Renewed Confidence: Darlene's Story

Darlene was born on the Snuneymuxw reserve in Nanaimo to a dysfunctional family. Being the eldest of four, she was responsible for the care of her younger siblings early on in her life and often felt like the black sheep of the family, using alcohol as a coping mechanism from a young age. Due to the pressures she felt, Darlene dropped out of school in grade 8 and ran away to Vancouver to live with her mom. However, life in the Downtown Eastside was difficult, and she relied on staying with extended family. Between her substance use, abusive relationships, health issues, and the high cost of living, Darlene struggled for many years even with the occasional job. In addition, she was a single parent with three children to care for. 

Realizing that she needed to get back on her feet and start taking care of her health, Darlene stopped using substances and drinking. She began to seek out resources and, through a different employment program, she heard about Mission Possible. She knew it was a place where she could thrive, and shared “It’s supposed to be for people in sobriety and people getting ahead in life.” 

While on the Clean Team, she was able to gradually increase her workload from two shifts a week up to five shifts, even frequently volunteering to work the busiest route. She also took advantage of our food security programs, including the Healthy Homes Fund and our daily hot lunches. Another useful initiative for Darlene was the Recreation Kits, and she has been using the resources to take better care of her physical health. Recently, she visited a personal trainer to develop a workout plan!

Darlene has since completed her six month contract in the Employment Readiness Program and shared, “This program really actually got my self esteem back up, and it helped me think that I can do stuff that I thought I couldn't go back to.” Currently, thanks to funding from her Band, she is applying to Vancouver Community College where she can complete her GED. She plans on pursuing other educational opportunities as well, including completing her Basic Security License and obtaining her Food Safe certificate.

Coaching was an important part of Darlene's journey at MP. During her sessions, she was able to set goals and remain accountable to her coach, which was especially impactful during her application process since she often worried that her procrastination would affect her ability to succeed in the program. “[Mission Possible is] a good place, because a lot of people were there for me,” she explains. With her coach's support, she set many goals, including getting her driver's license, finding a counselor, and saving money to visit her mom back home. 

While Darlene is still working on some of these goals, she was able to make it back to Nanaimo recently for a quick visit with her mom, and plans to continue working towards obtaining her driver’s license and certifications. She has also begun counseling with a nearby Indigenous practice. Darlene found the reminders and encouragement from her coach to continue pursuing her goals incredibly helpful, and is proud of her accomplishments.

At the end of December, Darlene was able to attend her Graduation lunch and shared, “It was exciting and it was kind of a relief, because I can't believe I did six months! It went by so fast.” While Darlene misses the stability of the ERP, she is looking ahead and is hopeful for her future. We are so proud of how far Darlene has come, and know that her determination will serve her well moving forward.