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Building Bonds and Support in Reno

Building Bonds and Support in Reno

Darren came into program referred by his probation officer. He had had several encounters with the juvenile system and did not have many supportive adults in his life. Darren was working through a number of mental health issues at the time, including depression that negatively affected his self-motivation. He wanted to find a job that he could enjoy but the possibility seemed out of reach.

Upon joining Right Turn, Darren gained the support of his case manager. They guided him to participate in work readiness trainings, service learning projects and community service. His case manager also set up an interview between Darren and an individual in the marketing field, which he came to decide is his career field of choice based completing his Individual Career Development Plan. He also engaged in a great deal of hands-on career exploration to solidify his interest in this career path. As Darren searched for employment with the help of his case manager, he finally landed a job in retail that he really enjoys. Youth had the opportunity to create promotional materials for the store and was quickly promoted to a position with built-in marketing responsibilities. Darren now has full time benefits and is on a career path that helps him feel fulfilled.

His case manager also found him a tutor for some of the college work that he was having a hard time with. The assistance of this tutor helped Darren tremendously and he was able to get back on track with school and enrolled for the second semester in college.

In terms of his emotional and self-esteem barriers, Darren’s case manager quickly set him up with a counselor to help him sort through the various issues he is battling internally. He was able to get some coping strategies that he uses today and his self-esteem has been boosted.

Darren is very thankful to his case manager for being there for him, not giving up on him, and providing the resources he needed at that time of his life. Youth would like to keep up communication with his case manager even after program ends.