Amanda

Hello, My name is Amanda Carver. I have a high school diploma and went to college for two years working toward the prerequisites for business management and accounting. My work experience before I got to solutions was mainly customer service and caregiving. I have been a bartender, a server, a cashier, a caregiver, and managed a bar. I think the thing I liked the most was caregiving because I  like helping people. I developed many useful skills at these places including interpersonal skills and communication. I learned to be organized and to pay attention to detail including customers and their preferences. None of these jobs had room for professional growth except caregiving. I did go to school for my CNA but due to my criminal charges, this is not a career path that would be accepting of my past. The rest of my jobs were not only short-lived due to my addiction but dead-end jobs. What I've learned during the career development class is that I need to shoot for my goals and work hard to get there. I know now that my barriers will make my progress a little slower than I would like.

My short-term career plan is to go work for FutureStitch and build my resume while paying off my old student loans. I have created SMART goals by doing my one, three, and five-year goals.

My one-year goal is to create employment history on my resume and pay to get my loans out of delinquency. Also within this first year, I will be able to get my driver's license, a car, and insurance. The last thing I will do in the first year is apply for FAFSA and scholarships and save money to be able to afford childcare for college in the future.

My three-year goal is based on the fact that I can get off probation in 2026 and be able to work as an AOD counselor as this is a barrier. I plan to be done with my AOD certificate and while going to school I will work at a treatment facility as floor staff or case manager to gain experience in the field. A lot of these will allow me to work part-time while going to school to get my AOD.I also know that after graduating Solutions I'll be able to have a sitter or family at my place to help me have time to study and do school online. I have worked on my career development plan setting smart goals by assessing my barriers and the time it will take to remove them. I will have a job and by August 9th 2024 I’m able to get my license. I will continue to pay my fines and stay on top of probation. My probation ends in March of 2026.

These things I have taken into consideration include the need to pay off loans or create a payment plan to get out of delinquency and start school sometime next year. This will allow me to save money for a place a car and insurance and have the money to go towards loans. The steps I’m taking to work towards my career goal so far are calling FAFSA and the saving plan to work on getting my loans out of the way. I’ve paid fines and finished all my probation and court requirements, and I’m in compliance with both my probations and should be getting off federal probation early. I plan to talk to my probation officer to see what the steps to get these charges expunged would be. I feel like my barriers are felonies, no driver's license, student loans, and being a single mom. I plan to get a driver's license and car, get off probation, get a payment plan for loans, and have my place so my mom can help with Kyler while I attend school and work.

As a backup plan, I will also save money for childcare if need be. I have looked into different schools to get an AOD certificate. I have talked to the lady at transitions as well to ask for additional resources. I also already have most prerequisites from going to college in the past which can be transferred over and will help me to complete the degree faster. I truly want to be a drug and alcohol counselor and feel like realistically considering that I have to be off probation to work at most rehabs and plan to be done with my AOD by 2026. By reaching this goal I will prove to myself that I have what it takes. It will help me in my recovery to be helping others on a day to day basis and give me confidence and drive to keep going. This will also show my kid that his mom sets goals and obtains them and shows him that it is never too late to change and that with determination you can achieve anything. Kyler will learn from me being a role model about helping others and about hard work and dedication.

Success will look like A college degree and certificate on the wall, a list of my very own clients, a car, a house, and a healthy happy family routine and lifestyle. After reaching my goal I feel like I’m being pulled to create a program like Solutions for Change in Oregon. I have seen the way this program helps people overcome addiction and homelessness and feel like my living amends to the community I destroyed will be fulfilled if I can make a difference and help in some contributing way. So my next thing is to get into nonprofit business and on the city council to find ways to help with addiction and homelessness in the state of Oregon.

Thanks for your time and consideration and I hope that you can see my heart is in this even though I have a lot of barriers I’m determined to make this work and help others like myself break the cycle.