A New Narrative

I started work at The Mustard Seed in January of 2012 and met with Jim the very first week. He sat across from me and told me that one year prior he had a full-time job, allowing him to move into his own apartment. With all his bills paid for that month, he was under no financial strain for the first time in a long time. Better yet, he was clean from alcohol after an almost lifelong battle with it. Sober, financially secure, and housed independently, Jim had achieved a level of stability. Jim sat back, looked around at his furnished apartment and then asked himself, “Now what? Is this all there is to life?” He proceeded to buy some alcohol, drink it, get drunk, and slide back into alcoholism and eventually homelessness.

Jim has been in and out of treatment for years, and since I first started working with him, he has gone from sober to being completely dependent on alcohol several times. I have met with him consistently over the past 9 months and have at times hit a wall in my ability to hope for him. Our goal was to find him permanent, sustainable employment, but we were always thwarted by his dependency on alcohol. I never stopped caring about Jim or wanting to see him succeed, but there were moments in which I wondered if he could succeed.

I have thought about and tried to understand Jim’s story often. What was lacking in this story? What might have kept him from throwing it all away? I do not know the answer to that question. The causes of addiction are complex, as are the impulses that sometimes cause us to choose that which hurts rather than helps us.

We seek to support our guests and to provide resources that will enable those guests to change for the better. However, that change does not always occur on a clear, linear trajectory that makes sense to us. One of the major challenges in doing the kind of work we do at The Mustard Seed is to keep a positive, hopeful outlook when faced with so many setbacks and daily obstacles. This challenge is faced by everyone doing this sort of work. 

The question for us as front line workers remains: how can we have hope for those who appear destined to fail?

In Matthew 11:28-30, we read, “Come to me, all you that are weary and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light”.

Jesus tells us to come to Him and let Him lighten our heavy load. Without shedding that load at His feet, our backs get so tired that we can barely walk, and so we can barely walk alongside those who need us to lend an arm and help them on their way. We have to hear a new narrative, a new story, in order to keep ourselves from losing hope.  We find that new narrative in the life, death and resurrection of Christ. He overcame the grave and put death under His feet, effectively making null and void death’s power. If that same power lives in us, what do we have to fear? We do not have to fear the worst outcome for our guests; we can rest assured that though we have trouble in this life, Christ has overcome the world.”

We do not always see physical evidence to demonstrate that the redeeming power of Christ is at work around us, but by faith we can rest in the Truth, which is that nothing can separate us from Him, “neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons…” We carry this hope and share it with everyone we meet, and though we cannot carry all the brokenness we see around us, Christ can.

--Laura U, Employment Coach, The Mustard Seed

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The Mustard Seed's Calgary Employment Centre is currently in need of work boots, especially men's sizes 10-12. If you would like to donate, items can be dropped off at:
  
102 11 Ave. SE

Hours: 7am-7pm

The Mustard Seed Shelter

7025 44 St. SE

Hours: 7am-9pm

The Mustard Seed Resource Sorting Centre

Bay 27, 4216, 54 Ave. SE

Hours: Monday-Friday 9am-5pm

Clothed In Confidence

Hi, I'm Laura U. I'm an employment coach at The Mustard Seed in Calgary and this is my first time on the blog. I was assigned as Sandra’s Employment Coach a few weeks ago and met with her for the first time soon after. She sat with me in the intake room, and I asked to hear her story.

“Oh, my story is sad, sad,” she whispered. ”In my country there is too much war”.

I left it at that, sensing she would rather not go further. However, I did learn that Sandra is from Uganda and came to Calgary to find work.

“I need to find confidence to interact with people in a job”, she told me. “Can you help me find confidence?”

I told her I would try.

One of our first steps toward confidence is being taken today. We are going to Making Changes, a not-for-profit agency that outfits women with professional clothing for the workplace.

We arrive in the afternoon and Sandra’s eyes widen as she takes in the place, which is set up like a clothing boutique. Racks of clothing fill the room, one corner is stacked high with shoes, and a standing coat hanger dangles with purses. Another shelf is covered with brand-new cosmetics.

We are paired with a volunteer stylist who leaps to action, handing Sandra dress pants in eggplant and khaki. Then shirts in bright colors and soft fabrics are brought out. Sandra receives each item with stunned graciousness, her eyes full of light. She says little, but she is beaming.

Sandra steps into the dressing room, and our stylist looks at me and says, “She is wonderful.” She is awed, as I am, by Sandra. She shines.

