Francis Bigboy came to the Support to Communities (STC) and Worker Advancement Initiative (WAI) programs after struggling to obtain employment or assistance from other programs. Because of his criminal background, he did not pass many of the background checks employers required.
Knowing that his current job was not exactly where he wanted to be, the Case Manager continued to encourage him to go to enroll in school to pursue the career he wanted. Support to Communities (STC)assisted Francis in his first step, attending Peer Support Specialist training.
Through the program, Francis was able to receive the technology he needed to participate in this virtual training. “I was grateful for [the support],” said Francis, “but that was just the start. They also helped me with clothes for interviews and things I needed for work.”
Currently, Francis is making strides toward reaching his career goals. He is working as a Peer Support Specialist at the Bad River Health and Wellness Center and is attending Northwood Technical College for their Substance Abuse Counseling program.
“I always had a hard time asking for help, but when I was accepted to the program, they kept asking what would help me or how they could help and when I did ask for help, they went above and beyond to do what they could do to help. I felt like there was no hope for me to succeed in life because of my criminal record and addiction but they helped me to see no matter how far you fall you can bounce back to make a better life for yourself.”
