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Hello, I am Brook! I am currently the Indigenous advisor at COR and I have been a part of the COR Team for around 2 and a half years now! The first position I entered into COR was as home support, then moved into the role as the Indigenous Cultural Advisor part-time before taking the role full-time.

As the Indigenous advisor, my position has been created to help support individuals and their families to connect, reconnect, claim, reclaim and learn about Indigenous ways of life. I hope to create an open, caring and safe space that will help people navigate their journeys, as they either begin or continue to embrace walking in two worlds. It is a priority for me to help others see the world from an indigenous lens. A lens that can then be applied to the people we support, their homes and their worlds. I work directly with the people we support, their families and their teams to identify cultural curiosities, wants, needs and practices they would like to engage in. Some would like to attend Sweat Lodge, Powwows, Sundance, Round Dance and other traditional ceremonies/events. Others would like to receive their names, learn to bead or cook bannock, as well as a variety of other practices. A person has a better chance of learning and retaining cultural information when their teams and families are involved because they spend the most time with them. I am able to provide (or connect us to) all of the tools and teachings necessary for individuals who are awakening their spiritual connections. Ultimately the Indigenous Cultural Advisor position is an opportunity opening for people to find and develop a relationship with the creator and culture if they should want this. I both welcome and encourage you to connect with me directly for further information or for any questions you may have. Let’s meet and walk together with good intentions, in a good way.

I first heard of COR about 10 years ago or so from my Co-worker at that time, Mara. She told me a little bit about COR and really encouraged me to apply. She didn’t work for COR at that time, but she had relatives that did. She believed that I would be perfect for COR. We both experienced a transition in careers. At some point, Mara’s path led her to COR. A little over 7 years ago my little brother began to experience a breakdown in his support. COR was one of three options for possible new placements. I called Mara immediately out of panic and fear. Mara kept speaking the same words to me “I promise you, Jessica, if your brother comes here, he will be ok”. She had so much confidence and faith in her organization and rightfully so because she was right.

One of my favourite projects at COR to date has been the ribbon skirt-making workshop. I also really enjoyed the drum-making workshop that COR hosted. I didn’t organize this event and was very proud of COR for putting together this event. I am currently excited about our upcoming year. We have a couple of events in the works, such as Sweat Lodge, Round Dance and setting up CORs first Teepee.

My proudest moment with COR would be the Sacred Buffalo Harvest ceremony that Kirston, Miyseou and I attended. I was very emotional and proud to see our two girls participating and reclaiming their cultural ways. These ladies are probably the first generations in their families to reclaim these teachings since the massacre of the buffalo. They did it all from listening to stories/teachings shared, tying up hide, skinning hide and the actual breakdown of the buffalo. They were amazing! Additionally, I was also very proud of Ruby for wanting to enter the Sweat Lodge and receive her name. She absolutely loves Sweat Lodge and is so proud to have her name now.

If I had any advice to give to people who are interested in joining COR, I would advise people to be their genuine and authentic selves. The culture that COR has created here is welcoming, unique and it’s safe. A lot of places and much of our society has created fear of punishment when making mistakes. Here mistakes are opportunities to learn and grow. We hope everyone here feels supported and comfortable to ask for help. Ask questions, wonder why, and offer your knowledge/wisdom. Most importantly when and if you do come across challenging times, remember your reason(s) why you wanted to come into this helping and supportive field of service. There will always be a move that connects us then there is that divides us.

Fun Facts about me: 

I own exactly 4 actual paper books. 3 of them gifts. The other I purchased and continue to purchase it because it seems it always grows legs. It’s called “In Search of April Raintree”. I read a version of it in high school and then read the adult version shortly after. It’s a book that I strongly relate to and has helped me through some trying times.

I have two favourite quotes:

“Yeah, but the Indian blood runs through your veins, April. To deny that, you deny a basic part of yourself. You’ll never be satisfied until you can accept that fact”  – April Raintree

There was a time that I hated and denied being indigenous. There was a time when I use to be prejudiced and hard on my own people.

