Words from GRads

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

GBS graduates, we want to hear about your success stories and accomplishments --anything from taking an important class, to applying to college, a new job, additional infomational interviews, graduating from college, or a promotion.

Please write us at wherearetheynow@youthadvocacacycenter.org to share how you’ve used your self-advocacy skills to move toward your dreams, and let us know if you'd like to be featured on this page.

KENDALL FRANKLIN, GBS GRADUATE, 2005
My name is Kendall Franklin, and I’m a Getting Beyond the System graduate. Read on to learn how I’ve used my self-advocacy skills to move toward my dreams.

Setting Goals
When I began the GBS Seminar the facilitator asked what I was striving to be, and I replied, “A CEO of a Fortune 500 company.” However, I can’t just jump to that level, especially considering that I did not know what being a fortune 500 executive entailed. With GBS I came up with a bunch of smaller goals, such as graduating college, figuring out what kind of corporation I would want to run, etc. Now I feel as if I am actually on track to reaching my long-term goals.

Depersonalizing Issues
Recently, I had to write a paper on an incident that changed my life for an English course. I thought it had everything you would want to read in a story. Afterwards, I met with the professor, and she ripped my paper to shreds. Red marks were everywhere. In the past I would have been offended by her telling me that all of my seemingly good work was completely wrong, but because I knew how to depersonalize issues, I was able to see that she wasn’t putting me down but rather trying to help me improve my paper. Because I depersonalized the issue I was able to edit my paper accordingly and received an A.

Recognizing Goals of Organizations
About a year ago I had an interview for a job at a camp. In past interviews, I tried telling them about myself but never got the job. In GBS, I learned that people have more incentive to help you if you understand what they want to do and can tie your goals and/or strengths in with theirs. So I recognized that the camp strived to provide a safe but entertaining vacation for children, typically homeless children. I told them about my experiences working with children and living in the shelter system to show that I can relate. Getting the job was a piece of cake.

Negotiating
You may not think so but people negotiate all the time. "I’ll wash the dishes if I don’t have to take out the garbage," or "I’ll watch little Timmy if I’m being paid for it" are examples. After a little time in GBS I learned that it isn’t just asking, but the way you ask for it. You don’t ask, “Will you do A, if I do B?” It’s more like, “I would like to receive a raise in order to pay for college courses which will benefit your organization by giving me great insight on how to manage this store.”

Finding Mentors and Allies
Before I started the GBS seminar I knew I wanted to go into business, but I didn’t know anyone in business or what it took to get there. Last year Youth Advocacy Center sent me on an informational interview with a financial executive from HBO. He gave me advice on how to start working toward my goals, and I remain in touch with him to this day. Just last month he informed me about the CPA accounting license exam and reminded me of the summer internship program at HBO.

Transitions
In some cases, simply deciding to change doesn’t work. Instead, you need to go through a transition, a process - you can’t just jump from the bottom to the top of a ladder. For instance, I want to play football, but now that I know about transitions, I realize that I will have to start working out more. I set up a plan on how I would work towards my goal of shaping up for the sport. I am making steady progress.

Identifying Personal Strengths
A coach chooses you for a team because he or she thinks you have what it takes to benefit the team. It’s the same thing when looking for employment. By committing to the GBS Seminar, you will learn how to present your many strengths in a way that will show people how great you are. In an interview, you can simply tell someone that you’re a hard worker, but wouldn’t it sound better if you give the person specific examples of times when you’ve worked diligently?