The Caring Force is honored to announce Robert Jencks as our TCF March 2025 Workforce Hero Spotlight honoree. Jencks is the Director of the Plymouth Recovery Center and the Acting Program Director for the Gándara Center’s recovery centers in eastern Massachusetts.
1. Tell us about your background. How did you decide to pursue a career in human services?
When I was a kid, I never considered a career in human services. In fact, I always wanted to be a professional basketball player, but as I got older, I fell into my own addiction. As a result, I stopped playing despite opportunities to play in college. It became another loss in a long list of things that I gave away in the course of using.
My 20’s were pretty rough, and I experienced a lot of loss and pain brought about by my addiction. In 2016, I found myself in a treatment center on Cape Cod. I remember how my mom dropped me off and how terrible I felt. I remember feeling hopeless, but the people at that treatment center were incredible, and they helped inspire in me a sense of hope that I didn’t have to live that way anymore.
They believed in me and inspired me, but most importantly, they treated me like a human being. I wanted to do that for other people, and after being in recovery for a year, I got a job at that same detox center where I went as a patient. It was a deeply healing experience, and my career has been dedicated to helping those affected by addiction and creating programs that foster healing and a sense of community.
2. What does a typical day look like for you at your organization?
There is no typical day for me. Each day varies since we never know who is going to stop by one of our programs, but every day is spent ensuring that we are creating a safe space for them. A lot of energy is also spent supporting our staff and ensuring they feel valued, supported, and inspired.
As a community, we strive to create the best recovery center we can to help folks advance in their lives and find purpose, community, and a life worth living. We create programs that move beyond simple recovery to give folks the tools to create lives they don’t need to escape from.
3. What is your favorite professional memory?
This is such a difficult question since there are so many. I think this work is all about the people we meet and the impact we can have on our communities. For me, I am really proud of the fact that all of my staff began as program participants. To watch them progress in their recovery and their lives has been one of the most incredible things I have ever been a part of. Addiction is greedy, and it takes so much, so watching individuals take back their lives and want to help others is beautiful on a level I don’t have words for.
4. This question is from our February Workforce Hero, Amber Trice: What is one piece of advice you would give to someone just starting their career in the nonprofit world?
My advice for someone new would be to take care of yourself. This work can be so challenging sometimes, and there can be so much suffering in the world, but we need you for the long haul, so take care of yourself physically, emotionally and spiritually. If you don’t, the work can become a grind and burnout can be real.
I am so thankful for all of my experiences that brought me here—strangely, especially the bad ones. I would just urge you to connect with friends, spend time outdoors, take that day off, go to that silent meditation retreat, eat healthy food, laugh a lot and look for times to connect. When we are better, we are better for those we serve. Remember love starts at home.
5. Do you have a question for the next person we spotlight?
My question is a random one, but is there one thing outside of work that makes you feel most alive? What is that thing that you are most passionate about?
Thank you so much to Robert and all of our wonderful human service workers across the Commonwealth who bring joy, positivity and passion to work every day! We are so thankful for you and your efforts to make Massachusetts a better place.
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