The Salvation Army's Residential Life Skills program helps homeless men rebuild their lives. The program provides four months of one-on-one coaching to develop practical and social skills to find employment, housing, and reintegrate into the community. Johnathan Bannan participated in the program after hitting rock bottom, and with encouragement from his facilitator Drew Corley, gained self-esteem, got a part-time job, and an apartment. The program teaches life skills over 16 classes and focuses on building self-confidence through guided discussions and community activities, helping men maintain improvements in their lives.

1. SalvationArmylifeskills
programhelpshomeless
menturntheirlivesaround
Va lerie Ward
P o s t m e d i a C o n t e n t W o r k s
When Johnathan Bannan
walked into the shelter at the
Salvation Army Ottawa Booth
Centre early last year, he’d hit
rock bottom.
“No other shelter would
take me,” the 25-year-old said.
“I was sober, but I had men-
tal health issues and had done
prison time. I had no structure
in my life. No motivation.”
But someone saw potential
in him and referred him to the
Salvation Army’s Residential
Life Skills (RLS) program for
four months of one-on-one
coaching and practical and so-
cial skills development. De-
signed to help homeless men
set, reach and maintain inde-
pendent life goals, find employ-
ment and sustainable housing
and reintegrate into the com-
munity, the program is one
of more than a dozen that the
Salvation Army provides to re-
spond to the physical, emotion-
al and spiritual needs of vulner-
able people.
Going to the RLS office for
the first time took Bannan’s
last bit of energy, but the effort
paid off far beyond his expecta-
tions. Thanks to the program
and to encouragement and sup-
port from its facilitator, Drew
Corley, he has turned his life
around. A year after graduating,
he has part-time employment
as a bicycle technician. He also
has an apartment that he shares
with his partner and a seven-
month-old Boxer puppy who
likes to snuggle with the couple
on the couch.
But the most important thing
he gained from the program is
self-esteem.
“I had to get comfortable with
myself and with expressing my
opinions,” he said. “(Corley)
helped me realize that I have a
voice and need to use it. I came
out of my shell because of that
and discovered that I was good
with people.”
Self-esteem is critical for all
of the program’s clients.
“Yes, they need jobs and
housing, but they won’t main-
tain what they’ve achieved six
months or a year later if they
don’t feel positive about them-
selves and their ability to man-
age their lives day-to-day,”
Corley explained. “The major-
ity have good decision-making
skills but lack the confidence to
act on them. Part of my role is to
be a cheerleader.”
For the program to work,
Corley must quickly estab-
lish an empathetic, trusting
relationship with each client.
One way he creates trust is to
let them know that he himself
struggled during his twenties.
“Men who wind up in the pro-
gram start out a bit defensive
and scared, not knowing what
to expect,” he said. “It builds
trust and hope when they un-
derstand that I’ve had my own
challenges, but was able to turn
things around by putting some
work into myself.”
Sharing these experiences
proved to be a turning point
for Bannan, who said that was
when he realized that he “could
do anything.”
Over the course of 16 practi-
cal classes, the RLS program
helps clients learn how to man-
age money, look for housing
and employment, take care of
themselves, eat healthily and
exercise. A separate stream
of life skills classes promotes
self-awareness, self-esteem
and confidence through guided
discussions of topics such as
self-discipline, accountabil-
ity, integrity, courage, empa-
thy and independence. Drew
emphasized that the program
isn’t one-size-fits-all: he adapts
what he teaches according to
the needs of the group.
He has also developed a se-
ries of weekend activities for
clients, who live at the Booth
Centre for the duration of the
program.
“Clients need to be out in the
community and to experience it
because they’re part of it,” he said.
For example, he has them
help with charity events such
as the Salvation Army’s Christ-
mas Kettle campaign, Toy
Mountain and the Santa Shuffle
Run/Walk. They’re also front-
and-centre at Project Self-
Esteem, an annual RLS event
that strengthens self-confi-
dence and job readiness by
offering free haircuts, beard
trims, a professional photo
shoot and education and em-
ployment information from lo-
cal agencies.
“Guys ask me for these oppor-
tunities,” Corley reports. “They
like giving back.”
In Bannan’s case, he also
benefited from a partner-
ship between the program and
Causeway Work Centre, which
allowed him to train in bicycle
repair and obtain a placement
at Right Bike, a social business
that trains and employs people
facing employment barriers.
There’s no doubt in Bannan’s
mind about the value of the RLS
program and the extraordinary
support provided by Corley and
other Salvation Army staff.
“I learned how to care for my-
self,” Bannan said. “I found the
structure and tools I needed to
do what I had to do.”
To support Salvation Army
Ottawa Booth Centre programs
please call 613-241-1573 (ext. 401)
or visit ottawaboothcentre.org.
S P O N S O R E D B Y T H E S A LVAT I O N A R M Y
This story was created by Content Works, Postmedia’s commercial content division, on behalf of the Salvation Army.
The Salvation Army’s life skills program gave Johnathan Bannan (pictured) the confidence to get back into the swing of things. Supplied
Facilitator Drew Corley (right) teaches Johnathan Bannan (left) how to put on a tie. Supplied
Jim Jenkins is one of the many people who gained self-esteem and sustainable life
skills through the Ottawa Booth Centre’s programs. ScottParkeR