Ben Cunningham, Unity Project for Relief of Homelessness

Ben

by Dakota Halfpenny on November 28, 2019 Comments Off

Ben Cunningham leads the frontline shelter and housing stability teams at Unity Project that help hundreds of Londoners experiencing homelessness connect to coordinated housing supports.

The road to safe housing

By Scott Taylor, Special to United Way

It’s something most of us don’t think about—or at least don’t want to think about—but the truth is more than 300 people sleep in one of London’s four emergency shelters on any given night, while many more find themselves in an unsustainable situation, such as couch surfing with friends, packed together in a single room apartment, or living in the rough outdoors.

“When someone comes in to the shelter, they’re typically in crisis because they’re experiencing homelessness, so we help to stabilize them in the moment,” says Ben Cunningham, Housing First Team Leader, Unity Project for Relief of Homelessness in London. Ben provides leadership and oversight to the Housing Stability Workers and Frontline Shelter Support Workers at Unity Project. “Once that’s done,” says Cunningham, “we start to work with them on a coordinated housing plan.”

“Compassion and trust are huge encouragements for people who’ve known little of both throughout their life. So for us it really comes down to empathy: I’m here for you. It’s OK if you fail, I’ve got your back.”

Ben Cunningham, Unity Project for Relief of Homelessness

That means starting them on the road to finding safe, warm housing of their own. This includes many things most of us take for granted, including the proper identification and documents needed to rent an apartment, a source of income and a bank account.

Once that’s complete, Unity staff starts to provide housing advertisements in a price range the client can afford. And if needed, staff can help them make phone calls to landlords and even attend viewings with them.

Once secured, housing is maintained through Unity’s Housing Stability program, a United Way funded program providing intensive in-home support for participants with a history of continued or long-term shelter use. Housing Stability Workers help clients stabilize in their new home and develop greater independence, avoiding a return to the shelter.

Unity Project’s 37 beds are full every night and between six and eight people get housing of their own every month. As you might imagine, some landlords are reluctant to rent to those experiencing homelessness, or outright dismissive.

The truth is, though, it’s much easier to find employment when you have an address to put on an application. It’s easier to live a healthier lifestyle when you have your own home, easier to manage mental health concerns, and easier to address trauma that may have lead to problematic substance misuse.

“Typically, Housing Stability Workers try to advocate with landlords,” says Cunningham. “We can let the landlord know we’ll be coming into the home a couple of times each week to visit and help this person with life skills and living skills, and provide them with coaching in order for them to be successful in their tenancy,” Cunningham explains.

Even basic life skills, such as working a washing machine and cleaning an apartment properly can be elusive for some people who’ve been homeless and never been given the opportunity to learn.

“Compassion and trust are huge encouragements for people who’ve known little of both throughout their short lives,” Cunningham adds.

“A lot of times, people have their defenses up as a survival mechanism. So for us it really comes down to empathy,” says Cunningham. “I’m here for you. It’s OK if you fail, I’ve got your back.”

Scott Taylor is a former local journalist with lived experience of poverty. He moderated United Way’s panel discussion Bringing #UNIGNORABLE Issues into Focus. Read our other stories.

Together, more than ever.

DONATE TODAY

“When someone comes in to the shelter, they’re typically in crisis because they’re experiencing homelessness. After we help stabilize them in the moment, then we start to work on a coordinated housing plan.”

Ben Cunningham, Unity Project for Relief of Homelessness

“For too long we have only managed homelessness. Shelters should be a place to receive support to find housing.”

There’s an issue
Homelessness is hurting our community. A 1.8% vacancy rate across our region drives rents higher and makes it even harder to find decent, affordable housing, especially if you’re living in poverty. Without a stable home, it’s difficult to keep a job or stay in school, deal with addictions, raise a family or feel like you belong.

You can help
United Way supports a housing-first approach. Your generosity fuels programs that move people experiencing homelessness into independent and permanent housing with appropriate supports.

