Journey to Hope hosts variety of offerings, including upcoming LinkedIn Learning Lab

Do you feel stuck in a rut with your current job? Perhaps you’re currently under- or unemployed and know the direction in which you want to head, but the process of landing an interview and connecting with the right people can be both intimidating and discouraging.
 
Look no further. Beginning Thursday evenings at 7 p.m., Journey to Hope (JtH) — a nonprofit offering a variety of support groups, learning opportunities, and workshops  — kicks off its fall session of the LinkedIn Learning Lab.
 
“LinkedIn is such a powerful tool,” said Mariellen Voit, JtH Board Member and LinkedIn Learning Lab facilitator.
Mariellen Voit of Journey to Hope.

Voit understands LinkedIn’s capabilities and says she sees where its use, if maximized to its full potential, could help many individuals get to where they want to be. As the mother of young adult children in their mid-20s, she says she understands what it’s like to come out of college, for example, and work in an industry in which one feels underemployed.
 
“It gets very difficult when you’re on your own and you’re trying to manage your own household, working full-time and trying to have a life — all this education isn’t sending you in the direction you want to be,” said Voit. “But to be able to use it and have it work for you allows you to become more visible to those looking and gets you connected with those who are going to be able to help you find your next steps.”
 
Voit knows first-hand, as it wasn’t until she connected with JtH’s executive director, Diane Kinsella, and engaged in a variety of the nonprofit’s offerings — everything from Strengths Based Career Management to Job Search — that she was able to truly find her niche and connect with the right people.
 
“To get a group of people together that were all in the same mode, working on each others’ knowledge and strengths — ‘the wisdom of the room,’ as Diane (Kinsella) says — that was really helpful,” said Voit. “To have people that you’re being accountable to, or who can empathize with you and help you keep going — it’s really welcoming and encouraging and it allowed me to move forward — by having support.”

Do Good: 

•    Register to attend the LinkedIn Learning Lab, which meets weekly from 7 to 9 p.m. beginning Thursday. Course fees are $50, but scholarships are available to those who are not currently employed, making the class completely free of charge. E-mail or call Diane Kinsella at 513-931-5777 to request a scholarship or gather more information.

•    Browse JtH's offerings — many of which are free — Coping with Grief through the Holidays, and Grace Trail, for example, and sign up. If attending a new place is intimidating, reach out by contacting Diane to learn more or schedule a visit. 

•    Journey to Hope recently gained its 501(c)(3) status. Help the nonprofit spread the word and connect with others by liking its Facebook page to keep up with news and events.