“Forgiveness is abandoning all hope for a better past” – Matriarch Brenda Dubois

I know this quote seems heavy and that there are lighter ways of saying the same thing, such as “forgiveness is focusing on the future and not dwelling on the past”. But hearing the way Brenda put it helped something click for me.

I spend my free time with my two cats Spirit and Kuppa. I also spend time with my family and I really enjoy beading.

Hi, I’m Rachel! I am a Youth Team leader at COR and have been here for just over 2 years. I acquired a Bachelor of Kinesiology beginning in 2016. I began at COR after completing my bachelor’s in 2021 and spent time supporting Ruby, Lanie and Serena! I first learnt about COR in tandem from my good friend Kassie, and through a course around disability that was a part of my undergrad where Serena came to give a presentation. I was lucky enough to then get to know her better throughout my time supporting her team at COR.

One of my favourite aspects of being a team leader (TL) is the opportunity to grow and learn both personally and professionally. I am able to work at both deepening my knowledge in a culture of gentleness and then in turn, teaching it to my team. Being part of COR has further strengthened my passion for leadership, nurturing, and creating an inclusive community. Being a part of COR has made me incredibly proud to be included in an organization that practices what we preach. I have never felt more valued, supported, and included in my workplace by not only my team, but other team leads and senior leadership. I know I have grown in so many areas thanks to my time at COR. Such as gentleness, emotional intelligence, and self-awareness.

My advice for prospective supporters is to come into your experiences with an open mind and a willingness to learn and try new things. Gentle teaching is easy to grasp, but often asks supports to stretch themselves to try things in a new and uncomfortable way compared to how people might previously have been taught. Supports who are open to new and sometimes challenging experiences often flourish and in turn, help those we serve learn, grow and achieve their goals.

Fun Facts about me:

I love reading. I read many different genres, but recently I have been most interested in non-fiction and more educational. Two of my favourites recently have been “Death Interrupted” by Blair Bigham, MD; or “Just Mercy” by Bryan Stevenson. Both of these books challenge how we view each of the topics they speak on and I think they teach us more about ourselves by showing a new perspective. Outside of those books, I love reading a variety of genres like fantasy, classics and thrillers.

A favourite quote I heard recently was from the Dare to Lead podcast by Brene Brown. “Love shared between people is a powerful stabilizing force. Our relationships ground us in our commitments to each other, even as our circumstances become uncertain or quickly change” From a conversation she had with Mike Erwin and Willys Devoll.

I love doing puzzles and have a 3000-piece one that I have completed hanging up in my apartment.

In my free time, you’ll often find me out on adventures with my dog!

 

Hi everyone, I’m Ryan, a Team Leader at COR. My journey with COR began as a part-time support worker while working full-time as a Journeyperson Electrician at the Co-op Refinery in Regina. It started as a little something to do with my free time on weekends, but little did I know that it would become a significant part of my life.

I started supporting a group of guys, and after a few months, I got laid off at the Refinery, which led to me picking up full-time hours at COR. I knew I wanted to take on more responsibility, so I began applying for Key Support positions and telling whoever was willing to listen that I wanted to rise up and lead a team.

In October 2021, I was offered a Key Support position and within five months advanced into a Team leader role when they were promoted into a new position. Over my time at COR, I have also had the opportunity to be a job coach with COR’s 4to40 initiative – I job coach Peter 1-2 times a week going to the various Fire Departments around Regina, and helping him live his dream of working at Regina Fire and Protective Services.

One of my favourite projects at COR was building a small shed and deck for Marshel to hang out in his backyard.  We spent several days constructing this shed and gave it a fresh coat of paint. Using my previous construction experience to build a meaningful project for him that he enjoys today was awesome!

