DUBLIN, Ga. — A Dublin non-profit is helping people get another shot at going back to school. Transform Dublin offers a free GED program through a partnership with Oconee Fall Line Technical College.
Tim Chatman started an organization called Transformer Dublin in 2014, when he was Dublin's police chief. Since then, the name has changed to Transform Dublin, and they've helped 10 people, like Chrika Gainey, get their GED's.
"This is the perfect place to start your journey. Mrs. Calvin is awesome. She will teach you what she knows and what she can. If she can't do it, somebody else she knows can," Gainey said.
For Gainey, going back to school was always a dream. But for the longest time, it seemed like a pipe dream.
"Because I'm not a people person so with the- being around a lot of people, it really got to me," Gainey said.
The bigger classes always overwhelmed her, but she found the smaller class sizes and one-on-one teaching style at Transform Dublin to be a perfect fit.
"I was just ready to finish school. I wanted to finish school to show my kids that I wanted to finish school," Gainey said.
The program gave her the flexibility to take in person classes just a couple times a week until she graduated in 2022.
"If I didn't understand something, she was right there to let me know and help me through it. But other times I'm home on my laptop doing work," Gainey said.
Chatman said a high school education can launch the rest of somebody's life success.
"Because you know, things happen to people. You know, during their life, they start out with big dreams, wanting to do this and that, something happens to offset that," Chatman said.
He established the non-profit originally because he wanted to help people with a variety of needs in the city.
"We're able to serve our community through job development, as well as second chance programs. Then we started to really focus on the GED," he said.
Chatman said they designed the program to be as accessible as possible, including having the classes close to downtown on Prince Street.
Transform Dublin expects to have two graduates this summer, and they plan to start a new batch of classes this July.
They don't stop there.
According to their website, Transform Dublin also has a CDL training and re-entry and second chance program.
Here's more information from their website:
"In partnership with Oconee Fall Line Technical College, we are proud to assist individuals with CDL training. As part of our Reentry/Second Chance Program, offering CDL training assists those who have been incarcerated as they aim to provide a better future for themselves and their families. Outside of our CDL Training, we also provide other training to those who have been incarcerated – including how to complete job applications, proper interview etiquette, handling finances, and more."
They also have a variety of scholarships available, and you can find more information about that on their website.