Building Confidence

February 2009 - Downtown Eastside resident, Jo Mangatal, has gained confidence by selling calendars, facilitating Hope in Shadows training sessions, and most recently through public readings of her story featured in the Hope in Shadows book. (Read book review of Hope in Shadows book on Rabble.ca)

A 46-year-old mom, Jo won the 2005 contest for her photo capturing the bond between a mother and son.

Last year Jo, was one of the experienced sellers who signed up for a "train the trainer" workshop funded by Building Opportunities with Business. This season she facilitated calendar training sessions at the Downtown Eastside Women's Centre and the Kettle Friendship Society.

She is also a peer-support worker at Strathcona Mental Health where she teaches a course called BRIDGES (Building Recovery or Individual Dreams and Goals Through Education and Support).