Success Stories: Vincent Thomas 
Vincent Thomas was riding a CTA bus, discovered a flyer about the North Lawndale Employment Network’s EESN program and decided to attend an orientation in November 2002. Vincent graduated from the program that is now called U-Turn Permitted in December of 2002. After completing the program he was soon chosen as a candidate for the newly formed training program with Advocate Trinity Hospital. Vincent again successfully completed the three-week training program and became the first person from this group hired to work in the Environment Services Department at the hospital.
Trinity Hospital has been very pleased with Vincent’s progress. He has now been working there for a year and a half. He has received departmental awards and the system-wide award of MVP -- an employee that exemplifies the mission, values, and philosophy of the Advocate Health Care System. However, Vincent’s success goes deeper than his employment, because he has also successfully overcome an addiction and homelessness, and has become a strong advocate for formerly incarcerated individuals and for the NLEN.
He has been featured in a PSA promoting the Advocate/NLEN partnership, testified to the board of the Hitachi Foundation in support of expanding the program to other hospitals, and developed a registry system for the Environmental Services Department, giving up his own overtime so that other graduates may be hired upon completion of training.
Q: What is a lesson or tool you learned that helps keep you in the right mindset for advancing, especially since sometimes it takes a long time to get a job?
Vincent: Says he tried to be with people "who are doing something." "If I can stand out in the rain sleet, and snow [asking people for money], then I can get on the bus" to go to a job. "I had to humble myself." He explained, "I didn't want what was behind me, I wanted what was before me."
Q: What could have helped you change your life sooner that NLEN can think about while trying to work with young adults engaged in the system?
Vincent: "Let them know there's a better way." "Don't worry about all of them; get you a couple of 'em up outta there."
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