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Shirley Anderson has always wanted a career working with children. For more than 30 years, Shirley worked as a telephone operator in Honolulu, Hawaii where she lived with her family before moving back to the east coast to be closer to her parents.

Before returning to New Hampshire, Shirley opted for early retirement, however she soon realized that she needed to find employment to boost her income. She began looking for different employment opportunities, but was unsuccessful in her search.

While out in the community, Shirley saw a flyer for National Able Network’s Senior Services and decided to give us a call. Shirley came to our Berlin, New Hampshire office and began working with Area Program Manager, Violet Hatch, to find a teaching position. Shirley enrolled in the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) and Violet found her an opportunity to work for the Tri-County Community Action Program’s Head Start program. Head Start is a child development program for preschool-aged children and their families. Working at Head Start allowed Shirley to gain experience in both child care and teaching.

In October 2013, Shirley was hired by Head Start as a part-time substitute teacher! Shirley credits Violet for helping her find her dream job. “I told Violet what I wanted to do, and she got me into the program. Violet is wonderful. She’ll lead you in the right direction.”

As for other seniors that may find themselves in a similar situation, Shirley suggests that they work hard and they will be rewarded. “Go to National Able Network, it worked for me. Be honest with what you want in life and always keep trying. If you really want it, you can get it!”

Congratulations, Shirley!