ACC has been helping low-income seniors to find employment through the SCSEP program since 2017. Every year, there are dozens of seniors with several barriers to employment such as disability, lack of work experience, low literacy skills, limited English proficiency, and homelessness, who find a job and start working. Although the COVID-19 pandemic has been a challenging time to find employment for seniors, SCSEP has helped several seniors to exit for employment within 2021.
One of our SCSEP participants, Carla Tumiwa, joined ACC SCSEP in March 2021. She came to SCSEP with a disability and low employment prospects. Her goal was to get a job and rebuild her financial independence. Because of her physical limitations, it was not easy, but her commitment to become self-sufficient and get a job brought her lots of success.
Carla took a customer service class which added to her customer service knowledge and skills. After finishing the class, she took the Walmart associate test and passed the exam. After passing the test, she received a job offer from her local Walmart store and she started working as a cashier.
In the beginning, it was not easy for her to work as a full-time cashier. She became sick and had to spend a few nights at the hospital. But she didn’t give up. After her recovery, she went back to Wal-Mart working part time. Now it has been six months. Carla said, “My Walmart supervisor noticed that I am a hard-working person and wants to provide me easier assignments so that I don’t quit.” She is working as a guest specialist and wants to work full time again. The moral of her story tells us that anything is possible, but small steps will lead to great results. She started part time, built good relationships with her supervisor, and now she feels ready to go back to full time.
Great accomplishments require hard work, dedication, and willingness to go above and beyond your comfort zone. But, once you reach the summit, then life will be better.
The majority of SCSEP participants are facing physical limitations, but with accommodations and using the available resources, they engage in the community and live healthier and happier lives. To overcome our aging problems, we must work on our mindset, habits, and how we embrace the changes. Having the right mentality is all about positive thinking and believing that you can find ways to deal with your limitations and weaknesses. Our habits are a key part of our lifestyle. Building and developing healthier habits will help us to live happier and longer. Last, the ability to accept changes in your life, and adjust yourself accordingly will make the difference. But remember that small things lead to big changes and require time and patience.
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