My story begins in July 2010 when I arrived in London, Ontario from Burkina Faso in West Africa, where education for girls is not a priority. It is a very poor country with a lot of political corruption. I experienced quite a culture shock moving to Canada. I faced three main challenges on my journey to a better life: a language barrier, an educational barrier and a work experience barrier. I had two options: either fight or go back home to unknown ground. I decided to tackle my challenges.
Tag: Job Readiness
My Story: Randy Bakker
I was born with hydrocephalus, a condition that caused pressure on my optic nerve, and I have been visually impaired most of my life. As a young man in the late 1970s, I enrolled in a work training program at Goodwill Industries of Central Iowa (Des Moines). I was hired as a dishwasher at the Iowa State Capitol, where I worked for 14 years. I later worked for the Iowa Department for the Blind for two years. But then I did not work for a period of about 10 years.
My Story: Virginia Finster
Looking at how I could move forward in life and what my next step was, I knew that education was something that had to be done. As far as what I could do, I wasn’t sure. I knew that I had little money and I had little time, but I needed something that would catapult me into a career where I could support my children and move forward in life.
Introducing Social Good: Our New Digital Series Promoting Big-Picture Social Change
As we enter a new year, it's important to reflect on where we are as an organization and whether our efforts are as effective and far-reaching as they could be. With that in mind, it's my pleasure to introduce you to our new blog, Social Good. Goodwill® has been devoted to social good for more than 113 years with a core focus on providing employment services to local job seekers. Moving forward, we want to ensure that we continue to be a leading voice and a force for change on a grand scale, bringing the issues that are important to Goodwill to the forefront of a national dialogue.
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Roanoke Goodwill Featured in National Publication for Workforce Development
The Aspen Institute’s Workforce Strategies Initiatives (AspenWSI) and Achieving the Dream recently released a new case study, titled“Working Together, Making a Difference”, which highlights the partnership between Goodwill Industries of the Valleys (Roanoke) and Virginia Western Community College. The partnership is part of the Courses to Employment project.
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My Story: Lee Ann Hannaford
Lee Ann Hannaford is the winner of Goodwill of Western and Northern Connecticut's (Bridgeport) 2015 Spirit of Inspiration Award, She discusses how she has recently been able to overcome living with a debilitating brain injury and hopes for the future.
Reflections from a Veterans Day Commute
Like millions of workers, my day starts with a commute. While the mere mention of the word, “commute” is enough to make most workers groan, my ride is a daily highlight because it takes me past a list of must-see Washington, DC sites, starting with the Marine Corps (Iwo Jima) Memorial, and continuing with Arlington National Cemetery. Whether it’s Veterans Day, Memorial Day or any other day of the year, as my thoughts drift from the wife and kids to my daily to-do list, these adjacent memorials never fail to give purpose to my day by reminding me of the sacrifices made, and being made, by people who have served in the armed forces and their families.
Youth Receive Long-Term Job Training in Charlotte, NC
Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont’s (Charlotte, NC) Career Leadership Academy for Youth (CLAY) was recently profiled in the Charlotte Observer. The goal of CLAY is to prepare area youth for jobs in today’s market. Eligible participants include high school and college students ages 14-21 who face academic or financial challenges, are pregnant or parents, first-generation high school or college graduates, have legal involvement or are without parents in the home due to incarceration or death.
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My Story: Justin Hon
Justin Hon was able to use his self-presentation skills in conjunction with additional job training from Goodwill Industries of Southern Oregon (Medford) to find work after facing challenges related to his criminal history. As a result of his job placement, he is now able to be more involved in the lives of his children. Read more and watch as he shares his journey to self-sufficiency.
Winston-Salem Goodwill Hosts Women’s Vets Employment Symposium
On October 22, Goodwill Industries of Northwest North Carolina (Winston-Salem) held the Women’s Employment and Empowerment Symposium to serve female veterans, service members and others in the community. The first-ever event welcomed about 30 participants.
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