Embracing Diverse Paths to Success: Patrick’s Impact

Children possess a natural sense of wonder—fearlessly exploring the world with curiosity and boundless enthusiasm. Their dreams are limitless: ballerinas, rockstars, astronauts, doctors, athletes, and sometimes all of the above. Yet, as they grow, societal pressures can diminish that spark, leaving many young people feeling overwhelmed, “not enough” and uncertain about their future.

“So much pressure is put on kids to do good, and a lot of kids make mistakes. One slip up makes a kid feel like the smallest person in the world. All anyone talks about is how great they are or how great their kid is. It’s all about how great I am. It’s never about the other kid. The kid who maybe does not play a sport, have a 4.0+ GPA, but displays great character… Nobody can understand what people might be going through.” 

Patrick Turner, quoted above, was a bright, engaged high school sophomore who excelled in academics, athletics, and family life. He was neither withdrawn nor visibly struggling, yet on January 27, 2018, at just 16 years old, Patrick died by suicide.

In the letters he left behind, he begged for people in our community to let go of a “one size fits all” mentality, and instead to embrace the broad spectrum of possibilities and journeys to success.

Determined to answer Patrick’s calling and create his legacy, the Turner family founded Patrick’s Purpose Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting students pursuing vocational education, promoting mental wellness, and fostering inclusivity in schools… Through scholarships, awareness campaigns, parent education, community engagement events that foster mental wellness like the annual Walk With Us, Patrick’s Purpose provides vital resources to the community. 

Like Patrick, at Working Wardrobes, we recognize that career trajectories are as individual as the people embarking upon them. And self-discovery is an ongoing process, often extending beyond traditional educational paths. That’s why we’ve partnered with Patrick’s Purpose Foundation—to ensure individuals, particularly those facing uncertainty, have access to meaningfully explore possibilities, because all potential, futures, and dreams are worthy of exploration.

How do you make a sustainable living doing something you’ve never done before? The root of career exploration is to first discover and then hone in on skills, loves, passions, and interests. In conjunction with the B-Unbound community platform, individuals can be connected with Career Exploration Guides who provide real-world learning experiences. Whether virtually or in person, this initiative connects seekers with volunteers offering guidance and hands-on opportunities to explore career paths, connections/introductions to people, job shadowing, workplace tours, and information they’ve gleaned from engaging in their field of expertise or interest. Career Exploration Guides transform lives with Working Wardrobes’ clients by opening doors, demystifying experiences, and helping individuals discover what they may (or equally important…may NOT) want to pursue as they overcome wide-ranging barriers on the journey to achieving gainful employment. 

You can make a difference by sharing your wealth of experience, knowledge, access, or connections. Join us in guiding the next generation toward meaningful employment by becoming a Career Exploration Guide today.