Last year, United Way invested $575,042 in affordable housing, financial products and services or emergency shelter, helping 1,569 people meet urgent basic needs and work toward long-term solutions

Here’s how

$52 provides 1 person experiencing homelessness with a daily visit to a local coffee house for social connections and support
$365 provides 5 people with move-in care packages once they are housed, including a grocery gift card, shower curtain, light bulbs, calendar, can opener, cleaning products and a fridge magnet with after-hours crisis service numbers
$1,200 provides 30 days of intensive, in-home case management for 1 person new to housing after experiencing years of homelessness

Sonja

by Dakota Halfpenny on November 28, 2019 Comments Off

Local harm reduction expert Sonja Burke leads a team that serves hundreds of people across London who are experiencing addiction with a safe space, support services and access to medical supplies.

One of the toughest issues to tackle

By Scott Taylor, Special to United Way

As London continues efforts to reduce poverty and homelessness, one of the toughest issues to tackle is addiction.

Sonja Burke, Regional HIV/AIDS Connection Director of Harm Reduction Services, is a local expert. Burke and her team serve hundreds of people experiencing addiction in our community with a safe space, access to medical supplies, and support services.

“We see anywhere from 85 to 100 visits a day in our fixed location at Carepoint Consumption Treatment Service,” says Burke, noting that the service runs 12 hours a day, 365 days a year. “So we’re able to connect with people in multiple ways.”

“There’s this perception that people struggling with poverty, housing or mental health are the only ones struggling with addiction and that’s not true. I can assure you we deliver services to the north, south, east and west of this city.”

Sonja Burke, Regional HIV/AIDS Connection

The organization offers many other services, including mobile visits, crisis intervention, counselling and support groups, and works to ensure that the people they help are treated as more than just statistics.

Still, Burke acknowledges that there is a stigma towards people addicted to drugs that makes it difficult for others to empathize.

“There’s this perception that people struggling with poverty, housing or mental health are the only ones struggling with addiction and that’s not true,” says Burke. “I can assure you we deliver services to the north, south, east and west of this city.”

The perception surrounding addiction is very much based in stigma and a lack of understanding around what leads people to struggle with addiction.

“It’s common to blame and judge people without understanding the reality that people don’t have access to supports that help address the trauma that led to the addiction,” says Burke.

“Addiction is all around us,” she continues. “But we often forget that the person is someone’s daughter, father or mother. Our work is about shifting people’s attitudes and views.”

Another controversial issue that has been in the news in London and elsewhere is supervised consumption sites. Regardless of where the City and the Middlesex-London Health Unit say it would do the most good, there has always been a movement to block the location. The logic of these arguments is lost on Burke.

“We’ve done a number of community consultations and the London Free Press has done surveys and the general consensus, in my opinion, is that people understand the need for support and services for people who are struggling,” says Burke. ”But really, it’s about not in my neighbourhood, not in my back yard. I hear that time and time again. If we could just put it here and not there, it would be fine.”

The challenge, she pointed out, is that a supervised consumption site is needed where the people who would use it are living.

“Some of the benefits of consumption and treatments services are it reduces the number of individuals who are publicly injecting, it reduces the number of discarded syringes, it increases the likelihood that somebody will get connected to community services, and it increases the ability to actually be connected to medical care and a medical facility.”

Taking this option away from the people who need it simply serves to marginalize them further.

“In the end,” says Burke, “the foundation of the work we do is that every person has value.”

Scott Taylor is a former local journalist with lived experience of poverty. He moderated United Way’s panel discussion Bringing #UNIGNORABLE Issues into Focus. Read our other stories.

Together, more than ever.

DONATE TODAY

“Addiction is all around us. But we often forget that the person is someone’s daughter, father or mother. Our work is about shifting people’s attitudes and views. Every person has value.”

Sonja Burke, Regional HIV/AIDS Connection

“People often ask me, what should I do when I see someone panhandling? I want to give them money but I’m concerned they’re going to use it for drugs.”

Jeff

by Dakota Halfpenny on November 28, 2019 Comments Off

Jeff White helps street-involved youth understand the network of resources available so they can get their life back on track.

