Our Mobilize workers, affectionately called Mobilizers, have a tremendous amount of on-the-ground stories and experiences to share with young Canadians that are interested in the Mobilize Jobs program. Over the next few months, we’ll be sharing first-hand stories from Meaghen Stock – a Mobilizer alumni.

This is her second story where she shares her personal journey through the Mobilize program. Her first story was on grocery shopping tips for a tight budget.

Written by guest blogger Meaghen Stock:

Finished school now what?

Before joining Mobilize I was pretty lost in life. I finished school now what? All of my friends were off in college and university, but I just wasn’t ready for that commitment. I was nineteen and not overly sure of what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, and I didn’t want to waste money on something I wasn’t set on. I was working full time at Tim Hortons, but it wasn’t satisfying. I felt like I wanted something more but I didn’t know what. I had considered travelling, but I didn’t have the funds to quit my job, pack up and leave.

That’s when I discovered Mobilize

When I stumbled upon Mobilize I didn’t believe this was a real program. Work, travel, and FREE rent? Why had I never heard of this before? After a phone call to Mobilize head office, I knew this adventure was just what I would need in my life. I had no idea in that moment how this program would not only give me a chance to fill my need to travel, but would also change me as a person for the better.

Over the past couple of years I stuck with pretty much the same group of friends. I wasn’t really one to put myself out there and try new things for fear of judgement by others. Joining Mobilize forced me to leave everyone I knew back home, go out to meet new people, and try new things. I got a chance to break out of my shell, give myself a chance to figure out who I really am and try to answer that “finished school now what” question. This was going to be the biggest challenge of my life, being alone in a new province with no idea what to expect. It was not always easy and in the beginning, I had to wonder if this was all worth it or if I should just be proud of myself for trying and head back home.

Meet like-minded people

Over time I started to get more comfortable and got the chance to meet a lot of great people who turned out to be similar to me. A lot of us were travelling across Canada for the first time, not ready to commit to school yet, and not overly sure what we wanted to do. This made me feel so much better about myself and helped me realize I wasn’t the only one who felt this way. I slowly stopped fearing judgement from the people around me because I knew for the most part, a lot of them wouldn’t judge me as they felt the same way. I was able to open up and take time to discover who I am as a person. I was no longer influenced by anyone else and took a lot of time to grow as a person. I decided to take advantage of this opportunity I had been given and try as many new things as possible.

Trying new things

I have tried new foods and done activities I never would of done back home, and I got the chance meet a very diverse group of people. These are the things that helped open my mind and put aside a lot of the fears I used to have. I got the chance to go down terrifying water slides, I taught myself to snowboard,and I got the chance to scale the side of a mountain. These are all things I never would of done out of fear if I stayed in my hometown. Without Mobilize I would not be the person I am today. I am so grateful for the chance to be part of such an amazing program that is about more than just working and travelling. It is about having the potential to overcome your fears, build new skills, learning to deal with social anxiety, and helping yourself become the best version of you possible.

Be open minded

The most important part of joining this program is to be open minded and be willing to work on your social skills. Come into this program with no expectations and just let whatever happens happen. Be willing to meet new people and put yourself out there. If you are able to put your past behind, and allow this opportunity to find yourself and discover new things, you are more likely to have a better experience. Don’t let yourself be held back by the fear of judgement by others or yourself.

With Mobilize, I finally had an answer to my “I finished school now what?” question.