Trudi's Story: Building a Sustainable Livelihood with Tenacity

Trudi was born and raised in Barbados, and moved to North America when she participated in a student exchange program in Missouri. Her desire to make change and help others led her to Alberta, where she studied special education for three years. Seeing children struggling daily took its toll, and Trudi decided instead to pursue a Bachelor's degree in international studies so she could make a difference on a bigger scale through policy writing. 

After obtaining her degree, Trudi went home to Barbados and worked for 12 years in a corporate administrative position. In 2018, she moved back to Canada, this time in Vancouver, but struggled to find work. At the same time, her eyesight began to deteriorate. To prevent blindness, Trudi underwent three eye surgeries in 2020 including a cornea transplant. During this time, she struggled with staring at screens and found it impacted her ability to find work. She explains, "I did get a job but I had to quit it, because I couldn't stare at the computer screen.” Since her surgeries, Trudi's eyesight has improved, and she decided to rejoin the workforce. 

While working with a rehabilitation counselor to find a new administrative position, Trudi was referred to Mission Possible so she could gain the confidence she needed to secure permanent employment. Once she started on the Clean Team, Trudi knew it would be a good fit, sharing, “I found [working on the Clean Team] very humbling and in a good way." Trudi also made the most of various wraparound supports and workshops to improve her skills. Most importantly, she was able to attend the Interview Prep Workshop where she learned skills for success and participated in a mock interview. She also earned her Mental Health First Aid certificate and received resume and cover letter support, which helped her apply for a new role within MP. 

Trudi is now an Outreach Associate with Project Bridge, an initiative funded by the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia that helps low-income community members in the Downtown Eastside to connect with tax filing services, resources, and support. Trudi, alongside the rest of the team, travels to different community centres and organizations to provide these services to the community. 

“[My time on the Clean Team] makes me better able to understand the Outreach Associate job, where the people in Downtown Eastside are coming from, you know, what their struggles are. And it helps me to understand and appreciate better what I have.”

Throughout her journey at MP, Trudi has found her one-on-one coaching especially helpful, allowing her a safe space to address stressors and improve her mental health. She shares, “I love my coaching sessions… She helps me think through things, to figure out how I process my thoughts and so forth. So, I'm really enjoying my coaching sessions.” All together, Trudi’s time with MP has fostered her interest in the non-profit sector, where she could combine her previous experience in administration with her passion to help others. Trudi is looking to the future and is currently taking a course to receive an Administration Professional Certificate. She shares, "[This career path] would get me to use my strengths and my skills in an organization that I would feel I get some benefit from contributing to their vision."

Trudi's hard work creating a sustainable livelihood for herself has paid off in her personal life as well. Recently, she was able to take three weeks off work when her father booked her a holiday trip to Barbados to visit her loved ones for the first time in several years. Overall, Trudi is grateful for her experience at MP, sharing, "I never thought I would pick up garbage. Now, I'm proud that I did it, because I didn't sit on my behind and wait for a job to come to me. I went out there and sought after one with everything I had. And I'm still doing that." Her compassionate and empowering attitude will be a great addition to any organization looking to create change in the world.