“When I first started working for Chrysalis as a client, I knew right away that this was for me. I looked around the van and thought, ‘This is where I belong.'”
In many ways, a Chrysalis Roads van embodies the essence of a chrysalis. It serves as a space for growth, change, and transformation for the transitional workers inside, most of whom have recently been released from jail or prison. As they embark on their daily task of beautifying California’s roadways, they also begin a journey of professional and personal development.
Each client is guided and encouraged by a supervisor who is invested in their safety, professional development, and wellbeing. One such supervisor is Robert, who knows what it means to find community and purpose as a member of one of our crews.
Robert’s path to success wasn’t easy. After 18 years of incarceration, he faced a number of barriers to employment and reintegrating into his community. Apparent gaps in his work history due to time spent in prison made it difficult for him to secure job leads. “When I came out, I was looking for jobs, but I didn’t have much experience to show,” he shares.
“From the moment I walked into Chrysalis, I felt welcomed. I realized I had come to the right place.”
Robert found his way to Chrysalis through a transitional home, where he learned about our job-readiness services and employment social enterprise program.
Initially starting as a client, Robert excelled in a transitional job with the Chrysalis Roads program. Driven by his tenacious spirit, faith, and unwavering work ethic, he transitioned into a leadership role in just three months time. Now, he encourages his clients to see their potential. “I tell them, ‘I started from the back, and now I’m in the front. You can do this too.’”
“I started in the back of the van, watching my supervisor and thinking, ‘I can do this!'”
Beyond ensuring that his crew members safely and efficiently complete their duties, Robert prioritizes understanding the struggles they might face in realizing their professional goals or in their personal lives. He recognizes that his crew members are whole individuals, not just employees. “I give every one of my clients a card, letting them know they can reach out to me anytime,” he says. “It’s important for them to know that someone cares.”
He also shares that a steady job is both a blessing and essential for his stability. “It means the world to me. It gives me purpose,” he shares. Now living in his own apartment and driving his own car, he celebrates the opportunity to build a safe and loving home and the independence he has gained.
As a supervisor, we are grateful that Robert is fostering an environment of positivity and growth for Chrysalis clients and creating ripples of change – both inside the van and beyond. His journey exemplifies the transformation that can happen when individuals are given a second chance and a path to meaningful, gainful employment. “All you have to do is take the first step,” he encourages. “Chrysalis is here with open arms, ready to help you.”
Like Robert, you, too, can make a difference in the lives of individuals navigating barriers to employment by joining our team of dedicated and passionate professionals.
Chrysalis is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages applications from all qualified individuals who share lived experience with the communities we serve. In particular, Chrysalis welcomes applicants who are formerly incarcerated and/or justice-involved; people who have experienced housing insecurity and/or economic inequity; Black, Indigenous, and people of color; persons with disabilities; ethnic and religious minorities; and members of the LGBTQ+ community.
“Chrysalis supports us 100% and that’s big for people like me that come from where I come from. That’s big for a lot of our clients. There are people that really, genuinely care. Chrysalis cares.”