No wrong door

By Scott Taylor, Special to United Way

It’s a typical picture of a young man or woman with the future waiting before them. They’ve graduated high school and are preparing for university or maybe a job in the trades. They’re still living at home, of course, and enjoying time with friends before the serious aspects of life begin.

Sadly, that’s a world some will never know. In Elgin and Middlesex counties, too many young people are experiencing homelessness.

“Our philosophy is no wrong door,” says Jeff White, Ontario Works Trustee for youth under-18 and Dental Project Coordinator at Youth Opportunities Unlimited (YOU), a United Way partner agency. “Regardless of how you become connected with YOU, we want to know what else you need. We provide complete wrap-around support all centred on housing stability.”

“Imagine yourself at 16. You’re expected to attend school, do well in school, maybe work part-time, and make friends. Your social life is becoming important and you’re developing a sense of who you are. Now imagine going through all that without a healthy, stable place to live.”

Jeff White, Youth Action Centre

United Way invests in two programs at YOU, the Youth Action Centre (YAC) in London and Next Wave Youth Centre in Strathroy. Both locations provide outreach services, basic needs support, employment counselling and housing services.

YOU serves more than 2,000 youth a year. Of those, 840 access things like hygiene, basic needs supplies and meals along with 540 receiving referrals to address physical health, mental health, addictions and housing needs.

“Imagine yourself at 16,” White says. “You’re expected to attend school, do well in school, maybe work part-time, and make friends. Your social life is becoming important and you’re developing a sense of who you are; your identity. Now imagine going through all that without a healthy, stable place to live.”

Young people find themselves homeless for many different reasons, White explains.

“Maybe you just came out as gay to your parents and they kicked you out or there is a history of violence and you had to leave for your own safety. You might spend the next couple of nights outside,” he says.

“If possible, you call a friend and ask to sleep on their couch. They might ask for how long. There’s an awkward silence because you don’t know. You might apply for Ontario Works because you’ve realized you need some sort of income to survive. That’s assuming you even know what it is.”

An additional issue is how quickly this type of lifestyle becomes the usual. According to White, youth begin to see homelessness as part of their identity after just 30 days.

As trustee, White attends the intake appointment where he assesses the housing situation of the youth. From there, he can refer clients to the YAC or to connect with one of the housing support workers for basic needs support, such as laundry, hygiene products, food bank, shower, and more.

Then they begin exploring different housing options and attending viewings with the young person.

Ideally, the housing support worker is able to assist the young person to secure a cheap room for rent. YOU YAC staff continues to provide support with food security, budgeting, life skills, paying bills, making referrals and helping make the youth’s new place feel like a home.

“Securing a residence is half the battle,” says White. “Sometimes the hardest part is maintaining it.”

“Without United Way’s support, we wouldn’t be able to reach the youth falling through those cracks,” he continues.

“We want to help that 16-year-old understand the resources available and see the people who truly care about them, even though they’ve never met. We want them to know they matter and deserve happiness, even when they don’t think so.”

Scott Taylor is a former local journalist with lived experience of poverty. He moderated United Way’s panel discussion Bringing #UNIGNORABLE Issues into Focus. Read our other stories.

Together, more than ever.

DONATE TODAY

“I want to help that 16-year-old understand the resources available and know that they matter and deserve happiness, even when they don’t think so.”

Jeff White, Youth Action Centre

I don’t think a youth chooses to be homeless. A youth becomes homeless…

There’s an issue
Children and youth are our future and too many young people in our community are struggling. Poverty and lack of supports early on can make it harder for kids to access future opportunities. Today’s young adults are deeply affected by the changing nature of work and many are struggling to connect with their communities, finish high school and find meaningful jobs.

You can help
United Way targets the most at-risk youth in our community. Your generous support gives every young person a real opportunity to succeed, particularly those who are racialized, immigrants, Indigenous, LGBTQ+ or from low-income families.

