HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) — Many veterans say transitioning from their service back to civilian life can be very challenging. Huntsville non-profit Still Serving Veterans works to be a dependable resource to ease the life adjustment for vets.
Corey Hopkins is a Veteran Transition Counselor with SSV, a pivotal role in changing the lives of those coming out of service.
“It is a lonely process to look for a job, especially if you’ve been just getting out,” Hopkins said. “That’s your identity of being in the military and then transitioning to something totally different. So we like to make sure that we’re a coach or a mentor, a cheerleader to everybody that comes through here.”
A veteran transition counselor guides vets through the job search process. Hopkins said they handle whatever the veteran may need help with, from resume building to salary negotiations, to even figuring out what the veteran is passionate about doing for work in the first place.
But what makes working with Still Serving Veterans so special? It’s veterans helping veterans.
“We know, we’ve been there,” Hopkins said. “You’re talking, able to talk to people who’ve been there, have like-minded ways of approaching a job. So just reach out.”
Hopkins said this transition process with SSV is proven to work, saying veterans are 90% more likely to stay in their first year at a new job when working with the non-profit.
The process of getting started with the organization is as easy as a form and a phone call.
“People will fill out an intake form from us, and they’ll have when they got out, what service that they did, what kind of assistance do they need,” Hopkins said. “We follow on with virtual meetings with them to really coach, teach and mentor them in their approach to getting a job and in an approach to transitioning out of the military.”
Still Serving Veterans can’t do their work without the help of their community. Hopkins said assistance can look as simple as spreading the word by letting veterans know of the services they offer. He added a couple of other things folks can do.
“Donate the funds to help us do that, or they could bring us donuts,” Hopkins said. “That would work too.”
To learn more about Still Serving Veterans or opportunities to donate to the non-profit, visit their website.
The post The Give Back: Still Serving Veterans guiding vets in job search process appeared first on WHNT.
