When Alec Wilson started receiving services from Beacon Group in April 2023, he already knew the type of work he wanted to do: “helping people,” he says.

In the past, symptoms he experienced due to anxiety and depression made finding and retaining a job difficult. Alec says, “I didn’t deal with stress that well, so my blood pressure would skyrocket as soon as I started feeling stressed out.” This led to decreased energy and made work physically challenging on top of the already mentally challenging aspects of maintaining employment.

He began working with Beacon employment specialist, Ariel Parker, and started in Beacon’s Work Adjustment Training (WAT) program. WAT is an on-the-job training program where participants who have been out of the workforce for an extended period of time can hone soft skills and work behaviors while working alongside a job coach.

Alec’s job in WAT consisted of working alongside a Job Coach in the Beacon Café, selling food and beverages to staff and people receiving services at Beacon. He enjoyed the work and the hospitality aspect of it was exactly what he was looking for in a job. Alec says that the friendly work environment and routine at Beacon “helped [him] build a lot of stamina, and then Peer Support helped the mental part of dealing with stuff.”

A Peer Support Specialist is someone with the lived experience of recovery from a mental health condition, substance use disorder, or both. They provide support to others experiencing similar challenges and the shared experiences allow for a deeper level of connection and trust. Alec received Peer Support from Beacon’s WAT Program Manager and Certified Peer Support Specialist, Iggy Calzadillas-Rivera, and says the counseling and support “helps to [learn] coping tools or just having someone to talk to a little bit about stuff.”

Alec also continued meeting weekly with Ariel to work on employment skills such as identifying career goals, engaging in mock interviewing and building his resume. As he progressed, she assisted him in applying for jobs and going to interviews. When a job coach position became available at Beacon in the Café, Alec jumped at the opportunity. Already familiar with the work in the Beacon Café and equipped with the coping tools from Peer Support, Alec got the job!

“It is always exciting to see [the people we serve] become our coworkers, especially when they put in all the hard work and are engaged in all the services that will help them become successful,” Iggy Calzadillas-Rivera says, “One reason [they are successful] is they are working through their challenges and working with different staff who all teach them something different. That stays with them.”

It’s not just serving up coffee that Alec enjoys about the job coach role, although he says that is one of the perks, noting, “everyone’s always so happy to have a cup of coffee.” He also appreciates his role in working with his trainees on many of the skills he refined while in WAT. He’s been able to see his employment journey come full circle, from receiving services to providing them, saying, “I think receiving good services anywhere will make you want to give services in general.” His positive attitude and desire to help others succeed is already making an impact on the people he serves and Beacon as a whole.

Click here for more information about Work Adjustment Training (WAT).

Make a donation in honor of Alec.