Last year, $1,910,000 was invested in out-of-school time programs and/or individualized support for 13,720 young people, making them more likely to become successful adults

Here’s how

$52 or $1/week provides 4 at-risk youth a hot, healthy breakfast for two months, encouraging regular attendance at school and improving academic success
$365 provides a recreation centre membership, including access to My Action Plan to Education, a program that helps young people reach future education and career goals
$1,200 gives a young person 8 counselling sessions and an advocate with other service providers and their school

Cecil

by Dakota Halfpenny on August 9, 2019 Comments Off

Cecil says it’s important to support businesses that focus on profit and purpose

Putting your privilege to work

When I was a student, my dad and I went on a field trip with his teacher buddies—a China-Hong Kong cultural exchange.

We didn’t just go to the tourist areas—we went everywhere. I was on my moral high horse, pointing out some fairly questionable places with questionable behaviour. And then, my dad said to me, “Can you speak so casually of ethics if you were in that position? Being raised in that environment and trying to survive, would you do any better?”

That sobering comment really struck a chord with me and led to serious introspection. As much as I would like to say the opposite, if I had been in the position of the people I saw, living their lives, I’d probably do worse. Being born to middle class parents living in a developed country, I’d already won the birth lottery. All things considered, I’ve had an easy life.

Many times, people are simply put into bad situations. A son being born into a broken family, a daughter relocating as a refugee and ending up in a bad neighbourhood. It’s the roll of the dice. These are real lives, real people. They’re not numbers. We have to try to break that sense of anonymity and understand our shared pain and experience.

I feel that society is often very good at making you not respect yourself. It’s nice to talk about people rising above their situations or circumstances, but statistically, it’s a crapshoot. It makes a great story, but how many people actually make it?

You can’t do it alone—I realized that very quickly. But I think United Way is a great step forward. It brings a human element to so many of the big issues we’re tackling in this city and allows us to see the faces behind the struggles.

We need organizations like United Way to persist in the face of complex, enduring challenges like poverty. We can’t solve everything in one generation, but we have to start somewhere. Multiple generations of effort—my own included—are needed for sustaining power to affect any kind of meaningful change.

Because at the end of the day, it’s not about me. That’s why I’m here.

Together, more than ever.

DONATE TODAY

“We can’t solve everything in one generation. But we have to start somewhere.”

Cecil

Cecil believes United Way brings a human element to the big issues and allows us to see the faces behind the struggles

Zoe program participant and Cecil program donor

Read Zoe’s story

Zoe

by Dakota Halfpenny on August 9, 2019 Comments Off

After being incarcerated, connecting to her community and starting a new job helped Zoe feel empowered

Working toward a new future

I played every sport when I was growing up. As I got older, I decided to focus on basketball. It was very exciting and allowed me to learn life skills. I was a social butterfly. One coach kept coming to my games and eventually, he offered me a scholarship. I transitioned from high school basketball straight into college and it completely changed my life.

My father died when I was seven, so my mom was both a mother and father figure for most of my life. But even though my mom was there, she was working hard to support us so that we could live in a decent area. Really, I raised myself.

When I was 18, my mom went to live in a different country. I had to live with my sister, who I didn’t know well. I had to become an adult quickly.

Unfortunately, I got mixed up with the wrong friends, which led me to getting into trouble. After that, I was incarcerated for a year and a half.

I was so devastated making that first phone call to my coach. I said to him, “I don’t want to lose everything.”

I was scared about going to prison. Prison is a really challenging environment full of uncertainties. The only people you have to talk to are the inmates that you live with. But this experience changed my perspective. It showed me there are people in prison who have potential and just need a helping hand. I learned skills that I never thought I could, and I used that time to rethink my life.

When I got out, it was very hard. I struggled to find full-time work. I thought, “How can I get involved in my community? How can I prove to myself and show society that I have something to contribute? How can I show that I’m not a bad person?”

A girl who lived in my halfway house told me about the coffee shop where she worked, a social enterprise funded by United Way. Social enterprises are businesses fuelled by profit and purpose, and they help people like me get back on my feet. I told myself that if I got the opportunity to work there, I would use it to make a change in someone’s life.

