Job Corps... just making things worse.

So recently (Oct 20th) I started at Job Corps. This place is complete ****. But due to the fact that I have been unmotivated and depressed my entire life... I have failed out of every other school situation. I have never been able to find the help that I need. If I tell my friends, they change the subject, if I tell my family, they blame themselves. So over the years I have learned to pretend like everything is fine, when it's not.

This is ****. The students are stupid. The staff are corrupt. Everything gets stolen unless locked away. Even if it is locked away... it gets stolen... the RA's know our locker combos, and make deals with students to let them in for weed, cocaine, and other various services.

I have been forced into three different fights chipped a I have had $180, 2 concert tickets, 3 phones, and many other various things stolen. No type of reimbursment has been made. Even though it has been promised.

Other less socially accepted students are straight up abused... by students... by staff. It's disgusting. Granted the kid I am talking about is incredibly ****ing annoying. But he still deserves to be treated decently by the people who get paid to work here.

I have had multiple meetings with the Center Director... however nothing has happened. Except increased troubles for myself. The staff end up finding out, or the students, and I get in trouble.

I have no credentials. I NEED this place. I'm 22, it's my last shot at proving I have some sort of education. I have gotten perfect scores on every single academic test given to me. The whole reason I failed out of school in the first place was because I knew everything they tried teaching me... what's the point in doing things over and over and over, when you ALREADY know them? I figured I'd be able to simply test into college... however, that is not so. All they see is I failed out of highschool.

If I leave this place, I will be somebody with a 146 IQ flipping burgers at BK. Trying to make sure that you have it your way. I'd probably end up killing myself to be honest.

However, this place is making me more and more depressed, as I said, I am losing faith in humanity. I am tempted to do things that are against my morals, just to survive. If I stay here, I will probably end up killing myself as well.

What should I do? I can't go to the Center Director. I can't go to my RA's. I can't go to ANYBODY, and even if there were somebody to go to... I wouldn't know who is corrupt, and who is honest. I'm starting to think I should just get it over with now. Kill myself, and be done with it. It's going to happen anyway. I have no options.

Stay here, get depressed, die.
Leave, get depressed, die.

I'm sorry that things are so hard and confusing. I would like to remind you, gently, that threats of suicide are not allowed here. Saying you should probably just kill yourself and get it over with are triggers to yourself that you should, someway and somehow, seek counselling immediately.

When dealing with people that are corrupt, it is very had to feel like there is a way out. Please remember that unless you are dealing with the owner of a business or company, there is always someone above the person you are dealing with. If there isn't, go public, make some noise. If this place is as horrible as you are saying, contact the newspaper, the tv stations, the public--and more correctly--the government needs to know.

I wish I had some better advice for you. I hope you hang in there and know that you have options. Even if you do end up making sure I have it my way at Burger King, you would be earning money you could put towards your GED and higher education. It is frustrating when you aren't being challenged in school and it's frustrating that your folks didn't go to bat for you to have the school provide a more challenging curriculum. While I am not of genius status, I have been in situations--educational and work--that are not challenging and it is boring and frustration, but you do what you have to do to get to the next level. I encourage you to consider getting your GED, even if it means flipping burgers--no matter your IQ, no one is above flipping burgers--especially if it is on your path to the future you want.

Were I in your situation, I would work on/test for the GED and then go on to college if that's what you want. If you choose to stay in the Job Corps, I'd just bring "myself" each day, not money or anything valuable and just work for the little bit of pay/possible experience and any opportunities it might bring afterwards.

I'd be tempted to maybe write a book or series of essays or something about the place; do like Barbara Enrenreich: http://www.amazon.com/Nickel-Dimed-N.../dp/0805063897

Job Corps is residential. I can't just bring myself. I have had my CLOTHES stolen. Clothes issued BY Job Corps.

It wasn't really a threat to kill myself by the way. It is just that, nobody is ever willing to help. I can't go to anybody I care about to talk about this, I have constant trust issues, so I can't just go to a counselor, and apparently I can't say it here... so what am I supposed to do? Just live with these feelings? Cause those aren't the type of feelings you end up living with for too long.

