Job training program at Hartford food pantry helps teens as they assist others
HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — Young adults are stocking the shelves of the Joan Dauber Food Pantry at Saint Francis Hospital , helping others as a way to help themselves.
"They give us a task usually, and from that task, I work from the top and go down," 18-year-old Jaishone Wallace said. "This is career development. It's getting me on the right path to success, I would say."
This is the Training for Employment Program (TEP) offered by COMPASS Youth Collaborative , based in Hartford.
"Our relationship with COMPASS started in the emergency department," said Carolyn Alessi of Trinity Health of New England, explaining that the youth are there after being impacted by gun violence. "COMPASS is our partner that responds at bedside to these youth and rolls them into their program to help them get reconnected to their community."
Participants work alongside Peacebuilders like Mike Anderson, who are trained in cognitive behavioral therapy and can remind the youth of their goals and values when they get off track.
"Every day is a challenge," he said. "Sometimes they show up, sometimes they don't. You just got to re-direct them."
"We want to show them the skills they need in order to be successful and that there's nothing they can do to get kicked out of this program," said Jacquelyn Santiago Nazario, CEO of COMPASS Youth Collaborative.
The program met a need for the pantry, as well, which was low on volunteers.
"They are a God send. They come in, they work, they are learning the soft skills here," food pantry manager Melissa Crawford said.
"It makes me smile. Wake up early and have a thing to smile about helping somebody," Wallace said.
It's all about building relationships and trust, giving youth like Wallace and Luther Nowlin a safe place to fail and succeed.
"Gave me more options thinking inside and outside the box, looking at life differently and things like that," says Nowlin.
"From day one until now, I've seen a huge jump in the progress of the youth," Anderson said.
The youth are on a three-month rotation at the food pantry. COMPASS is looking to make more relationships like this one at Saint Francis Hospital to teach young adults retail and kitchen skills.