Eventually, I did get a job at the coffee shop, and I’ve never looked back. Today, I work there full time, helping other people coming out of incarceration to find employment in the community.

Getting this job made me so happy. I felt empowered—it felt amazing that someone actually gave me a chance. I already had a good, supportive environment from my family and friends. Now I have a good job too. I can actually survive. I can regain my independence and make something of myself.”

Together, more than ever.

DONATE TODAY

“When I got out, it was very hard. How can I get involved in my community? How can I prove to myself and show society that I have something to contribute?”

Zoe

Zoe had to become an adult quickly and got mixed up with the wrong friends, which led her to getting into trouble. Today, she helps other people coming out of incarceration to find employment in the community.

There’s an issue
For too many in our community, poverty is a daily struggle. It forces people and families to make impossible choices like whether to pay the rent or put food on the table. It leaves kids feeling isolated and robs them of future opportunities. Poverty touches every aspect of a person’s life, making it difficult to get ahead and realize a good future.

You can help
When kids and families succeed, our whole community prospers. United Way helps meet basic needs like food, transportation access, housing and recreation. We also lead long-term strategies to ensure that fewer people are vulnerable in the first place.

27,385 individuals participated in physical activity and/or healthy food access and nutrition programs that build good habits and increase belonging

Here’s how:

$52 provides a round trip for one person to obtain the tools required to accept a job and not rely on social assistance
$365 provides an 8-week sports program in a rural community so young people can access physical activity close to home at no- or low-cost
$1,200 provides a full year of recreation and programming at a neighbourhood resource centre for 23 children
Lead agency for London for All poverty reduction strategy, working with more than 60 organizations and 160 volunteers from diverse backgrounds to implement 112 recommendations to end poverty in a generation

Daniel

by Dakota Halfpenny on August 9, 2019 Comments Off

Daniel and his colleagues work with United Way to help their neighbours

Building a more caring community

I think it’s important to give back, but it’s not about how much you give, it’s also about being invested.

Every year, the utility company where I work organizes a company-wide United Way campaign that runs across to all our affiliates. Since 2009, I’ve been volunteering my time as part of the company’s campaign.

There are two parts of it that really appeal to me. The first is that the committee comes together like a family. The second is that United Way is so strongly rooted in all of our local communities. That’s important to me. United Way reflects my values and I feel that it’s such an important organization to support.

In my day-to-day position, I lead a call centre team that responds to customers across the province. One of the most difficult situations I deal with is working with customers who are struggling to keep up with paying their power bills. I can recall a particular situation where two elderly customers reached out to us. They lived in a rural community and their only income was their monthly pension.

I was able to connect them with another local organization that helped pull funds together to get their account restored and came up with a financial plan that would work for them.

Over the course of two years, that plan helped the pair to get rid of their debt and to live independently in their own home.

I’m proud that I could be of assistance—and that’s the kind of thing I encourage my team to do through our United Way campaign. If any of them want to help the community, I help make it happen.

Together, more than ever.

DONATE TODAY

“It’s not about how much you give, it’s also about being invested”

Daniel

Daniel loves volunteering with United Way because it feels like a family

Read Travis’ story

Travis

by Dakota Halfpenny on August 9, 2019 Comments Off

Travis went from experiencing homelessness to studying at university. Now, he’s helping others get their lives on track.

Overcoming homelessness to help others

Becoming homeless was really stressful. The first time I really didn’t have anywhere to stay, I spent the night on the shores of a lake in my neighbourhood. I didn’t know what else to do.

It started when I was 15—I was removed from my family home by the police when things got really bad one day. I ended up doing a lot of couch surfing, but thankfully, I only spent a few nights outside.

Things didn’t get better when I graduated from high school; they actually got worse. I was still angry and hurt. I ended up hitchhiking across the country, getting into drugs and living on the streets.

