“I learned that if you put yourself out there, show up and be committed, you will stand out.”
Nour was the first person in her extended family to go to university, graduating from McMaster just as the pandemic started. She wasn’t sure how to find a job and reached out to Goodwill Amity for help. “I didn’t know where to start, I just knew I wanted to find a job where I could help people.”
Nour has always been a helper even from a very young age. Iraqi born, she moved to Canada with her family as a refugee, sponsored by a small church in a tiny town in rural Saskatchewan. Settling in Hamilton, Nour, the oldest of six children, quickly learned to speak, read and write in English. Her father had to work to support the family while her mother cared for her siblings at home, leaving no time for her parents to complete English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. As early as eight years old, Nour was the one stepping in to attend parent-teacher interviews, filling out paperwork, taking her siblings to extracurriculars and translating information for family and friends.
Hamilton Past Participant,
Youth Job Connection and
Canada Summer Jobs
I didn’t know where to start, I just knew I wanted to find a job where I could help people.”
Following university, Nour joined Goodwill Amity’s Youth Job Connection program where her commitment and effort stood out over the eight weeks of learning. She secured employment at Goodwill Amity through a Canada Summer Jobs grant and swiftly moved into a permanent position helping jobseekers in the Transitional Employment and Mentoring Program (TEAM) where she is currently employed now.
As a Job Coach Facilitator and Career Development Specialist, Nour is fueled by her passion to help others. “I’ve always wanted to help people who feel like they never had the chance. And if I can be that one person, that is the best thing I can do, honestly.” She is grateful for the support Goodwill Amity has given her and hopes to move into a leadership role with the organization one day.
Your “hand-up” has the power to change someone’s life in a really big way, just like Nour’s.
You can help someone else overcome barriers to employment with a donation to Goodwill Amity. Your donation will provide the tools and individual support they need to secure a job, experience independence, joy, personal achievement, and look to the future.