Dani came to Work At It looking for help in getting his life together. The youngest in a family of 8 children, suffering from chronic marital and financial stress, Dani often felt overlooked. A good student, he made it through much of high school without attracting attention, despite ever-increasing symptoms of anxiety and depression.
In his senior year, his parents separated and the tension at home was high. Dani left home and dropped out of school, seeking to make it on his own. We met him when he was 21; he was living with a friend and had just completed an outpatient day treatment program for Depression. He impressed Work At It staff with his calm and competent presence. Despite all he had been through, he was clearly bright and capable. Past stops and starts in employment due to Depression made him feel that he was behind others his age in education and experience. The social worker and career coach at Work At It helped him to identify and own the skills and abilities he possessed. They sought out an appropriate job for him.
At first, he seemed excited at the prospect of working. The Work At It career coach called him one day to inform him that a job opportunity had been found, and an interview could be scheduled soon. She reached out a few times but did not hear back from Dani. Finally, Dani answered a call and said that he just was not able to work now. He didn’t feel he was really capable of all that had been discussed at the meetings and was just a failure. The career coach asked the social worker to reach out to Dani. When she did, it became clear that Dani had fallen back into a depressed state and was barely getting out of bed.
Talk of work seemed irrelevant in this context. The social worker encouraged Dani to return to individual therapy and helped him with finding a therapist he was comfortable with. Knowing that he was unable to work at this time, Dani and the social worker agreed to talk weekly anyway. During those conversations, Dani was consistently supported and reminded of his strengths. As he slowly improved, the Work At It team was there for him. When he finally felt ready to try to work again, the career coach worked with him on interview skills, salary negotiations, and much more. Dani once shared with us that he is where he is now because we continued to believe in, care about, and encourage him when few others did.
“I could not have done this without all of your help. It was amazing working with you and I know that I reached out a lot and I really appreciate that you took the time to answer all of my questions and to give me guidance when I really wasn’t sure what to do. I feel like this is a really gigantic step for me and I’m so grateful and so excited to let you know how it goes.” - Dani
At Work At It, we aim to reignite a sense of purpose and direction in the life of the young adults we work with. The organization provides skills and interests assessments, counseling, career coaching, job placements, educational advocacy, and ongoing coaching and support. We recognize the detrimental effect that a lack of structure and lack of an education can have on young adults, specifically when they are struggling with other emotional, health, or family issues. Oftentimes, such struggles can cause someone to spiral downwards towards a state of anxiety or depression, and drug and alcohol abuse are a rising issue among this population. Our goal is to help set these young adults back on the right path and we truly believe in their capabilities and success.
“Work At It believes every person has value. No matter what challenges you face, you have what it takes to succeed. We can help you unleash the power of your unique skills and abilities.”
Our organization uses a holistic approach to prepare young adults for long-term success in their careers and in life. We use a variety of techniques, tools, and support designed to discover their unique self, what path best suits them, and how they’ll become their personal best.
Self-discovery
Understanding yourself is power. That’s why we talk with you and we listen. Together with our experts, you’ll discover your unique abilities, talents, and skills. We’ll discuss your fears and shortcomings, and of course, your hopes and dreams. Soon, you’ll be filled with a belief in yourself. Using this new understanding of yourself, we’ll work with you to create an individualized employment plan that fits who you are.
Tools & Knowledge
It’s been said that you make luck by being prepared. Our team gives you the tools to seize the opportunities that come your way. Need more education? We can suggest a path that’s right for you. Want to know how to write a successful resume? Or what to say at an interview? No problem. We can even teach you how to knot a tie or tell you which shoes are sensible. Work At It makes sure that when you move into the workforce, you’ll be ready for anything.
Ongoing Guidance & Support
Because we know that being in the workforce creates its own set of challenges, we stick with you as you build your career. When the going gets tough at work, we’re there to listen. When you encounter challenges with co-workers, bosses, or dissatisfaction, we can offer insight and guidance about how to best deal with these experiences. We are on your journey with you.
Anna Greenblatt is the Job Recruiter at Work At It.