Dynamic Workforce Solutions transcript

Melanie: Hi! My name is Melanie [inaudible 00:00:06] and I'm a part of the Choices Program. I'm a mother of four lovely children. What brought me to the workforce program was because I applied for TNAF and I had lost work and I sprained my ankle and I was unable to work at the job, so I needed employment.

Arree: The Choices Program works by assisting people looking for job as well as developing job skills that they need in order to sustain employment.

Melanie: It was really hard to find employment. I had ended up applying for this job and it was a whole scam the whole time. And I had got really excited for no reason at all. Finally, I ended up finding a job about a month ago and without the help of Arree and Lindsey I don't know where I would be right now.

Lindsey: We reach out to the participant and invite them to an upcoming employment planning session. In Melanie's case, she just needed that motivation and the rock to push her forward, and once she overcomes the obstacles that were in her place, she could see her come to life.

Melanie: My experience with Arree and Lindsey was the best. When I had to be put into this program, I was really scared and nervous because I didn't know how I would be treated. I didn't know what came along with being with the Choices program.

Lindsey: We are actually here to assist them in every need with getting them a job, sustaining a job, to better assist with their family needs, and grow with the company.

Arree: The Choices program can actually provide a lot of different supports. Initially, we provide support in job searching and sometimes the participants will feel like, okay that's it, that's all I have to do; I come in and I job search and then I'm done, but program can help with transportation, it can help with gas, cards, getting to and from work. In Melanie's case, she had a vehicle, but she didn't really have the gas to drive to her work site. The Choices program assisted with the transportation. Additionally, she works in a healthcare setting and we could help provide the scrubs that she wears to her job. We can help with clothing. We can help with very specific work-related items.

Melanie: I remember talking to Arree and Lindsey every Monday and I would be like it's not getting better, but one thing they would always do, they would always encourage me that everything was going to be better. From helping me look for jobs and find a job and looking up things and telling me Melanie a profit is a profit, and after every phone call, they always made sure that I knew that things were going to get better.

Arree: Everyone can say what they should have done, the Choices that they should have made. I'm not going to tell you, you need to do this or you need to do that. You need to motivate yourself. So a lot of the times, we ask questions to get you to start thinking about where you are in your life, where your self actualisation is, and where do you want to be? We get them excited about helping themselves and helping their families so that ideally they're going to be the last generation on welfare.

Melanie: If I hadn't received support from the Choices program or my case managers, I wouldn't be where I am today in the career that I am today; growing, becoming a medication aid, becoming a team lead and getting a raise within the first month of my employment. The Choices program and their services have impacted my life because it's given me a better way to support my kids, a better way to help me as a person. This was the career that I really wanted to get into, and with this opportunity, I'm so excited to be able to work with people and climb the ladder and be the best mom that I can be.