John’s Story

“Before I came to YES Job Camp I was extremely frustrated because I did not have a job and I wanted to be independent. I did not know how to write a proper cover letter, resume or perform in job interviews. I was also staying at a shelter. A friend of mine told me about Job Camp. I decided to go because I had nothing else left to do and I had no job. There I learned how to write a resume and cover letter. The main thing I learned was to have confidence in my skills and abilities – this really helped me with interviews. We also got to go sailing, which was fun because I had never been sailing before.

The skills I learned in Job Campgot me my first job at a restaurant. Although I didn’t end up keeping the job, the stuff I learned at Job Camp allowed me to try for another opportunity – a manager position at a nearby cinema that I really love. I can support myself now and I no longer live in a shelter. I still come in to YES once a week to visit and use the computers and say ‘hi’ to the staff that has always supported me. I’m so good at writing resumes and cover letters now that sometimes I even hang out there to help other kids with theirs!”