions worth $2,293,840. See http://www.goodwill.org/scsep/ for funding details.