My proudest moment at COR was when I was offered a Key Support position. The director of COR Youth, Matt Chin, was explaining a few options to me, and I told him I wanted him to put me where he needed me the most and where I could make the biggest difference. Looking back on it, I am proud that I made that decision, and I’m glad that it led me to where I am now. Another example: knowing my journey from support to Team Lead, I know what the struggles are for the supports on my team to rise up. Over the past year, three of my incredible supports have been promoted to Key Supports, and all three of them have been accepted to the Aspiring Team Leader program and are well on their way to becoming Team Leaders themselves. I am incredibly proud of these three supports and my ability to lead them to where they want to be, even if it meant losing them on my team.

To new prospects, my advice is that it doesn’t matter where you came from in the past; your new journey starts now. COR has accepted me with open arms and allowed me to grow as a caregiver and as a human.  I had no experience whatsoever in this field and was surprised immediately by how much I’ve been “sucked in” by the org. If you are looking to change things up and make a new path in life, there is no better opportunity than applying and having a conversation with the people and culture team!

Fun Facts about me:

My favourite movies are Interstellar and Shutter Island!

My favourite quote is “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither knows victory nor defeat.” – Theodore Roosevelt

In my spare time, I do a lot of yard work and housework! I also am a huge NFL fan and have picked up an obsession with golf! I also love video games and tech. In my spare time, I also love to spend time with my partner Savannah, my dog Luna and my cat Rupert.

Hi There! I am Jim and I am the Chief Operating Officer and COR. I have been with COR since our inception in 2009, and technically even a little bit longer. I was hired by COR’s “sister organization” Saskatchewan Alternative Initiatives (SAI) in 2008 to provide support to the first individual COR would serve (Andrew). When COR officially launched in July 2009, I was hired as one of the original Support People at COR.  I was here before its official creation. However, I heard about being a Caregiver and Gentle Teaching from a former co-worker at a previous job who was working with SAI as a Team Leader.

I have worked at all levels of the organization, but my current role as COO has me doing several things. The biggest part of my role is overseeing our teams and all aspects of support provided to the individuals we serve at a high level. I directly supervise our Director of Youth Supports and The Director of Support Services (Adult Supports) and I work with their team of Coordinators to keep my finger on the pulse of all things going on within the organization. I also supervise our Outreach and Mentorship Team, as well as oversee our Aspiring Team Leader Program. I work alongside our CEO and Board of Directors to help with the strategic vision of the organization and with other members of our Senior Leadership Team to guide decisions and direction in our day-to-day operations. One of the parts of my role I particularly enjoy is being able to help others learn and grow. I like to spend time with colleagues sharing my experiences, knowledge and any bits of advice that I feel I have to give.

I have grown tremendously both personally and professionally with COR. I came to the organization with an education in finance and have worked in the financial sector. This was a career path that I did not find fulfilling. When I started working in the disability sector, I had no idea it was going to become my career. However, once I started doing this work, I fell in love with helping others as I could see the impact I could have and it provided me a great sense of pride and purpose. As the years went on and COR became larger, I grew with the organization. I was promoted from a Support Person to a Team Leader, eventually to a Home Supports Coordinator and eventually into my role as COO. I have learned so much about life over the years from the individuals we serve, my fellow employees and our colleagues in the Gentle Teaching community around the world. Formally, COR has invested in my professional development tremendously year after year. I received countless training and professional development opportunities that helped me build the skills to be a better person, caregiver and eventually a better leader. I love that we are all continuously learning and growing together, regardless of our experience or position.

In 2021 I completed a Master of Arts Degree in Leadership from Royal Roads University. This Degree was the culmination of years of Leadership courses and study. In my final research project, I received permission from the University to partner with COR and engage with employees in order to conduct research and gather data. Since one of the most impactful classes I took during my Master’ Program was in Values-Based Leadership, I decided that I wanted to explore and define trust as a value within COR. Through this project I was able to understand through our employees’ lens, what trust means at COR and how we can build higher levels of trust across the organization. The fact that I was able to benefit COR with my research findings, while simultaneously attaining my Master’s made this my favourite project.

