September 24, 2024

Mercy Home has always encouraged young people to work outside of the Home to gain experience and build resumes. Our network of friends in the business and non-profit communities routinely open doors to our young people to grow in after-school and summer jobs as well as internships. An appropriate and carefully managed work schedule is a healthy part of the adolescent experience.

But even dating back to our founding days, we’ve also offer the young people who live with us on-campus opportunities to make money, learn new life skills and work habits, and develop confidence so they can take the next small steps toward independence, self-reliance, and fulfilling career paths. 

Today, our young people have options to apply for paid on-campus seasonal jobs such as van cleaner, kitchen server, gym attendant, cleaning supply coordinator, and library assistant. 

But not every youth is eligible to work at the Home. While working can be an important part of a youth’s therapeutic treatment, their clinical needs come first. Youth who apply for any position do not automatically get the job either. They are required undergo an interview process where they are encouraged to dress professionally and respond to the questions to the best of their ability. This too helps prepare them for life outside of Mercy Home.

Eboni Wilson is the PSO & Career Resources Coordinator at our Walsh Girls Campus. She coordinates with program managers to hire youth that would be a great fit to work, conducts interviews, and manages the application process.

“[When young people interview for an on-campus job], it gives them more confidence in advocating for themselves,” Wilson said.

Once our youth are hired for a job, they receive a badge and are required to clock in and out on a timecard at the reception desk—just like they will likely be required to do at any future workplace. And if they consistently demonstrate outstanding performance and good behavior, they are eligible to receive a small pay raise.

Wilson wants our kids to succeed at their jobs and acts as a mentor to them, instructing them on best communication practices and how to do their job effectively.

Additionally, all youth are required to partake in financial literacy coursework during their time with us, where they learn more about critical concepts like saving and budgeting. Helping young people build a solid relationship with money early on helps ensure stability and success later in life.

Through her job at Mercy Home, Tieranee has also learned invaluable skills about communication, preparation, and time management that she can use not just in her job but at school, in future employment outside of the Home, and as she becomes an adult.

In the future, Tieranee wants to be a criminal justice lawyer. This job is the first step to building the skills she needs to make her dreams come true. Thankfully, she can be sure our coworkers and donors will be there to help her take many steps toward this goal after that. But the foundation she and all of our young people are building at Mercy Home will support success long after they leave our care.

Be sure to encourage our young people when you see them working around the Home and know that they’re not merely keeping busy. They’re actively building their futures.