Sinead was five years old when she sat in the back of a police car for the first time. A neighbor had called the cops because her parents were arguing in the front yard again, and they wanted to know if the little girl was alright.
It was the first of many moments that would define Sinead’s early life – growing up in San Diego with limited means, a mother who struggled with alcoholism, and a father she saw on the weekends. She spent ten years bouncing in and out of foster care and group homes before aging out of the system.
“I never really had stability,” Sinead says. “By the time I was 18, I just wanted to be on my own.”
After overcoming many challenges to graduate high school, Sinead started college and even landed an internship, but life quickly took another turn. An abusive relationship left her pregnant and without stable housing at 22. Over the next few years, Sinead found herself in and out of jail twenty times – most often for short stays tied to homelessness or addiction.
“I felt like I couldn’t get ahead,” says Sinead. “Every time I tried, something would knock me back down.”
Everything began to change when she entered rehab and learned about the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO) – an organization that provides justice-impacted people with immediate paid transitional work, job coaching, and one year of career support after establishing employment. “CEO taught me discipline,” Sinead says. “They gave me structure when I didn’t have any.”
Sinead started on a transitional work crew in San Diego, where she worked four months building her resume and confidence. “They gave me clothes, bus passes – everything I needed to show up,” Sinead says. Her dedication paid off when she landed a seasonal job with the San Diego Padres Petco Par, selling merchandise as a retail cashier at the sports stadium.
Sinead didn’t stop there. She applied for CEO’s Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) – a paid internship for participants interested in advancing their careers, building skills, and gaining confidence. Out of 52 applicants, only 12 were selected.
“When I got in, I couldn’t believe it,” says Sinead. “I learned office management, teamwork, motivational interviewing – skills that I would need in my professional life.”
Over four months, she shadowed job coaches, facilitated classes, and built soft skills that helped her excel. “There was a tracker with 100 skills on it, and I tried to learn them all,” says Sinead. “For the first time, I felt like I was good at something.”
Since completing ELP in August, Sinead has continued to work with CEO while serving as an assistant manager at her sober living home. She also got her driver’s license for the first time – a milestone she credits to the confidence and support she found at CEO.
“CEO changed my life and saved my life,” Sinead says. “They helped me stay sober, follow probation, and get the training I needed for a quality job. They gave me a chance when no one else would.”
Today, Sinead is focused on continuing her career journey and helping others like her. “I wanted to do something to help people who went through what I did,” she says. “If I can do it, they can too.”
From being houseless and incarcerated to an independent leader, Sinead’s story is proof that with the right support, anyone can rebuild their life.
“I’m empowered now. CEO helped me believe in myself – and that’s something I never thought I’d say,” Sinead says. “They gave me hope and access to a better future.”
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