I have had many proud moments at COR. Probably what makes me the most proud is the growth and positive change that many of the individuals we support have made in their lives. So many people we support, and especially those who came to COR in our early years were not in a good place in their lives. They were the people who had been bounced around within the disability services sector and never had the opportunity to allow them to be successful and reach their full potential. Some of those individuals have been supported by COR for over a decade now, and have been able to blossom into the truest version of themselves. I believe this is due to the resiliency and ability of those we serve, and also to the philosophy that COR adheres to and the culture of gentleness that we have nurtured within the organization. This culture has allowed people to feel safe and valued and live the life that they want for themselves. COR does not have clients, consumers or participants, we are supporting and serving valuable human beings in their lives. I am so proud to have been a small part of this organization’s growth from the ground up and to have been along for the ride. We are truly making a change in our city, province, country and beyond.

If I had any advice to give to people who are interested in joining COR is to come for the right reasons. If you are simply looking for a paycheck or easy money, you are in the wrong place. This job can be tremendously difficult emotionally but is also tremendously rewarding. If you care about people and are willing to put in the time and effort it takes to truly get to know people, then you will flourish.

Fun Facts about me:

I do enjoy my TV. The best two-drama series of all time is Game of Thrones and Breaking Bad. The best two sitcoms ever are Seinfeld and The Office. I’m not entirely sure of the order, but their greatness is not up for debate! Lol

My favourite quote, and something I regularly say to our employees is “It’s only a mistake if you don’t learn something from it”. We’re all human and we all make mistakes. I think the best thing you can do is admit them, own them and hopefully you have people around you that care enough to help you learn and grow from them.

Due to Jaws being my favourite movie growing up, I am terrified to swim in the Ocean.

I don’t seem to have a lot of free time these days. I love to spend time with my 2-year-old daughter Aubrey and my partner Kelsey. In the summer I love to get out and play as much golf as I can. I’m an avid NFL fan, the Green Bay Packers are my favourite team. I like to watch as much football as I can on Sundays.

Hey everyone, I’m Nick and I work in Partnerships and Storytelling with COR and Inclusion Regina. My role is an interesting mix of responsibilities, including grant writing, securing partnerships to fund Inclusion Regina/COR programming, running social media accounts, and booking/managing/facilitating the Sir Dance-A-Lot Concert Series and Dance Experiences.

I joined COR in 2021 after almost 5 years of working in different non-profits. It’s been a supportive environment for me to grow both personally and professionally through the various projects I’ve gotten to work on. I’ve been able to learn about Gentle Teaching and Person Centered Thinking in some really cool training sessions, which has been really rewarding.

My favourite project at COR has been re-launching Sir Dance-A-Lot as a concert series and dance experience. As a musician in my spare time, it’s been really special to connect some of my talented musician friends with others who come to the events. I’ve enjoyed securing funding, managing booking and logistics, and event managing. It’s a privilege to watch so much amazing music and see how much fun everyone involved has. So far, my proudest moment at COR has been growing the amount of grant funding that COR/IR has received to support the high quality and important programming offered to the community. I’m happy to know that my hard work is helping to enable Inclusion Regina to offer programs like Tell It Like It Is, Short Breaks, Cents and Sensibility, and Sir Dance-A-Lot at no cost to our community.

Fun Facts about me:

In my free time, I love playing video games, gardening, listening to and making music, and watching sports. I’ve been to 11 MLB baseball parks and plan to visit two more in the Summer of 2023.

One of my favourite books is “Dune”

My favourite quote is “The best people possess a feeling for beauty, the courage to take risks, the discipline to tell the truth and the capacity for sacrifice. Ironically, their virtues make them vulnerable; they are often wounded, sometimes destroyed” by Ernest Hemmingway.