Eurisko derives from the Greek language meaning, “I discover.” You could probably suggest no more perfect name for the small counseling, training and recovery company anchored at 2500 Niles Road in St. Joseph bearing that same name. Always seeking to provide an honest, positive, competent, and supportive atmosphere for clients and staff members alike, it’s little wonder that Eurisko Counseling, Training, and Recovery earned its way into the hearts of committee members voting to delineate the inaugural Moody on the Market Fifteen Under 15.
It’s difficult to discover much of anything when there are walls in the way, and the small, seven-member, team at Eurisko works to break down barriers between job-seekers and employees which allows Michigan’s Great Southwest to thrive in their wake.
Eurisko started in eight years ago in 2010 with just one person in his home, however it has since grown into an effective organization which now employs skilled counselors, job developers, and job coaches all working to break down those barriers.
Founder Rommel Johnson, MA, LPC, CAADC, NCC, saw a gap in the community between the needs of job-seekers and the needs of employers and sought to fill that need through mental health counseling, soft and hard skills training, and substance abuse recovery services. The firm has slowly evolved into a community-focused business and has made valuable connections with local businesses and agencies.
Now, the company is well known and appreciated in the community for training individuals for local, high-demand careers. Some of their most notable contributions have emerged from the work-experience training program for teens with disabilities called Everybody Works, which partners with other organizations to put on a CNA training program which has graduated more than 100 CNAs, and which conducts soft-skills education in local high schools. The programming benefits individuals — especially those in vulnerable populations — by providing valuable jobs skills with a direct benefit to local businesses through introduction of high quality candidates for hard to fill positions, not to mention their mental health counseling, assessment and substance abuse recovery work.
One staff member told us, “As an employee, I feel valued and I enjoy the positive, collaborative culture of the company. It is an incredible experience to wake up every day knowing that you get to be apart of a team which is truly addressing some of the most difficult problems in our community while offering hope and well-being to so many people.”
That employee and others will tell you that the culture at Eurisko is very laid-back, collaborative, and creative. One says, “When you walk in, there are smiles to be seen and laughter to be heard. Our team feels like family. We recently hired for a few new positions and the interviewees said that they were impressed with how highly the employees praised the company and each other. Those who were hired remarked that they felt so welcomed and at ease in their new jobs.” That’s what being a Top Fifteen Under 15 business is all about.
When addressing the core values of the agency, employees say, “Our greatest value is our clients’ well-being and our style of treatment is very person-focused. One size does not fit all and we often brainstorm together on individualized options for the people we work with.” Also heard is, “We also value diversity and bringing together the community. While our expertise is vocationally focused counseling, we often play the role of intermediary in a client’s life between employers, agencies, and family so that all of their needs are met.”
Company founder, Rommel Johnson, received recognition among the Moody on the Market 40 Under 40 for his contributions to the community, but Eurisko has also partnered with several other organizations to implement a highly effective CNA training program which is on its 10th cohort and has graduated 100 participates ore more, but one staffer summed it up by saying, “Our greatest achievement is the impact we have in client’s lives. Much of our work is with teens and young adults and we often have parents call in or send us thank you notes remarking on the positive changes they have seen in their child’s life.”
It isn’t all just a bed of roses for Team Eurisko. As a newer business which is still growing, there are certainly growing pains. When piloting new programs, they find it challenging to establish policies and procedures and to define staff roles. However, the team has proven to be very flexible and responsive to issues that arise making it “a joy to face the challenges together.”
On another front, while Eurisko does a great amount of vocational training, they also have expertise in clinical mental health and are striving to become known for that as well in the community, and naturally, that takes time.
Perhaps the biggest challenge in the not too distant future stems from their levels of success. The team is literally growing out of their physical space and hoping to move to a new space soon. Stay tuned for more on that.
Asked about how Eurisko makes a difference in the community of Michigan’s Great Southwest, employees say, “This company makes a difference in bridging the gap for our clients. We open doors for employment and coordinate with employers, agencies, and family to cut down on confusion and meet everyone’s needs. We also contribute to the bright economic future of Southwest Michigan by equipping quality employees, connecting them with employers, and supporting both the employee and the employer on the job.”
Even outside of work, the company encourages community involvement. All employees were given paid time to volunteer for the United Way Rake-a-Thon and for the Run For Hope 5k- Suicide Prevention and Awareness event. They were also given paid time to attend ALPACT events, an organization seeking to bridge the gap between law enforcement and the community.
Clearly, the company is having an impact across the board. One employee wanted us to know, “This job is better than anything I expected coming out of graduate school. It is almost too much to expect a job that you enjoy, with a team who all get along, and opportunities for growth. I feel that all of my talents are being used and appreciated and my thoughts are considered. One story to exemplify this is that my hobby is cooking and one day I was talking with Rommel, the company’s founder, about how I’d like to teach a cooking class some time outside of work. He listened to that idea and created a program called Ubuntu where we use cooking to teach job skills and social skills to teens with disabilities. I love working here and have so much pride in our work and our company.”
You can’t just say, let’s do that…it’s a culture and a lifestyle you have to live, and clearly Team Eurisko is living it everyday among the Fifteen Under 15 for 2018.
