Planning for the Future
By Billie Sinclair
& Raigen D'Angelo
Usually, exiting from sex work requires a process of steps. For sex workers who have been away from mainstream employment for any length of time, they usually need current education to re-enter the work force.
Step 1: Determining Your Career Goal
What do you want to do for employment? Career Exploration is the process of discovering your current talents, interests, skills, values, and transferable skills. There are assessments to take, both online and at your local career centre.
Step 2: Getting the Education you Need
Your future career will likely require that you obtain some new skills. There are many schools and programs to choose from that will lead you to your next employment opportunity. Funding for tuition can be a challenge, though. While you do your research on the education of your choice, you also need to find funding for school. Fortunately there are many programs, both private and public, that offer loans and grants for mature students.
In British Columbia if you have not finished your Secondary education the government will pay for your high school completion. For more information please check out the following website www.bced.gov.bc.ca/adult_graduation/
Step 3: Creating Your Resume
Once you have determined your career direction, and have decided upon your education, creating a resume is the next step. Even if your plan is to volunteer, a resume makes a professional impression on your future employer.
Volunteer to gain experience on your resume. Donate your time by volunteering at an organization that you believe in. When you remain at an organization long enough it is something you can add to a resume and it allows you to pick up transferable skills that will help you if you decide to leave the business. Not to mention, if you get arrested it will look good in front of the judge that is hearing your case.
For more information about volunteer opportunities in Vancouver please visit www.volunteervancouver.ca. They inspire and build leadership in the voluntary sector. With the assistance of government, the private sector, the voluntary sector and concerned Canadians, Volunteer Vancouver has a vision to connect people with their communities and to build a caring, tolerant society - a society where volunteerism is an integral part of life.
Step 4: Following Your Plan
Setting up your support network is the final step in your career change journey. Following your career plan will involve the help of many supporters, including counsellors, and supportive friends and family.
PEERS Vancouver: For more information and support contact PEERS Vancouver who provides private and confidential employment counseling, employment drop-in services and support for sex workers.
Phone: 604-681-3044
Web: www.peersvancouver.org
Future Financial Planning
Money management is a very important aspect of life that can greatly affect a sex worker’s stability and peace of mind. The issue of money is very “in the moment”, meaning one minute it’s there and the next minute it’s gone. Never the less, the fact remains that while sex workers are capable of financial planning, there simply aren't enough hours in a day to devout much attention to this. Sex work has an expected shelf life so, the sooner one begins to plan for their future retirement from the industry, the better.
Wherever and whenever possible, manage your money so that once the basics are covered, there may be a little left over to squirrel away for that rainy day. Here are some simple tips to help protect your self and start building that nest egg:
- Securing the roof over your head and putting food in your belly can give you tremendous piece of mind. Personal health and safety must come first.
- Try to shop for food and household items at major grocery stores and steer clear of convenience stores that have limited selection and inflated prices.
- If you are concerned about careless spending, give any extra money you may have to a trusted friend or family member for safe keeping. You may even instruct them to withhold access to “your money” upon your request, in order to safeguard yourself in moments of personal weakness.
- Be mindful of impulse spending. Resist the urge to “shop till you drop” and sleep on it for a night. When you wake up, if the desire for the item is still there, go for it. Just be mindful of compulsive shopping - you may regret it later.
- Create yourself a budget that is within your means and then make every attempt to stick to it.
- Open a bank account at a community savings credit union whose mandate is to enhance the capacity of the non-profit, cooperative and small business sector of our community. Financial planning and money matters can be overwhelming for those who are not used to the process. You are not alone so do not be discouraged and don't be afraid to ask for help.
For more information check out these two helpful websites
www.ccec.bc.ca
www.vancity.com
You are entitled to receive a credit report once a year for free from the different credit bureaus in Canada; Equifax and TransUnion. If you ask for your credit report once a year from both Credit Bureaus it reflects well on your report because it shows lenders and rental properties that you are a responsible person.
Equifax is the major credit bureau, majority of the financial institutions in Canada use when it comes to lending. For more information please check out their website.
Web: www.econsumer.equifax.ca or contact them by mail or phone at:
National Consumer Relations
P.O. Box 190, Station Jean-Talon,
Montreal, Quebec, H1S 2Z2
Tel: 1-800-465-7166
Facsimile: 514-355-8502
Email: consumer.relations@equifax.com
TransUnion is the second credit bureau in Canada; they keep all records for a much longer period then Equifax. Here is there website address; www.creditprofile.transunion.ca or you can contact them by mail or phone:
For all provinces except Quebec:
Telephone: 1-800-453-9528
8:00 AM until 8:00 PM EST, Monday to Friday
Or write to:
TransUnion Canada
Consumer Relations Centre
P.O. Box 338, LCD 1
Hamilton, Ontario, L8L 7W2