In a world torn by war, oppression, and violence, Uganda is no exception. It would seem that the brutal reality of war would harden one’s heart. Often, however, as I and others in the Employment Centre have seen, it has the opposite effect. In some individuals, the need for God grows stronger. Sandra had told me in the car on the way to Making Changes that she prays a lot. She has to pray a lot, she says. It is a means of survival. Sandra has kept the hope planted by Christ, and it shows.

We prepare to leave Making Changes. Sandra fills out a survey, and when asked if she is now ready to enter the workplace with confidence, she checks “strongly agree”.

In the car on the way home she tells me that she has read in Scripture that God has good plans for His children. A few more times she whispers it: “Good plans”. Her confidence in God’s goodness has renewed my own. And with that, we ride back toward downtown Calgary - clothed in the confidence that comes from trusting Him.

A Vicious Cycle

January is a tough month for people who use the services at The Mustard Seed.  I probably would go as far as to say it is the worst month of year.  Anyone that relies on government assistance gets their January cheques a week earlier in December to allow for people to buy gifts or prep for holidays which means that by January 1^st most of the money is gone. January begins the month long wait for the next cheque.  Money is tight.

The frustrating thing about living on government assistance is that it is a hand out not always a hand up.  The average single person receives roughly $583 per month.   People on welfare may have lost their job, suffered some phsycial or mental disability or struggle with an addiction.  Can you imagine living on $583/month?  I couldn’t afford to pay my rent with that let alone buy groceries, pay utilities and have a phone.  Because of this people are constantly living from paycheck to paycheck and this begins the vicious cycle of poverty.  Lots of time is spent trying to track down the nearest food bank,  a free meal, shoes or hygiene items because they never have enough money.  How are people expected to get a job if they don’t have a safe place sleep, shower and wash their clothes?  How do you get a job if you don’t have a phone number for an employer to call you back for an interview?  Welfare is a challenging system for people to be a part of and does not always allow for opportunities for people to escape the cycle of poverty.

If you are more interested on the conversation of living on welfare you can follow MLA Jagrup Brar who has taken on the challenge of living on welfare for the month of January.  Be sure to follow this story throughout the month of January by keeping track of events and comments at http://mlaonwelfare.com/ 

Relationship Resolutions

Happy New Year from the Employment Centre! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and that the start to 2012 has brought fresh perspective and hope for positive change!

When I reflect on positive change in my own life, I am often first drawn to my interactions with others: how am I cherishing and investing in my existing relationships and preparing myself for new ones? Am I consciously making myself available to impact others and help them grow?

Whatever involvement you have with The Mustard Seed, if any, I challenge you to consider these questions. You may find that you’re prepared to reinvest some of that balance you’ve had saved in your relationship bank account. Even if it’s a small amount, the returns will be higher than you can imagine, as so many of the people we serve are in need of that investment, and there are so many ways to make that happen.

The Employment Centre offers a few of these opportunities. If you have a career, a few free hours a week, some computer skills, a voice in the business community, or really any of the above, I encourage you to couple that with your desire to help others and consider volunteering in this area.

One group of volunteers we have are those who help with job searching, résumés and interview skills. They meet with clients at our Centre Street location during the day or in the evening to work on these tangible tasks, but also to build relationships as they discuss goals and issues as they relate to achieving sustainable employment. We have great volunteers in place doing this now, but can always use more.

If you have an abundance of relationships, but more of which are found in the business community, those can also be helpful to our clients seeking to secure work. We have several inspirational “Volunteer Ambassadors” who are currently using their private-sector employer connections to spread the word about our program in their daily lives. There is a great message to spread about what’s happening here, but it takes relationships to disseminate it.

Our newest concept is a really exciting one. All of our clients have Employment Coaches, but support and mentorship beyond that can be truly invaluable. We’re looking for people to use their own employment experience as a way connect with someone who is seeking advice and encouragement as they pursue stable work. We will try to match clients with volunteers who share an interest in similar fields of work, but ultimately, real change and success will come from building a caring relationship.

If you would like to discuss any of these opportunities, please give us a call. And for the rest of you: what are your “relationship resolutions” for this year? Leave your comments below!

The Wide (and Wild) World of Work

Tucked away in an office at the end of the hallway in The Creative Centre, I could very easily go unnoticed as I plug away making phone calls to potential employers for our guests. Instead, however, I have been encouraged to “hit the road” by getting out and meeting these employers, to see firsthand where they work and what they do, all in the name of uncovering sustainable work opportunities for our guests.

Since The Employment Centre launch on August 2, we’ve had over 75 guests come through an intake, making them “clients” of our program. The range of industries and jobs on their resumés is extensive, as is the range of jobs they hope to do as they strive towards sustainable employment. When we first started the program, the big push was for general labour and construction jobs, but I’m pleased to report that with creativity and open minds, we’ve gone far beyond the original plan, making “hitting the road” a lot more interesting.