But in 2015, I was offered the chance to go home and get clean. A few months later, I was accepted into a United Way-supported transitional housing program for men recovering from addiction. There were a lot of very strict rules, but I was being held accountable—maybe for the first time ever. I started doing everything I could do to avoid falling back into old habits, like volunteering at a community garden.

Now, I’m studying computer science at university and working part time at a local homeless shelter. I remember when I stayed at different shelters, I struggled to connect with the staff. But getting to work at the shelter gives me the opportunity to be that staff member who people connect with. It’s been a very fulfilling experience—being able to identify with people and actually getting real with them when we talk.

When I was at my worst, I would walk down the street and people would pretend I wasn’t there. Nowadays, people cross the street just to say hi to me. I plan to finish my degree and I’m thinking about doing a master’s. I’d also like to get more involved with the shelter system in my city.

I want people like me to know it can get better. There are always going to be people there for you—you just have to open up and allow them in.

Together, more than ever.

DONATE TODAY

“When I was at my worst, I would walk down the street and people would pretend I wasn’t there. Nowadays, people cross the street just to say hi.”

Travis

Travis went from experiencing homelessness to studying at university. Now, he’s helping others get their lives on track.

There’s an issue
A 2.1% vacancy rate across our region drives rents higher and makes it even harder to find decent, affordable housing, especially if you’re living in poverty. Without a stable home, it’s almost impossible to deal with addictions, keep a job, raise a family or feel like you belong.

You can help
United Way supports a housing-first approach. Your generosity fuels programs that move people experiencing homelessness into independent and permanent housing with appropriate supports.

1,569 individuals accessed affordable housing, financial products and services or emergency shelter, helping them meet urgent basic needs and work toward long-term solutions

Here’s how:

$52 provides 5 individuals with access to a single-session of counselling at a walk-in clinic for effective treatment that is goal-oriented, solution focused and accessible
$365 helps to provide survival kits with clothing, toiletries and food for 10 youth in the community
$1,200 provides 12 sessions of personal counselling for a person struggling with depression, anxiety, trauma or other challenges to their mental health

Alixandra

by Dakota Halfpenny on August 9, 2019 Comments Off

Volunteering at a literacy camp let Alixandra put her lifelong love of reading to good use

Bonding over books

When I think about how I can give back to my community, I try to think of ways I can use my skills. Literacy has been so important in my life, both personally and professionally. Spending time with books is so formative. It can open up your imagination, take you on adventures and help you see the world in a way you might not otherwise be able to.

The United Way literacy camp I volunteered with is particularly important to our community. Volunteering there was such a great experience. Because I had an opportunity to spend time with young people who are learning to share my love of books and reading and who really want to improve their reading ability.

It’s a two-way street: In the process of helping kids with their reading, I learned a lot too. After spending a few hours sitting in a classroom with kids showing me what they know I felt like I came away having learned something, too. As a volunteer, there’s always more to learn, and I get the satisfaction of knowing that I’ve been able to help someone.

Hearing from a mom about how important this program has been to her and her children means a lot to me. It’s been so affirming knowing that my donation and my volunteer work is helping both parents and children on their journey. Volunteering is also about knowing that I’m making an impact in the community for entire families. We have a culture of giving that I am proud to be part of.

Together, more than ever.

DONATE TODAY

“As a volunteer, there’s always more to learn”

Alixandra

United Way supporter Alixandra found a way to share her love of reading with children

Read Jayce, Nadine & Chase’s story

Jayce

by Dakota Halfpenny on August 9, 2019 Comments Off

When Jayce’s kids fell behind in reading, a United Way program helped them improve their skills—and their confidence

Reading between the lines

When I learned that my daughter, Nadine, was reading at a pre-K level in grade 2, it felt like a punch to the gut. I’m a single mother of four kids and had just entered university. I was so busy, I didn’t realize she was floating under the radar. Once I knew, though, my focus became enhancing all my kids’ learning abilities.

At first, I thought a literacy camp would just give Nadine extra practice, but right away, she showed so much improvement. She came home every day with stories about reading books with the volunteers, and I thought, ‘I want my daughter to have this much excitement reading with her mom.’

