Nadine is a single mother to four children. One of her younger children has a severe disability requiring constant, around-the-clock care. Due to his disability, she had been unable to find childcare, which in turn made it difficult to find a stable job. Adding to her challenges in finding employment was the fact that she was justice-involved and faced housing instability.
Nadine enrolled in the Arapahoe County Colorado Works Program. Her Workforce Specialist provided her with information on two companies that could train and pay her to become a Parent-Certified Nursing Aide. The Colorado Works Program provided her with supportive services to assist with her job search needs.
After contacting the home health care company and the Department of Regulatory Agencies to determine her eligibility, Nadine was approved and began training. After completing training, she was approved to be her son’s full-time aide.
Nadine recently passed her one-year work anniversary; she and her family are finally safe and stable.
Of the program, Nadine says, “I was working two hours a week at Panera, fresh out of federal prison and drowning…no one would hire me…I didn’t know how we’d survive, let alone escape…You didn’t treat me like the lost cause I felt like. You treated me like a human. You got us into Colorado Works, connected us to resources, food, clothes, training, [and] workshops; you even believed I could be a nursing assistant before I did. Now I’m here, a year into this job, finally stable.”
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