Fri, 02 Jan 2009 15:37:00
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By Tamerra Nikol Griffin
At 10 a.m. one recent Friday, Roger Dean entered the Goodwill office with an optimistic disposition and high expectations. He was one of many prospective employees who attended the In-Home Supportive Services seminar, hosted by the One Stop Career Links Center and Goodwill.
“Goodwill is a non-profit community development program aimed at creating sustainable living for lower-income people, ex-convicts or just people who need extra assistance,” explained Evan Verdoia, a Vista Business Development Officer who works in conjunction with Goodwill. “The objective is to keep people off the streets and to encourage them to live positive, productive lives.”
These are words that, in times of economic strife, are music to the ears of many San Franciscans. As people crowded into one of the Goodwill the conference rooms — some even had to resort to perching on the window sill — one could sense the anticipation at the opportunity to pursue a new job.
Michelle Gohn, a recruiter and representative of In-Home Supportive Services, spoke for an hour about what the position of a home care provider entailed.
“Our clients are typically low-income, elderly citizens who live in public housing in San Francisco,” she said. “And due to either a physical or psychological illness they suffer from, they will need all different types of care, from domestic services such as buying their groceries or doing their laundry, to more functional services like aiding them in transportation.”
Despite the attendants’ evident eagerness to apply for the job, Gohn admonished that it is not a position anyone can easily fill.
“We’re not looking to recruit anyone who just needs a job,” she warned. “It’s obligatory that you have a sincere willingness to help people.”
After introducing the position, Gohn went on to outline the application process, which included submitting a detailed job application and resume, undergoing a background check and, if appointed to the position, participating in a two-week paid training course. She also answered questions regarding pay rate, vacation time and more specific job responsibilities.
All in all, Dean was pleased with his experience.
“That was my first time doing anything like that, but I think it went pretty smoothly,” he said following the seminar. “It was very beneficial.”
Dean, who said he hopes to “gain employment experience” through In-Home Supportive Services, picked up an application after the seminar.
According to Jason Smith, who helped organize the job seminar, the effects of Goodwill’s services are long-lasting.
“We provide hands-on training for people who have no jobs,” Smith said. “Through our placement services, you are instantly entered into a network that has agencies throughout the Bay Area. And that makes a big difference.”
Goodwill has a number of success stories to boast. Take Laura Burton, for instance, who before transferring to Goodwill, worked as a nurse for terminally-ill patients. Looking to expand her employment skills, she obtained a position as a Career Advisor at Goodwill. Since then, she has held many other titles — such as instructor and admissions coordinator — and credits the kind people at Goodwill for reaching out to her and teaching her the skills she needed to succeed in the workplace.
“They were all so willing to work with me and because of all the support they gave, I was never behind on my caseload,” Burton said of her experience.
Goodwill plans on housing more job seminars in the future. For more information, visit www.sfgoodwill.org. Read more about One Stop programs on Page 7.
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