Within the first week, I was getting pamphlets on how to make reading fun and engaging for parents, too. I was glad to get them—they’ll help me in the future with my two younger children.

My son Chase wasn’t as under the radar as Nadine was, but he was reading at a lower level. So, when they were both invited to the camp the following summer, I knew it was the best choice. The camp gave him so much confidence. Chase deals with ADHD, but the volunteers didn’t discourage him for learning at a slower pace—they were patient with him.

Now that I’m a literacy teacher myself, I understand that reading is confidence. That’s why I push for these camps. If any parent has access to them, they need to jump right in with their kids.

Chase and Nadine are now seven and 10; they’re both reading the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series and they talk about what’s going to happen next. When I was first told Nadine was three grades behind in her reading level, I would never have guessed that she and Chase would be reading chapter books together two years later.

I can’t fully express what United Way has done for my kids. The positive effects of literacy camp last much longer than the two weeks the kids spend there; the future of my entire family has been positively impacted.

SHOW YOUR LOCAL LOVE.

DONATE TODAY

“Reading is confidence. I can’t fully express what United Way has done for my kids.”

Jayce

Jayce’s kids, Nadine and Chase, were falling behind in reading. But a United Way literacy camp changed everything.

There’s an issue
Children and youth are our future. But too many young people in our community are struggling. Poverty and lack of supports early on can have lifelong effects that make it harder for kids to access future opportunities.

You can help
United Way invests in programs that target the most at-risk youth in our community so that every young person gets the opportunity to succeed.

3,736 kids in grades K-3 received help to improve their reading and writing skills, increasing their potential for academic success

Your generosity fuels vital supports for kids and their families including tutoring and education programs that build confidence, impact classroom participation and help kids achieve their academic goals and future career plans.

Trishul

by Dakota Halfpenny on April 11, 2019 Comments Off

Trishul Jotangia connected to a non-profit board through United Way’s Canada Life Young Leaders program. Now facilitated by Pillar Nonprofit Network, the program gives young people the opportunity to get on boards at local non-profit organizations.

Youth success starts here.

When Trishul Jotangia started looking for his first real job at 21, he had his heart set on the non-profit sector and a career that gave back. When he landed a great corporate gig with Goodlife Fitness, he needed to find another way to connect with the non-profit sector and satisfy the itch for purpose.

“I always knew someday I’d volunteer on a board,” he recalls. “But just starting out, I didn’t think I was skilled enough. I thought boards were only for people in their 50s or 60s who held very senior positions.”

Then Trishul’s best friend introduced him to a United Way-founded program designed to get young people on boards. He participated in training at United Way, sat in on board meetings at local non-profit organizations and found a board match with Learning Disabilities Association of London Region (LDA).

“United Way connects organizations and groups in a way that I didn’t think was possible,” he says. “I wouldn’t have found the LDA without them.”

Trishul jumped in with both feet. “I didn’t know what a learning disability was until I met some of the kids and parents the organization serves,” he says. “I realized that, not only could I be on a board, I could learn something I didn’t know. It made me passionate about making change.”

He was soon chairing the Nomination Committee, interviewing prospective board members and providing professional development for people with diverse backgrounds. Within four years, he was Board Chair and stretching his skill set even further.

“We lost our Executive Director three weeks into my tenure as Chair,” he recalls. “I had to guide the organization through staff changes and wage discussions – some of the tough conversations all businesses end up having. I didn’t do everything perfectly, but I learned a lot.”

In addition to developing skills he uses every day at work, Trishul says that the experience has changed his life. “Looking back, I’ve known kids with learning disabilities my whole life. I used to think they just didn’t work hard enough.”

“Learning about the actual struggles many kids face has turned me into an advocate. I want everyone to have the eye-opener I’ve had.”

So what advice does he have for the next generation? “Believe in yourself. At 22, I didn’t think I could make a difference. Now at 32, I’m proof of the impact you can make when you’re young and keen.”