Step 1 of my "PCP" - Gainful Employment & Benefits Management

    You would think for Step 1 of my Person Centered Plan - which isn’t considered a formal PCP like this one - I would have had who was going to be a part of this set and ready to support my efforts. Technically, you’re right. But, they were already established -- they just weren’t aware of it yet…

    Going from the state where I had my strong support system of family and friends, to another where I knew no one, really, happened for of a couple of reasons. 1) I was offered a job. One that was very similar to what I had turned down. In the past, due to fear of being unprepared. So why not take advantage of this second chance? And 2) I was seeking change in my life. A change that involved having more control of my life. Well, imagine that; I ended up with complete control.

    To be self-sufficient, being gainfully employed needs to exist. When I was offered the job, I was told that it was going to be part-time, with such and such hours, and other details I needed to make this decision. For the most part, I knew how to figure everything to start a real budget. Something manageable that didn’t land me back in FL too soon. 

     If I was moving, this was going to be long-term. Yeah, Social Security benefits are there every month. But it shouldn’t stop there. That way you can say, you’ve earned purchasing such and such or that you are able to go anywhere within your means with your peers. Empowerment and self determination. Being responsible with this is where those two attitudes/feelings derive from. Before I made the final decision, I had to really think. “How much would I be earning?” “What would my hours be like?” “How much would I be spending?” “Woah! No more college life?” Did you know that when you’re looking into renting on your own, it’s ideal to anticipate that expense to be approximately one-third of your total income?? I inquired thoroughly about the rules that come with being a productive/working citizen of society. “What’s my income cap, before I lose my benefits altogether?” “Are there resources that can help me save my hard-earned money?” “What if I want to buy a car or house of my own one day?” Of course, there are many more questions to be asked. The person I was advised to reach out to for these answers was a benefits navigator. With their support, and the knowledge of my employer, my schedule was set to fit the path to gainful employment.