4to40 Interview with Rene, RHSAA Employee — Celebrating Inclusive Employers!
Work.
Work pays the bills.
Work helps create identity and gives meaning to our day.
Often overlooked is the less obvious face of work which is connection. Work connects us to people that we often wouldn’t have the opportunity to rub shoulders with, and work is often the soil of which great friendships and relationships are nourished. For Rene, work is opportunity! Not only does he get to earn a fair wage and paycheck, but he gets to be involved in sport. Which is something that Rene also truly values.
Rene is a field judge and yard stick holder for the Regina High School Football League (RHSAA), which not only puts him right in the middle of the action, but it allows him to be active as well. When asked about his favorite part of his job and being part of a team, Rene jovially laughed and said, ‘running back and forth and getting lots of exercise!’
In addition to getting exercise and being part of the action, Rene noted that ‘[he is] lucky to get to work with [his best friend] and some new people too.’ Also highlighted here are the social aspects of the job where he gets to eat pizza with his boss, and hang out with new colleagues and friends.
Rene and his best friend Patrick were given the opportunity to face the challenges of a new work place beside one another. Together they are learning to count on each other and together they are teaching each other how to be accountable. These skills are not only great to have in friendship, but they are also foundational in the work place.
I asked Rene what he planned to do with all of the money he was making from his new job, to which he replied, ‘I dunno. Save up for my trip to Calgary, or a new guitar. Even go out on the weekends to meet up with my friends.’
For Rene, working one or two nights a week affords him the ability to dream for himself and write his own life story. Having a steady paycheck changes a trip with friends to Calgary from being a fleeting thought in conversation and empty promise to one’s self, to an attainable goal. Thanks to the equal opportunities provided by the RHSAA, both Rene and the organization have benefited significantly.
To learn more about Inclusive Employment, visit: www.4to40.ca.
Ben Morris,
Community Education and Outreach
