Abby’s Impact: Helping Keyauja Achieve Her Goals
Keyauja, a mother of two, has worked with Jewish Family Service’s Colorado Works employment assistance program since April 2019. She has continuously advocated for herself and strived to work toward her goals. Recently, at her Colorado Works case manager’s suggestion, Keyauja enthusiastically enrolled in our new Abby’s Impact: Realizing Resilience.
In the two months since the program began, Keyauja actively participated in five classes to further develop her skills and confidence: Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) Skills Training, Living in a Virtual World, Career Launchpad, Cornerstone: Foundations in Financial Health, and Getting Ahead in a Just-Gettin’-by-World.
She shares, “Thanks to these classes, I’m learning how to manage money, how to cope with the pandemic, and how to find a job while helping my children with remote school. Being a student in virtual classes has given me perspective about the challenges both students and teachers face. I am proud of myself for helping my son navigate online learning and am excited to see how much he has grown since his virtual learning began last spring.”
Keyauja speaks highly of the ACT Skills Training group and says, “When I attended that class, I felt like I was in a different world—where I was relaxed and relieved. There was some weight taken off my shoulders and I learned valuable stress management skills.”
Even with topics that Keyauja previously felt confident in, she said she learned new things from the classes. For example, in Career Launchpad, she received tips on how to interview virtually. She explains, “I have to be ready for an interview on the computer. If I get interviewed, I have to think about what my background needs to look like, if they can hear me, and to put my notes on the screen so it doesn’t look like I’m looking away.” She adds, “My time in Career Launchpad and the other virtual classes have been good practice for speaking and being on camera before interviewing for jobs.”
In fact, shortly after Keyauja completed the Career Launchpad series, she received a job offer for a customer service representative! It is a permanent job she can do remotely with a flexible schedule, so she can still be home with her children while they do remote learning. The job pays well and provides the equipment she will need. She ultimately wants to work in administration for a medical company and this job will help prepare her for that type of career.
Of her overall experience with JFS and Abby’s Impact, Keyauja says, “Everyone who is teaching these classes plays a major role and they’re all excelling and doing something for each of us. I love JFS!” She encourages other young adults to participate in Abby’s Impact and shares, “If you want to change your life or want something better, you should attend the classes and take advantage of the opportunities.”