Shejal is no stranger to taking leaps of faith. Born and raised on the East Coast, she found herself making the trek across the country in 2018 with her husband and son, ready to start something new. One aspect of her life she was not ready to let go of was her dedication to volunteering.
Previously a volunteer with Together We Bake, Shejal witnessed firsthand the impact of investing her time in a workforce development nonprofit organization. This cause became so important to her that she actually reached out to Chrysalis before she had officially moved in order to hit the ground running as a volunteer. Since then, volunteering at our center has held a special place in her heart.
Shejal quickly felt at home when she walked through the doors of our center. A mother herself, she loved the sense of family she found with the staff and volunteers she interacted with and imparted her positivity to the clients she worked with as well. In her previous volunteer experience, Shejal often found herself empowering women who had been justice-impacted. She continued to lift up folks who were reentering the workforce when she started leading practice interviews with clients and helping them prepare their resumes.
“I love doing resumes and interviews,” she shares. “You get to develop a rapport with the person and let them walk away feeling more comfortable, empowered, more confident – it’s a joyful experience.” She prioritizes building this connection with clients as she guides them toward their employment goals. Shejal observes that this ultimately allows them to let their guard down or, in her words, “Let their best shine.”
Offering services in a virtual atmosphere, however, has not been without its challenges for Shejal. “In person, you’re just there for the session, so you’re totally focused,” says Shejal. “But online, it’s easy for someone to get distracted or try to accomplish two things at the same time.” For over a year since Chrysalis switched to offering remote services, she has masterfully learned to navigate this barrier with the clients with whom she works. “I let them know that when I’m pausing, I’m writing. And, once you start on a weekly basis with clients, you start to establish a flow.”
Whether offering services in person or over the phone, Shejal is grateful for the experience to volunteer with Chrysalis. She shares, “It totally helped me up my own resume!” In addition, every time she walks into our center, she walks away happy. And in the current atmosphere, she feels this same joy when she finishes a call with a client. This joy stems from her admiration for the resilience of our clients. She knows that even just starting our program is no easy task. “It takes a lot of courage and strength,” she says. So by the time she is having a one-on-one session with a client, she wants them to feel heard. By emphasizing that they are not defined by their past, she helps clients realize their strengths and persevere. As she continues to change lives throughout the pandemic and beyond, Shejal remembers an important mantra, “Every day is a new day, it is never too late to start again.”
We are currently recruiting volunteers to support clients virtually – please click here to learn more.