Without knowing where you are from the best we can do is offer these suggestions…

1. Try googling for local job clubs with search terms like “[city name] unemployed blog” or “[city name] job club.” From there you may be able to find a local club.
2. This may even be more efficient.  Go to meetup.com, enter your interest topic (ie. “Unemployed”, “unemployment”, “Career”), then your zip code and Meetup will automagically locate local job clubs for you within their meetup database.  Similar searches can also be done at Ning.com.

Still haven’t found one? Maybe it’s time to start one!

You are not alone, Eva. Many have found themselves in this position. You are lucky to have your sister. First, consider going to a local church and talking to a minister or priest. Then I would advise you to see a doctor for your health checkup and possible medication, if necessary, and possibly some talk therapy. If you lack benefits, you may be able to obtain Medicaid for health coverage at no cost to you. Join the online network http://www.meetup.com group in your area of interest near where you live.

Also, there is free job search assistance, career direction counsel, skills training, etc. at your local One Stop Career Center. To find the one nearest you go to http://www.servicelocator.org and tap in your current zip code. Also, your local Catholic Church has parish social outreach ministry office which helps people with basic life needs and free community referrals to agencies providing services to individuals and families in crisis and need. Try to see this as a transition period of life. Life has many seasons for us all. Keep your faith strong and go forward one day at a time. As you gather more information and meet more people, you will then begin to find the path in which you want to go. Life is a process and we are all on the journey together! Keep people in your life who support, love and empower you — and let them know you are grateful. One day you can pay it forward…Read the 405 Club daily and other helpful Internet links on health and happiness.

Good luck and God bless you, Eva!

Dear Anonymous: 

Congratulations on your decision to change careers. You are wise in being able to make the first decision in response to your job ending. This is the first step in using this time of unemployment in a valuable way. I would suggest that you enlist in some free help on the Internet for time management in order to round out and plan the hours in the day to accomplish what you want. This is absolutely imperatiave and might be your first order of business for yourself to thrive.

Continue reading…

Got a question? Ask us anything!

First, I’m sorry you lost your job. Job loss is one of the most devestating and significant losses in life that is up there with the big ones like death and divorce. The loss is perceived by some people as if it were a formal declaration of failure and incompetence. People who have been laid off or fired from a job, sometimes turn a lousy situation inward and attack themselves over it as a way of coping or fighting back.

It’s human nature. One need only google search the topic “Job Loss” on the Internet to come up with a daunting amount that talks about the stages of job loss, including fear, anger, doubt, obsessive thoughts—much like the natural stages of feelings over death. So give yourself a break and realize that what you feel is natural. Accepting it, recognizing it, is the first step.

The fact that you read unemployment online websites like The 405 Club shows that you want to climb out of your funk. Pat yourself on the back.

It’s when these feelings hold us hostage for a protracted period of time, and we can’t seem to get out from under, that we have to seek professional help…

Read more

This is a complex situation needing to be addressed on several fronts.

First, giving credit to people with disabilities, mental or physical, along with admiration because their weathering the vicissitudes of life is magnified 100 fold. Many of them express desire to work and be productive and once hired and facilitated or accommodated, they make dedicated  employees.

Secondly, make sure your daughter has mental health therapy with a psychiatrist for medication and also a talk therapist which could be a psychiatric social worker she trusts.

Therapy can be a great sounding board for frustration and feelings of anger and rejection and is an integral part of her health and well being maintenance. It would be assumed that she is under care already. “Talking it through” helps someone understand that people aren’t always nice or rational. Therapy with an understanding, patient ear is invaluable. The work world is daunting for those without disabilities. The human factor varies and many people have trouble finding harmony with coworkers and bosses. Today, the workplace is often chaotic and overly demanding, as well.

Third, your daughter has the choice of “declaring” a disability during an interview, or not. If she chooses to declare, she can have the free services of a job coach through one of several government-funded agencies for persons with disabilities. Some of them, depending on where in NYS you reside, could be the National Center for Disabilities; Mental Health Association which offers special job clubs, and others.   However, the central heartbeat agency from which these services are usually accessed, is VESID (Vocational Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities). This may apply to some agencies that serve disabled or all of them.

Best to consult with VESID as a starting point, if she is not already registered with them. The NYC number is 212 630-2300; for Nassau County Long Island 516 227-6800; in Suffolk County Long Island 631-952-6357.   Sometimes having a job coach helps situate the person into a new or newly existing job so she can then run with the ball once the services are over. But securing a job coach can only be done with her permission and she would have to be registered with an agency mentioned above. Some agencies have counselors or coaches accompany the person on the interview and even set up interviews.   There is a NYC agency which helps find jobs for those with disabilities called Fedcap. Go to www.fedcap.org and call them to see if their services are appropriate for her.

A job coach is instrumental in helping a person with a disability become acclimated to his/her job environment and perform duties in a relaxed state of mind. Job coaches usually give 50 hours and stay with the new hire for that duration, coaching and guiding.

There are other services and workshops from agencies that serve people with any and all disabilities. You can call the Mental Health Association for more info or call your local One Stop Career Center (www.servicelocator.org) and ask if they have a Disability Navigator on board to answer your questions.

Your last comment about her “losing everything and starting from scratch” is not clear as to what you refer. If your daughter receives social security disability benefits, there is a provision whereby she can still receive and work. There is also the Ticket to Work program.

Hoping this helps and wishing your daughter well. A parent is a son or daughter’s best advocate. Know the “system” to access the best services for your adult child. Ask around. You can also call your local school district and speak to the Director or a parent advocate for the Committee on Special Education and seek information and opinions from them. Even if they do not know, they may be able to refer you.

~The 405 Club

…………………

Remember, you can ask us anything!