Kayondra Garrison, who put in an outstanding performance as Hopeworks’ training room intern, recently moved on to a full-time position as a Benefits Outreach Specialist for Benefits Data Trust, a Philadelphia nonprofit that helps eligible individuals gain better access to the benefits to which they are entitled.
A friend who is now a Hopeworks alumni referred Kayondra to Hopeworks in 2019, and she has never looked back. Kayondra held a couple of fast food jobs before she came to Hopeworks, but that was the extent of her work experience.
“Hopeworks gave me a plethora of opportunities,” says Kayondra
When Kayondra first came to Hopeworks, there was no such thing as a training room intern. Yet she found herself spending a lot of time helping other youth complete the training. It came naturally to her. Kayondra took a brief break from Hopeworks, and when she returned and found out Hopeworks had created a training room internship, she said to herself, “Oh yeah. That’s what I want to do.”
Working as a training room intern gave Kay great managerial experience. “I had to make sure the trainees were on task, were checking their calendars, were where they were supposed to be, and had the laptops they needed for interviews,” she said. “I had to refer them to career readiness coaches.” She also learned tactful ways to communicate with others. “I know how to respond well to a lot of different things I probably would have responded to differently before,” says Kayondra. ”I call it the ‘Hopeworks response.’ I give people a lot of ‘Hopeworks responses’ when they’re annoying me!”
Here at Hopeworks, Kayondra will be missed, and not just for her sense of humor. “Kayondra is so bubbly and brings life into whatever space she is in,” says Tina Anino, her Career Readiness Coach. “She was the first youth I met at Hopeworks and I admire her growth. Kay has blossomed into a young professional and I could not be more proud. She has grown professionally and personally.”
Kayondra sees lots of opportunities for growth and advancement in her current job at Benefits Data Trust. She plans to make the most of this position. In time, after she matures a bi more, she has her sights set on becoming a motivational speaker.
Hopeworks, the Camden-based nonprofit that propels young adults ages 17 to 27 into long-term, living-wage careers, held its annual Spring Pitch Competition on April 13 at the organization’s headquarters. The competition was offered to Hopeworks trainees, interns and alumni to pitch their business ideas and services to a panel of esteemed judges, for the opportunity […]
Advisory and accounting firm CLM Advisors made a charitable donation to the Washington Township Police k-9 Unit, which will offset the costs of purchasing, training and caring for additional dogs. Read our segment in the southjerseybiz.net article here or visit the site for the full digital article here.
Reflecting on the immense success of our 2024 HOPE Summit fills us with gratitude and inspiration! From the educational workshops, to the insightful panel discussions, free headshots for all who attended, and ending the event with a Pathways fair connecting young adults with educational and career resources. The fair included vendors such as Rutgers, Teach […]
