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COR Supports
Recipient of Outstanding Fieldwork Agency Award
On Thursday, March 16, 2023, COR proudly received the Outstanding Fieldwork Agency Award at the University of Regina’s Faculty of Kinesiology and Health Studies 10th Annual Alumni and Awards Dinner.
Did you know COR has hosted over 20 UofR fieldwork students the past few years!?! We are thankful for our partnership and proud of all the students whom we have had the privilege of hosting!
Receiving the award on COR’s behalf was Ben Morris, Creative Director and Fieldwork Supervisor. In the words of Ben:
“It is my absolute pleasure to be able to be here and accept this award and acknowledgement on behalf of COR today!
My name is Ben Morris and I am the Creative Director at Creative Options Regina. We support folks experiencing disability in our city to live a life that they choose, rather than one that is prescribed to them. Though the work we do and our approach to care is profound and different, I want to spend a the rest of my time acknowledging the people who help us do some of the mould breaking work that we do. The students.
Who helped COR develop a relationship with the City of Regina’s paratransit program that assists people wishing to transition from paratransit transportation to conventional City of Regina transit- a student did that – Will P. did that.
Who helped lay the groundwork for a financial literacy program specifically made for people experiencing disabilities – a student did that. Leo S. did that.
Who helped nurture a budding DJ’s musical ambitions and not only helped him create his own music, but also taught him to spin his own tracks on a real turn table – AND THEN two Years later collaborated with him again to play a real paid gig – a student did that. Kyle D. and Jordan W. did that.
Who helped me keep the lights on and create virtual programming for 250+ people to do while they were stuck in their homes during the pandemic? Students did that – Zoha M., Saad S., Loki S., Abby G., and Hanna H. did that!
And who helped raise all of these programs from the ashes once the pandemic ended? Students did that. Gowtham P., Amr E., and Ahmad H. did that.
Lastly,
Who helped me write this incredible speech?
A student did that.
When I think about a student’s time with us, whether short or long, I think about a bridge. This bridge that you build is a gateway to your future. But one of my favorite things that just organically seems to happen is that you invite us to come along with you on your journey across that bridge. Sometimes you stay with us through employment, but sometimes you become Doctors, or you build your own yoga studios. By inviting us across this bridge with you, you’re helping open up our world and make the spaces we frequent a little safer and a little brighter. We are now known and seen by you! You share in our stories and we in yours.
Team – It’s an honor to be here, but it’s a greater honor to share this acknowledgement with you – students.
Thank you for sharing your time with us!”
Meet Our COR Family: Dillon Schmidt
Hi. I’m Dillon! I began as a support on the adult side of COR in 2018. Approximately six months after starting, I was approached to join a new team on the youth side. I jumped at the opportunity and within that team, went from support to Key Support to Team Leader. I spent a little over a year as a Team Leader before taking a three-month parental leave. When I returned from leave in June 2022, I stepped into my current role which is a Youth Experience Advisor. My main role is capacity building within the youth teams. I work directly with supports to help build competence and confidence both as individual supports and as a collective team. I work with everyone from new hires to Team Leaders to accomplish this goal. I have also recently become a trainer for multiple pieces of training and workshops. I became a certified ASIST trainer in the fall of 2022. I also created an FASD workshop with the goal of filling what I perceived as an organizational knowledge gap. I’ve begun facilitating both and will be quite busy with them in 2023! Unlike most people in COR, I was not referred by a friend or family member. I wanted an organizational switch while still staying in the same field of work and happened upon COR in my search!
It has long been a goal of mine to become a training facilitator. In the fall of 2021, I was offered the opportunity to enroll in an online university certificate class centered around FASD. I did so with the goal of creating an FASD workshop to be disseminated within the organization. With the class and my parental leave completed, I was then able to create the workshop from the ground up. While I’ve only facilitated it a couple of times, I’ve received very positive feedback thus far and look forward to sharing my knowledge further in 2023. Additionally, I was also given the opportunity to become a certified ASIST trainer. Again, I’ve only facilitated ASIST a couple of times at this point but I look forward to continuing on a journey toward a goal I’ve had for several years!
COR is not a traditional job, nor is it a traditional organization. The organizational culture is unlike anything I’ve experienced elsewhere. While we expect a lot from all of our support, hard work is always rewarded. Positions and promotions are merit-based and you can be assured that going “above and beyond” will be recognized in tangible ways.
Fun Facts about me!
My favourite book is the Black Company series by Glen Cook.
I’m the father of a 15-month-old girl so my free time is spent guiding and watching a human being form before my eyes. Her being hilariously entertaining at all times is just an added bonus for me!
Meet Our COR Family: Kristyn White
Hi! I’m Kristyn, the Literacy Facilitator for Inclusion Regina/Creative Options Regina. I began my journey at COR as an undergraduate student at the University of Regina. Jim Temple came to one of my classes to talk to us about COR and the philosophy of Gentle Teaching, and before the class ended, I had already sent in my application. A few weeks later, I was hired as a Support Worker. As 2023 approaches, it will mark my 8th year with the organization! WOW, time flies, and I couldn’t be happier to be a part of the COR family still.
