SUMMER JOB

During this season of economic challenges, the CAS budget has been so tight that fewer people remain on staff to service a growing clientele. Fortunately, relief has come via the FWIB (Foothill Workforce Investment Board) and the Federal Stimulus Package which has blessed CAS with teenage summer volunteers. This was the first time since CAS' early inception for a collaboration such as this but the summer workers and CAS staff immediately bonded, schedules were adjusted, and the extra help was noticed at once. For the teenagers, they faced the challenge of figuring out the bus routes, and arriving in the office on time, and for several, it was their very first exposure to the working world. There were doubts about compatibility: Will they like working here? Will they have the maturity and skills needed? Would our existing staff welcome the opportunity to be mentors and teach the temporary workers? What if they get into an accident? Will they be able to relate to our clients and provide compassionate service? The biggest shock came when one of the CAS staff realized one of the student volunteers was wearing a police-issued ankle bracelet. He had made some mistakes, but was trying very hard to get his life back on-track. But Executive Director Randy Votsch was undeterred: He realized that this was a tremendous opportunity for CAS to make a huge difference in the lives of these young workers. For an organization whose mission has always been to simply help those in need, staff quickly recognized that they had the chance to not only provide a summer job, but help mold a young life and provide more than just "job skills"… but "life skills" as well!

After a few adjustments were made to ensure client safety, each student was matched with the perfect assignment and in time, trust was developed and everyone was working as a well-organized team. CAS benefitted from the extra hands and the teenagers learned essential job skills they could carry with them into the future … and felt the love and commitment of the dedicated and amazing staff at CAS!

At the close of their summer program, CAS celebrated with lunch at the office and interviewed the summer workers.

Crystal, 18, sports a fashionable hairstyle, make-up and manicured nails. She said she learned a lot from this experience. "It was heartwarming to be able to help so many people," she said. She probably got that compassion from her Mom who is a nurse. Crystal is a middle child among 2 brothers and a sister. Although she loves music she knows it will be difficult to have a career in that industry so she's thinking of becoming a make-up artist which is a little more down-to-earth. She said she learned a lot about computers especially "what-not-to-do" because (she confessed) she crashed the office computer.

Arturo, 15, sports a young moustache and he avoids eye contact. He is engaged to be married to a girl of 13 but already has 2 kids. One of them is a week old baby. He said he got to know more people. There was a lot of work to be done but his favorite was cleaning and assembling hospital beds for clients. It was such a change from his previous lifestyle. His work at CAS has made a definite impact in his life. He said his fiancée's parents are happy to see him responsibly working at CAS.

A permanent smile is pasted on the face of Reginald, 19, who used to work in a shoe store which helped him develop his confidence and customer skills. It was fulfilling for him to see how the little he did meant so much to others. He remembers some of their tears. He is currently taking up Sociology at the Pasadena Community College but he eventually wants to be a film editor.

Executive Director Randy Votsch, along with the other staff, thanked the volunteers profusely for their invaluable service and presented many of the youth letters of recommendation to help in their future endeavors for permanent employment. Alexander Joya and Anisa Lopez, representing the FWIB, gave their thanks as well and reminded the kids to take advantage of the learning opportunity so they may be gainfully employed and evolve into useful citizens. Joya spoke with authority because he too was a volunteer of the FWIB program when he was their age.

As a result of CAS opening its doors to student workers and other programs that help the disabled acquire desperately needed job and life skills, CAS was recently honored with the "Employer of the Year Award" by the Pasadena Mayor's Committee for the Employment of People with Disabilities; was recognized by the California State Senate for CAS's work with people with disabilities; and CAS received a "Certificate of Excellence" as a training site by the Pasadena Unified School District.