StreetWise Partners Trainees
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Duval Brown
50+ year old Duval Brown, who graduated from the New Jersey Career Ventures program, recently told us he has "found (his) calling" at a new job working for The York Street Project in Jersey City as a Teaching Assistant at Kenmare High School. He gives thanks to StreetWise Partners for helping him on his path towards success.
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Tyrone Ford
In spite of losing his mother and father at an early age, being very poor and visually impaired, Tyrone managed to avoid the pitfalls of poverty and to land on the right side of the tracks. Raised by his Aunt Ruth, who in addition to losing her husband and having two sons herself, took on her eight nephews and nieces. Through his Aunt’s amazing example, and the unwavering support of his wife Bernadette and sons Jared and Tyler, Tyrone learned to remain hopeful and optimistic, to surround himself with good people and to always be respectful of others regardless of one’s own trials and tribulations.
Tyrone obtained his BA in Comparative History from SUNY College, then worked in the retail industry. He later discovered his real passion - working with adult and youth programs in the training and education field, and helping to ‘water seeds’ as he describes. Tyrone managed to secure a job as a Job Developer at CUNY’s Bronx Community College - preparing adult students for work and then matching them to job opportunities related to their experience, skills, abilities and interest. Tyrone then transitioned in to a position coordinating several youth programs with LaGuardia College’s Workforce Education Center which he was very passionate about.
After losing work in April 2008, Tyrone applied to StreetWise Partners, in an effort to keep his skills relevant and up to date. The support and personal attention he received helped him to improve his resume, computer and interview skills. Best of all, through the networking skills that he learned and refined at StreetWise Partner, he secured a job with The Doe Fund as a Career Development Specialist. This is his dream job and he is thriving in the position.
Tyrone is an active member of StreetWise Partners’ alumni group, and continues to give back by being a member of the Mentee Recruitment Committee, helping other people connect with the organization. -
Alphonso Montgomery
Alphonso Montgomery, a 55 year old African American man who graduated from the Career Ventures program in June 2010, was underemployed when he started StreetWise Partners (earning less than $19,000 a year). Today, Alphonso's yearly salary is $45,000 as he recently secured a position as Executive Assistant to the General Counsel in the Mayor's Office of Legal Affairs at City Hall.
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Karen Morrison
Karen Morrison was recently awarded the 2010 Outstanding Alumni Award at the DC Taste of Success event. Karen came to StreetWise Partners after losing confidence in her skills as she had been out of work for three years when she applied to the Career Ventures program. What she really wanted was to improve the quality of her resume and develop her interview skills. Shortly after joining the program, she secured a full time position as a Program Assistant at a non-profit in DC. After graduating from the program, Karen returned to StreetWise Partners to volunteer as a peer mentor and is a regular attendee at DC alumni workshops.
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Chris O'Hare
Chris was working as a gas station attendant when he came across StreetWise Partners. Having recently been released from prison, where he had spent five years on conspiracy charges, Chris was trying to get back on his feet but had no idea how to go about achieving his goals. On the first day of his incarceration Chris had made a decision that that he wasn’t going to continue wasting his life – things needed to change. However on his release he was finding this process of re-starting much more difficult than he thought.
Chris claims that StreetWise Partners gave him his life back. When he started the program his self esteem and self respect were non-existent and his confidence level was zero. With his volunteer’s support, he began building up his skills and restoring his confidence and self esteem. Armed with a new and improved resume, Chris managed to secure a better job before the sixth week of the program in the financial services field. Unfortunately a month later the firm closed, however, due to the networking skills he’d learned, he was only out of work three days. He spoke to a gentleman in the elevator at his offices who owned a company in the building, handed him his newly polished resume, answered a few questions, and was offered a job!
Chris’ other goal was to educate youth to not make the same mistakes that he had. Over the last year he has lined up several speaking engagements at school truancy programs, community centers etc. Through these programs Chris has contributed to helping several young adults get back on the right path to success.
In Chris’ own words, “it is very plain and simple - StreetWise Partners took a disheartened person and helped me become someone not only functional but someone my family is proud of.” -
Leshai Ryals
Leshai Ryals enjoyed a tremendously successful cycle with StreetWise Partners. Leshai arrived at the program working as a temp for Morgan Stanley. Leshai sought to find permanent employment in order that she could have access to medical and dental benefits both for her and her young family.
By focusing on her personal priorities and career goals, Leshai identified the career path most suited to her - and with this direction in mind - transformed her resume. She also began to more effectively 'upward-manage' her current employer, by explaining her career goals and outlining her need for a permanent position.Her current employer learned of her job-hunting, and having developed a better understanding of her career goals, went to significant efforts internally to ensure that Morgan Stanley offered Leshai a permanent position - as an assistant to over 60 traders at Morgan Stanley on the Capital Markets/Risk trading floor. In addition to achieving a permanent role, Leshai obtained all the medical and dental benefits she had been seeking for her family - as well as a healthy salary increase - and a vote of confidence in her abilities!
Leshai now plans to firmly define her career goals (in tandem with her employers) to ensure continued professional progress, and she would like to begin undertaking some of the professional qualifications relevant to her industry. Leshai intends to continue her education, with her ultimate long-term goal being to complete her Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration by 2012.