I was a Support Worker for several years and eventually transitioned into the role of Team Leader. During this time, I also began facilitating Tell It Like It Is – a sexual health and wellness initiative that COR offered. I became passionate about supporting the sexuality of people living with disabilities, and this led me to pursue a Master’s degree at the University of Regina. Shortly after becoming a graduate student, I started my role as Literacy Facilitator! My role involves the development and facilitation of Inclusion Regina’s literacy initiatives. People with disabilities and those within their support networks deserve access to comprehensive, accurate information on sexual health, financial literacy, technology use, reading, and much more. The opportunity to connect with the people we serve and those in the community is the best part of my role!
I am incredibly proud of the growth I have experienced at COR, not just with my career but also with myself! I was in my early 20s when I started at COR, and when I turned 30 this year, I realized I have quite literally watched myself grow up with the organization. My experiences at COR have been invaluable. This past October, I had one of my proudest career moments when I helped to organize a Sexuality & Disability conference that COR, Inclusion Saskatchewan, and Saskatoon Sexual Health hosted in Regina. The conference featured presenters from Saskatchewan and Alberta, a self-advocate panel, and over 100 attendees who came to learn about supporting the sexuality of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The event was a first of its kind in our province, and I am still beaming with pride as I reflect on the day. I am so lucky that I get to work alongside colleagues who I not only admire and learn from but who also support me and my aspirations. I am excited to see where my role at COR takes me in the future!
Fun Facts about me:
I was born and raised in Regina, and although it might not be the warmest or most exciting city, it is home. I have always believed that where you are doesn’t matter; what matters is who you are with. Spending time with the people I love is what makes me the happiest! In my free time, you can find me at our family cabin at Moosomin Lake, up North in Waskesiu, or camping with my partner, Jon. I love to explore new places and am always down for an adventure or road trip. I am obsessed with our pets (Sienna and Luna), and if I am not at the lake, I am likely spending my time telling them how cute they are.
Here are some facts you may (or may not) know about me: I have been vegan for over five years and love to cook, I taught myself how to build outdoor furniture, I hate watching people brush their teeth, I drink too much diet coke, I always forget how to spell the word ‘definitely’, I was once on the same flight as Pamela Anderson, and I hope to one day own a cabin in the mountains!
I hope you learned something new about me! Come and say hi next time you are in the COR Studio!!
Meet Our COR Family: Kevin Mclean
Hi, I’m Kevin! I am a Home Team Leader! I have been a part of the COR family for four and a half years! I first heard about COR when one of my friends was previously a member of the board of directors. I started at COR as a home support and then after a year and a half, I moved on to support within COR’s Supported Living Program for another year and a half! I was then approached to apply for an aspiring team lead position which I ended up getting! After one year of learning and supporting, I was offered the role of Team Leader! I have also been an encourager at the studio and a facilitator for a roleplaying group for Dungeons and Dragons!
My favourite part of COR has to be my encourager position at the studio! It was just so much fun! My proudest moment was helping Michael and Peter, old roommates and friends that had a falling out, to start talking and going out together to events. If I had any advice for people who are interested in joining the COR family, I would have to say to come in with an open mind and an open heart!
Fun Facts about me:
- My favourite series of books is The Legend of Drizzt by R.A Salvatore! I am on book 38 of the series.
My favourite quote is “All right, All right, all right” Matthew McConaughey, Dazed and Confused.
- My son also started supporting at COR
- In my spare time, I love to play games! Video, board games, and tabletop miniature games.
Meet Our COR Family: Tai Shier
Hello! I am Tai! I am a Team Leader at COR and have been here for just over 2 years! I heard about COR while supporting at a different agency. COR had come out with a video for 100 acts of kindness and was giving back to members of the community that made a positive impact around them. It was such a heartwarming gesture; it didn’t take long for me to realize that I would have a very fulfilling career at COR. I have had the amazing opportunity to facilitate some classes. I’m not great at public speaking, but COR and Inclusion Regina gave me the opportunity to facilitate Tell It Like It Is, and the COR Studio allowed me the chance to host an art class in preparation for the Cathedral Arts Festival. I have lots of projects in the works for next summer and can’t wait to get working on them.
I am most proud of my team; we faced a very challenging year and everyone did well in facing the challenges with kindness. The growth I have seen in the individuals we serve has been quite impressive and the credit goes to all the supports! My advice to new COR candidates is don’t be afraid to try new things, and allow yourself to think outside the box. You can make your support times very exciting, and fun with the right mindset.
Quotes that I love:
a reminder to myself that everyone starts in the learning stages and the most important thing to do is try regardless of the outcome. It may work the first time but, highly unlikely.. so it’s okay to get messy.
“Take chances, make mistakes, and get messy”
– Miss Frizzle