Georgia Pollak

I am a mentor of women participating in the First Step program, sponsored by the Coalition for the Homeless in New York City.

The Coalition’s First Step Job Training Program provides six 14-week classes serving roughly 140 women per year. The curriculum includes over 100 hours of instruction and training. First Step places students in internships during which they receive ongoing mentoring by experienced professionals, of which I am one.

What motivated me was that I was seeking a way to have an impact using my professional experience of 35 years in marketing and communications int he corporate and higher education worlds, but in a way that didn’t duplicate my work. I wanted to draw from what I loved best–mentoring one-on-one. I wanted the personal relationship, but within a structure.

The truth is that it is very hard to know how much of an impact I am having. It is certainly meaningful to me, but by coaching the women at First Step, I am acutely aware of the obstacles both micro (specific to the woman I am mentoring) and macro (no matter how much training and mentoring they receive, does our economy and society offer enough jobs that less educated, but bright women can perform).

They are competing against college graduates for entry-level work at a time when there are fewer administrative positions. I also see first hand how few opportunities there are for women with handicaps. I am handicapped myself with Multiple Sclerosis and can see that, if you are highly skilled but unable to stand for long periods and use an assisted device, it will be almost impossible to find a position.

One woman I mentored has severe rheumatoid arthritis. She lost her job as a caretaker and then lost her apartment and reluctantly lives in a homeless shelter. She is bright, personable, and highly motivated. It would be best for her to work from home but it is almost impossible in a homeless shelter. Her laptop is 10 years old and breaks down constantly but there are no resources for her to get a new laptop. There are few receptionist jobs and usually those positions are “high profile” positions in which they want young non-handicapped staff to fill. The most I can do for her is listen and encourage–and ask the right questions. This is when I am torn and wish I could have more of a macro impact.

What I would like the world to know about older workers is that we can bring compassion and patience to our efforts with the knowledge that people can improve and change.