(((jmall)))

I don't have the right words to direct you to the right help, but I do have feelings and I can feel your pain. Please don't give up. Keep coming here. The people on PC are a varied group but we have things in common. We are all in pain AND we want to help each other. I'm not much help but I'm sending good thoughts your way. Please don't give up. I hope things somehow work out for you.

Here is a copy of the email that I just sent to Burlington Free Press:

To Whom It May Concern:

First let me say that I am not completely sure if this is the right department to write to. However, it seems the most logical.

I am emailing you today, after being advised that I should maybe go to some sort of media. After going through all other alternate routes.

I am a 22 year old VT resident that recently (Oct 20th) started at Job Corps in Vergennes VT. While a native Vermonter, I live in the dorms.

This place, honestly, is one of the most horrible places that people should have to deal with. Half the staff are corrupt. I have personally witnessed dorm staff participating in drug use. Letting students into other students rooms for favors. Including but not limited to sexual favors, free drugs, free tobacco. Part of the profit of the stolen property. The list goes on and on.

I have been physically assaulted, and reported it with no repercussions to those reported. I have to live every day seeing the people that I have been assaulted by, I have to live every day seeing the students and staff members that I know are responsible for stealing my things.

When we first got here, we signed that we agreed to follow all the rules. Many of us are. We also signed things saying that they would do what they have to do for us. Which I have not seen. Don't get me wrong, not all the staff are doing this. But I cannot determine which staff are, and which staff aren't. I don't know who to trust. I've reported the things I see happening here on a daily basis, and it has only gotten worse once students/staff caught wind of it. I'm not talking about the small things. I see no need to report such things.

Everyday, there are assaults, theft, sexual assault, breaking and entering by not only the students. But by the staff as well.

I personally have been assaulted by groups twice, forced into three one on one fights, had $130, concert tickets, three cellphones, and many other less significant things stolen from me. Staff knows. Staff does nothing. I still have not been reimbursed for my property, or my medical bills. They higher up staff claims they are acting on it, however, it has been over a month since I have reported all of these incredibly horrible acts. Nothing has changed.

I have witnessed students take another students belongings to the shower, proceed to urinate on them. Laugh in his face, beat the crap out of him. And tell him that if he tells they will kill him. He told. The staff member he told laughed in his face as people threw things at him. Then beat the crap out of him later on that evening. He is now abused on a regular basis, and too afraid to do anything about it. I am genuinly concerned for his safety from not only the staff, and the students, but from himself as well. This is just an example of the things that happen on a daily basis.

This is a government funded organization, and all I have seen is them covering their own asses. They are more worried about looking good, than doing what it takes to clean up. I have seen people terminated from here for being assaulted, while their attacker remains in the dorms.

For many of us, this is our last shot at credentials that prove we are educated. I'm not going to lie, I have messed up in the past. But this place should not be presenting us with this kind of horrible living situation.

Please reply as soon as you can, even if only to let me know you read this. I am sending this to you, a personal family friend/consultant as well saving a copy in my own personal email.

Thank you for your time,
John M******.

Since this is a government funded service, send an email to your state and federal senators and congressmen. Do an online search of these individuals and specifically seek out those that support this program.

It is important that you include in your allegations only specific instances that YOU have witnessed. Naming the people involved, what you believe they did, and when they did it.

Congress.org's page for Vergennes, VT
- lists federal and state elected officials with links to all their web pages and contact forms

USA.gov's general Contact Elected Officials page

What a good start on taking action. Absolutely contact your representing officials. Stay wit this, post here when you need to get your feelings out. You are on your way to making things better!

And... nobody has responded.

You will not get an immediate reply, it will take a couple of weeks.

Give it time....they can't react to every email they receive without doinga bit of background of work. They also have to assign it to someone who has time and talent to do it. If they don't respond, they don't respond. Do not stop there. Your state representatives, labor department, department of education, attorney general need to know about this. Make enough contacts someone will respond. Remember to include only the facts, only things that can be proven. Try not to swear, try to sound strong and factual.

Just wanted to post and say that you are doing a very brave and impostant thing by going oout with this regardless of the answer you recieve. Just wanted to let you know that you are right. Hang in there, and huge HUUUGGGSSS!!!!

Still no responses ;/