Walmart conducts and interview with one of the Up And At It participants.
I am a volunteer and outreach ambassador for Up And At It. Up And At It is a nonprofit that sponsors 3 day career ready workshops for people re-entering the work force after a hiatus because life’s circumstances. Our participants must be clean and sober and have stable living arrangements such as Quinn Cottages or Serna Village. Our workshops take the participants through building a resume’, getting it uploaded to a job site, interview training, self-esteem building, professional interview attire from donated clothing and a new hair style or cut provided by Paul Mitchell The School.
Nothing better than experience
Walmart has become an important partner and contributor to our success and the success of our participants. Central to their involvement is the time they have taken to actually conduct on-site job interviews with our participants at the end of the 3 day workshops. While not all of our participants may be qualified for a position at Walmart, or even aspire to the retail environment; Actually sitting down for a serious interview when they may not have done so in years adds a dimension and training component to the workshop that is unmatched in virtually anything else we do.
Supporting community
Walmart gets it. To maintainstrong communities some residents need encouragement and
Up And At It 3 day career ready workshops prepare folks to put their best foot forward to find a job.
mentoring in order to find that job which will help them maintain and support their family. It is all about moving people from government assistance to productive, contributing community members.
Offering hope
Not only is Walmart returning some of their revenues back into the communities they are located with donation and grants, their employees are stepping up to the plate as well. We have worked with numerous Walmart employees who have heard that calling to give back to the community. They may think they are just providing an interview session with some critique at the end, but their impact is far greater. They are the living embodiment of hope to many of our participants.
You are somebody
I don’t think I can over emphasize the psychological impact that a Walmart employee has when he
Up And At It provides a healthy dose of self confidence for the participants and Walmart assists that effort with interview training.
or she sits down with one of our participants. Here is an employee with a large retailer taking time out of the day to sit down and discuss a potential career with Walmart. For folks that have battled back from addition or homelessness it screams “You are somebody, You have value, There is hope”
Just a few of the volunteers at one of the Up And At It projects
I believe in you
On behalf of Up And At It we encourage the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors to support the approval of the North Highlands Walmart store. Not only will Walmart bring much needed jobs to the area, they will bring hope to thousands of people that are earnestly looking for that silver lining in the stormy clouds of this economic slump.