STAFF SPOTLIGHT: Meet Terrell Johnson, Youth Services Director
For new Youth Services Director at Synergy Services, Terrell Johnson, his mindset is gearing up to effect change across the agency- “I have to help, I want to help, I will help,” with a goal to help as many clients at Synergy and throughout the community as possible.
Johnson’s experience lists long with his passion for young people beginning in his days as a collegiate athlete working in a behavioral group home during the off season to make a little extra money in what lead into not only a career, but a passion. From work at the YMCA and Ozanam to Workforce Partnership doing youth career advising and workforce preparation to practicum completion at Heartland RADAC with a focus on alcohol and drug rehabilitation, Johnson’s career has been dedicated to “working with people and helping people.”
Terrell Johnson does it all, with extensive experience working with both teens and adults. Johnson shared that he thoroughly enjoys working with young people because he can relate to each of them “because of the challenges that I have seen, not just with Synergy youth but the youth that I have worked with in the past. I’ve been there before. I’ve been homeless, my parents suffered from addiction, I lived in the group homes and foster care, I was a young parent.” Each day Terrell works to teach, empower, and support youth across this community. He feels that his past experiences in life can bring value to the young people he works with.
So, how is it that the new Director will make his impact? Terrell shared how special of a person it takes to work in the social work field. With requirements for a vast array of skills, Johnson also attributes a need for empathy, understanding and patience, something he has worked on throughout the years as he found success in his career. In working with clients in the past Terrell shared that it is so important to acknowledge the progress that has happened, even if it may just be small steps. To see his clients working at a pace that they are comfortable with rather than “Terrell’s pace” taught him the patience and acknowledgement of the hard work at hand. At Synergy Services, Terrell noted that we are “all here for one reason and that’s these kiddos,” and together he is dedicated to helping make “a great thing even greater.”
Coming Together for Good is all about celebrating the incredible people in our community doing incredible things. Terrell Johnson is just one of these incredible people. Johnson shared that to this day, he still receives a call every day from a former client just reminding him that he loves him, and that he’s thankful for him.
“To know that I had some type of impact on these kids’ lives even though it has been years means a lot to me. It tells me that not only did I impact him, but I impacted his family because he is safe. Things like that, even if it is just one kid, shows that I have made an impact on the community.”
For Terrell, his incredible work extends far past his career working with youth at Synergy Services. When not working, Terrell can be found watching sports, chartering his kids between practices (an official cheer and football dad) or exercising his other passion of mentoring youth in the community. Whether it is youth at his church or friends of his kids, Terrell’s mentorship offers guidance to keep these young people “on the right track” as he reflects on his time as a teen when “all [of his] friends looked up to [his] father for his guidance and direction,” something he now offers to his kids and their pool of friends.
Our entire team at Synergy Services is thrilled to welcome Terrell Johnson to the Synergy family as he joins us each day in creating a safe today for an even stronger tomorrow.
