Values & Careers : Designing a Life After Barriers
For Women, LGBTQ+, and Non-Binary Adults
Values and Careers is a trauma-informed, strengths-based course designed for women, LGBTQ+, and non-binary adults returning to the workforce after homelessness, incarceration, or SUD treatment. Delivered directly at community-based organizations through a contracted partnership model, the course meets participants where they are — reducing barriers to access and building on the trusted relationships organizations have already established with the people they serve.
The course helps participants explore their values, translate lived experience into workplace strengths, and explore career possibilities through low-stakes prototypes before committing to a path. This program recognizes and affirms participants' identities while supporting them to navigate systemic barriers, reduce shame, and design meaningful careers.
Program Overview
6-session curriculum, 90 min each
Group Size: 6–10 participants
Facilitators: Counselor, peer specialist, case manager, or therapist
The Challenge
Unstable housing, gaps in work history, discrimination
Trauma and stigma reduce confidence and career clarity
Traditional workforce programs may overlook lived experience
Core Activities
Identify and explore personal values
Translate lived experience into workplace strengths
Explore multiple career paths
Conduct low-risk career “prototypes”
Build confidence, self-efficacy, and supportive networks
Intermediate Outcomes:
Job search engagement
Informational interviews, volunteering, skill testing
Long-Term Outcomes:
Sustainable employment
Economic stability
Sense of purpose and agency
Short-Term Outcomes:
Clear personal values and strengths
Reduced shame around work history
Career curiosity and clarity