Program Participant Spotlight: Laysond W., BCS PROS

How did you first get involved at BCS?

My mother actually looked into it. She was looking for places to have me doing something during the day, so she found BCS PROS. I’ve been here since about 2005, so I’ve seen clients and counselors come and go.

Do you live in the area?

I live in Coney Island, so it takes me about 25 minutes to get here.

How often are you here?

I’m here four days a week.

How has your involvement at PROS changed over time?

When I first came here, I was doing about four groups a day for five days, so I’ve been in groups like No Going Back, Men’s Group, Words With Friends, and Kicking Butts.

What’s Kicking Butts?

It’s where you try to kick the habit of smoking by taking nicotine replacements. 

What have been your favorite groups?

I just started a gardening group, and I really like gardening now. We plant fruits and vegetables outside; we have a whole flower plot outside. I like that group a lot.

Did you know much about gardening before?

No.

Have you made many friends?

Yes, I’ve made a few friends.

Are there other people who’ve been here for a while as well?

Yes. Laura – she was here since I first got here in 2005, so I’ve known Laura for a while. She’s about the only counselor that’s been here since I’ve been here. 

What kind of work do you here? 

I help with the doctors’ and the nurses’ lists to make sure that clients get to their appointments. I also tutor and help some of the clients with reading comprehension. 

Are these adult clients who just never got that education?

Yes. 

Do you like tutoring?

A little bit. Sometimes I have to brush up on stuff myself because I forget. 

Do you think your organizational skills have improved?

Yes because I’ve got to get them in order. I also attend groups during the day. 

Are there any other jobs or opportunities that you’re working toward right now?

Eventually, I want to graduate and move on from this program. I’ve been looking into finding a job on the side like maintenance or something, but I want to work in IT.

Have you started building those IT skills here? 

Yes. I also worked at Snipes clothing store for about two months at the beginning of the year. I was a stock employee, so when the new sneakers would come in, I would stock them on the shelf. I would go around the store and put clothes back on the shelves if they were loose or fold them.  It was good to have work experience after so long. 

What have been your favorite parts about PROS? 

Getting to know counselors and everything. Some of these groups were really interesting to me like Words With Friends and gardening. They teach you stuff like how to communicate with your clients and how people interact with each other.