Classifieds

Over the last few days, the kids in the program have been looking in the classifieds for part time jobs to supplement their income. We, as a team, are going to sit with the students and show them how to apply for jobs, how to fill out an application, how to carry yourself, how to dress, speak, etc....

Today I was the Fireman.....I was running everywhere putting out fires. Its very clear we are still trying to really find our groove and learning each others unique personalities. Little drama scenes playing out everywhere....The good thing is that many of them are being handled WITHIN the team....They are REALLY starting to come together, self governing themselves and working out their difficulties within their group....EXACTLY what I want....For MANY reasons.

First of all, this makes my job easier and the most important thing is they are learning how to communicate and deal with breakdowns within the group themselves... Such an extremely valuable life tool!!! It really is quite a thing to experience....Especially when I am able to sit and reflect on the day and "unplug" from all of the hectic crisis management I am constantly in the middle of.

Today, after putting out one of the fires, I come back to my office and taped on the door is the classified section of the newspaper. There is an ad circled in big green ink and the the initials... "WTH"

I looked at the ad and it said.....

"Position as Case Manager for BCFS. To apply, go to BCFS.net"

We are a very large organization and we have an opening in another portion of the organization for a case manager dealing with Fostered Youth.

As I started to look at it, some of the kids came started to come up to me in a tizzy....

"Brad, what the hell is this?? Are you leaving us?"

and

"You tell us to stick it out, you better stick it out"

and

"You cant leave us"

All before I could get a word in....Before I knew it, I had 10-12 of my students around me wanting to know if I was leaving.

First of all, I was warmed and my heart swelled, then I went to explain...

"Guys, it isn't me...I am not going anywhere....I am here as long as you are here....Don't worry!!"

Remember, none of these kids know about the opportunity that came in front of me last week and today this happened and it was re-affirmed WHY I decided to not pursue that position....It was very cool!!

A couple of hours later, after I had the fires out and the day was ended, I remembered that one of my team was with one of our students at Municipal Court for a traffic offense. I drove by the courthouse, saw the staff members car there and decided to go in and show my support as well.

I made it into the courtroom and sat down with Kathleen and our student. We discussed formalities....how long they had been there, where they were on the list, when they wee going to be seen, etc....And then what EVERYBODY does in the courtroom..............................................................WAIT!!!

While we were waiting, the student said...

"Brad, I saw an ad in the newspaper about BCFS looking for a case manager; you aren't leaving us are you?"

"No man, NO WAY, I am here...Don't you worry about it man....I ain't going anywhere!!

He said....

"That's good Brad, you know if you left, we couldn't trust anyone else to come in here...."

DAMMIT MAN!!!! These kids just get me every damn time!! GOTTA LOVE IT THOUGH!!

So we sat and waited our turn and then my students name was called. He was wearing his YouthBuild uniform and we approached the stand. The judge went through his formalities and then brought up the traffic offenses.

As are most people, my student was very nervous and intimidated by the judge...You could see it in his posture and his mannerisms....He was speaking softly in response to the judge and even me standing next to him, I had a hard time hearing his words..... The Judge said....

"So, you are in YouthBuild huh?? I have heard a little about it, whats YouthBuild about??"

My student looked down at the floor, shifter side to side, rubbed his hands and started to talk....

"Uhhhhhm, YouthBuild is an uuuuhhm, program for uhhhmmm, dropouts who uhhhmmmm, they uhhhmmmm, want to, uhhhhhmmmm....."

I saw his discomfort and I thought of those videos I took at the service project, I spoke up and I leaned in to him and I said....

"Tommy, WHAT IS YOUTHBUILD?!"

I watched him as he stood up straight, took in a deep breath, raised his head up, looked the Judge in the face and he said....

"YouthBuild is a program for troubled youth who have dropped out of high school and are looking for a second chance. We go to class half the day and work construction the other half. We serve our community and its a way to get our life back on track!"

I leaned into him gain and I said....

"What are you here to do!?"

"I am here to get my education, learn a trade, start my own construction company and make a better life for me and my kids!"

The judge smiled, sat back in his chair and you could tell he was impressed....SHIT! I WAS IMPRESSED!!!!

After talking to my student for a few minutes, the Judge commended him on his desires to make his life better and the lives of his children better and after asking me and Kathleen a few questions, told Tommy....

"Well, it seems like you are doing a good thing here....Looks like you are trying to shed some old baggage so i wont give you any new baggage....I can see the stipend you are getting in this program is even less that what it will take for you to take care of your family, you are putting in 40 hours a week to better your life, so let me tell you what I am going to do.... I am going to give you 16 hours of community service for the one traffic offense and 13 hours for the other. I am going to let you do your community service through your program and you have until Nov 4th to get it done....If it isn't done by then, you will stand before me again....You got it?!"

"Yes sir, I will get it done!"

Now consider this for a minute.....there was a guy about Tommy's age in line ahead of him with similar penalties and he was instructed to pay 290.00 in fines.....Tommy, BECAUSE of YouthBuild was given a second chance and was issued no fines and only community service.

As we walked out of the courtroom I looked at Tommy and I told him...

"Look man, you just got one hell of a break and it was BECAUSE YOU took on YouthBuild.....YouthBuild did this for you so remember where your pride is in this....Don't let yourself down, dont let your team down...Keep showing up man!! GOOD JOB!!"

I left him to handle his paperwork and go have an "end day" meeting with my boss and he was so happy, so grateful and so driven to "DWIT" Gotta say, I was/am pretty damn proud!!

GO YOUTHBUILD!!!!!!!!! OWTFDWIT!!!!!