I’ve been able to get out and explore some worksites I truly never imagined I’d see. All in one day, I visited a downtown commercial cleaning company, an organic worm farm and the head office of Samaritan’s Purse. I’ve also toured a dry-cleaning facility, a grocery store warehouse and a welding shop (which, might I add, has hired one of our clients full-time!), to name a few more. It has truly been eye-opening, and I hope that this little blog post has been this way for you as well, as you think about the connections you might have to the business community. We all have networks, and though we may not think they’d be a “fit” to hire our guests, it’s always worth a try. As we’ve already seen, a little creativity and a few open minds can go a long way. We’re all here to see real life-change with our guests, so here’s just one more way you can be a part of it!

Put Me In, Coach!

Hi, I'm Eric and I'm filling in for Lydia today from the Employment department in Calgary.

As an Employment Coach you never know what a day at The Mustard Seed Employment Centre will involve.  Obtaining a job can be stressful and hard work, and my job as an Employment Coach is to help clients work through that process.  Some of our clients need help sprucing up their resume, or practicing answering basic interview questions.  Some clients simply need you to be present at an interview to provide that extra bit of confidence in order to impress an employer. 

Every day can involve a lot of different emotions for an Employment Coach.  Sometimes I come into the office and have a voicemail telling me that an employer is considering letting go of one of my clients because he got his first paycheque and spent it on something illicit.  But, thankfully, more often I come in and have a message from one of my clients saying that they have an interview at a restaurant or they got a job in a manufacturing plant.

Recently I had the opportunity to go with a client to an interview with a major Calgary employer.  I was there to support my client but she really didn’t need me there.  She was confident and made a compelling case that she would be a reliable and valuable employee for this company.  They hired her on the spot after a very short interview. It’s moments like these where a guest has chosen to change their life, and take the scary step of finding employment that makes my job fulfilling.  The role that an Employment Coach plays can be large or small with our guests but all that matters is that we continue to plant little seeds of hope in as many guests’ lives as possible.

- Eric

Bless Your Heart

I struggled a bit with this post, wondering which was the best topic to write about today. One thing kept coming to mind though, so buckle your seat belts and grab the Gravol; you're in for a ride.

That was an outright lie, but I hope you brought refreshments again. Maybe a Powerbar or something.

I've been working at The Mustard Seed for just over 5 years now. I feel like I started here when I was 15. Working here brings with it a set of conversation topics I had never broached before my tenure here. When you're stuck in a smalltalk situation with nothing to say, mentioning that you work at The Mustard Seed always cures that immediately. Sometimes in awkward situations, and I'm always awkward, I just want to blurt out "I WORK AT THE MUSTARD SEED" in the most quiet of moments, simply because it's the fail-safe way to get people talking.

The conversations range from things like NIMBY (which I chatted about on Saturday) to what our services are, to the 10-yr plan, panhandling, bottle picking, why don't people just get jobs, how much does it cost the system for people to remain homeless etc. I also get people overwhelmed with emotion, repeating "bless your heart," as though they'd never thought people worked here and what an astonishing thing it is. Really, I want to tell them I work in an office and my heart actually isn't actually 9-sizes larger then theirs.

Anyway, the wealth of conversations I've had in the last 5 years (outside of work) is startling. My point here, with this post is - if you met someone for the first time, and asked where they work and they said The Mustard Seed, what would your next sentence be?

Employment Centre Opens

I'm on my way downstairs to the grand opening of our Employment Centre! We're really excited to be able to expand our Employment services. We'll still be offering resume help and interview coaching, but now we'll also be able to connect our guests directly with employers.

Not being able to find work or support yourself takes a huge toll on a person's sense of worth. The Employment Centre will help empower our clients to make positive changes in their lives.

When a guest arrives at the Employment Centre, Intake Facilitators work with them to investigate training and job opportunities that fit their interests, abilities and experience, and volunteers are available to assist with resumes and interview preparations.

Once employed, clients also meet regularly with an Employment Coach, who helps with any difficulties they might be experiencing at their jobs. Employment Coaches will also be available to address any questions or concerns from employers.

Cliff Wiebe is our Director of Support Services and the brains behind the new format. “So often, people think the solution to homelessness is for men and women to pick them selves up off the streets and go find a job, but it’s not that simple,” he says. “Our clients face significant barriers to employment, but The Mustard Seed is committed to helping them overcome those barriers and work toward greater independence.”

Have you ever been at risk of losing your home or your job? What kind of support did you wish you could have received?