My start with HireAbility Vermont:
I came to HireAbility Vermont as a very tired and disillusioned person. On a personal level, I’m proud that I’ve stuck through the difficulties of having my illness and not giving up and I’m starting to learn self-confidence and that I do actually have something to offer. I’m gradually accepting that I have something to offer the workforce.
I’ve always wanted to work with animals, but I never had the opportunity to pursue it because I came from a very low-income family and had to work since I was 13 years old out of necessity. So, I just went and did what I had to do without ever believing I could do what I wanted to do. Now with HireAbility Vermont, I’m like, “huh, yeah I have the skills and aptitude, and I was like oh my god, like, what I want to do is actually what I have the skills to do.”
So, for me, it was very humbling and also very empowering that I can actually choose what I want to do. It’s risky and it’s going to be hard work, but because I have HireAbility Vermont, so I don’t feel as scared to take that risk.
What HireAbility Vermont means to me:
To me it’s independence. When you have a chronic illness, you are in a very dark place, and it really does make you question your worth. My identity is very much my work, so to have that taken away from you is soul-shattering. With HireAbility Vermont, I see and have the opportunity to have that pride in my work again. That safety net that if I fall, I won’t fall too hard.
My advice for anyone who is thinking about connecting with HireAbility Vermont:
It doesn’t hurt to send an email or make a phone call to find out what you can do and it’s not failure, and it’s not giving up. I think we live in a world where we are ashamed to ask for help. I know I am. I cannot emphasize enough how welcoming HireAbility Vermont is and how they will never shame you, they will empower you to make your choice.