Members and management of the LA Fitness in Lancaster have welcomed their newest staff member with open arms. Timothy is on the job!
Timothy began his job search in August 2018 with Steve, a Goodwill Keystone Area Employment Specialist. For the first few months, they had some difficulties – numerous applications resulted in only two interviews, neither of which had promising results. Timothy was limited by transportation issues and a lack of previous work experience, and his schedule and vocational preferences created additional challenges in finding a job.
After a few months with no results, Steve decided to try something different. One day in December, he and Timothy drove around and stopped at various businesses to inquire about job opportunities. One of the last stops of the day was the LA Fitness near Timothy’s home, where Manager Lori happened to be looking for a part-time custodian and was willing to hire Timothy on the spot!
There were two problems – Timothy had not previously been interested in custodial work or in working on the weekends. After giving it some thought and making a second visit, he reconsidered and began working at LA Fitness a few days before Christmas.
At first, Timothy felt overwhelmed. There was a lot to learn and a lot to get accomplished in a limited amount of time. However, Steve was there to help. He stayed with Timothy for his first few shifts to train and supervise, gradually easing back and allowing Timothy to take over on his own. Steve developed a detailed checklist of Timothy’s duties, along with the amount of time each task should take, so Timothy would have something to refer to for guidance. After only a couple months on the job, Timothy had already committed the checklist to memory and could easily complete his tasks independently (and often with time to spare).
As a benefit of his job, he uses his free membership to do cardio and lift weights with his new gym buddies. Timothy’s exercise has served him well in his Special Olympics softball team, where he plays third base and left field (and with his team is headed to state championships in June!). In addition to staying physically active, Timothy volunteers at an animal shelter in Millersville, plays and writes music on his guitar, and spends time with his mom Eunice and their two cats.
At LA Fitness, Timothy found more than just a paycheck – he found a renewed sense of self and purpose, and a group of welcoming, supportive people who have quickly befriended him. Before he began working, he was unhappy with the way his life was going. Now, with greater confidence and an expanded social circle, Timothy is excited and ready to face the future as a productive member of his community.
For more information about Goodwill’s programs and services, contact Sue Soderberg
EMAIL
or call 717.394.0647
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