“I would love to work in an office because it seems fun and full of positive energy!”

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Jaime Carter is a mover and a shaker in the employment world. Her fantastic work ethic and gift of the gab has opened up a universe of opportunities and leaves those influenced in her wake astounded and inspired! Jamie’s an inspirational lifelong learner who understands the importance of education but also knows that you can’t have a clear view of where you’re going without recognizing where you have been.

iQmetrix-logoJaime has been working at iQ Metrix since January of 2017 and has enjoyed every minute of it. What started as stocking fridges and doing odd cleaning jobs within the organization has turned into some part time work behind the front desk! Now Jaime greets people, signs for packages and is appreciated as ‘part of the team and like she is part of the family.’

Her teammates have also recognized her talents. As her teammate at iQ Metrix puts it, ‘she is always happy and working hard!’

Jaime has also begun a training program that, if successful, would have her training people in and around the City of Regina to safely ride public transit. It is an initiative started by the city to help promote public transit to Canadian newcomers, seniors, and anyone else in need of a helping hand while riding the bus. Jaime has expressed her excitement with this new initiative by simply stating, ‘I’m excited! I love helping people and I know a lot about busses. Regina is going to be my home base and want to help keep it as safe as possible.’ It sounds like another perfect fit!

In addition to having an outstanding work ethic Jaime is also passionate about family, giving and caring for others, as well as maintaining a home she can be proud of. When asked what she does with all the money she makes she replied, ‘I like to buy gifts for my friends. Like cake! I also buy things for my cat and for my place, like a new coffee table and two end tables. [I am] proud of my living room.’

Jaime is also quite interested in visiting home more frequently. She would eventually like to be able to save enough money to visit home a couple times a year and get out to the beach more often. When asked about her home she stated that, ‘I miss going to the lake near Moosomin First Nation as well as Saulteaux First Nation called Acoshan Lake. I think about my family trips there and remember the sand on my feet.’

I’m going back to school. Haven’t been in school for over a decade

When asked what was next for Jaime Carter she replied, ‘I’m going back to school. Haven’t been in school for over a decade! I want to become an Administrative Assistant-Office Communicator. I would love to work in an office because it seems fun and full of positive energy!’ Jaime starts at the University of Regina this fall in the Campus for All program and is very excited at the prospect of furthering her education.

With Jaime’s ambition and selfless passion to do great things for others she is an asset to whatever project she chooses to become a part of. When you mix in her playful sense of humour and love for making a difference, the qualities of a great friend present themselves and completes the circle for a fantastic team.

 

Ben Morris,

Community Education and Outreach

 

“I love cars,” he beamed. “I’d like to work with Monster trucks or clean Nascars. Maybe a mechanic.”

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Ted is always on the go! Whether taking an evening to race around town on his bike, or working as a cleaner and detailer for cars and trucks at Morsky; Ted is always on the move. His attention to detail helps make him an extremely gifted artist and his resourceful nature rivals that of Macguiver. In the first couple minutes of getting to know him I learned that Ted is playful and loves to joke around which makes him a good friend and well-rounded teammate.

When asked what his favorite part of working at Morsky is, Ted confidently stated, “saving money for things and [his] boss. I really like to have money for things I want.” Ted is a cleaner and detailer at Morsky and loves being part of the team. “Everyone I work with is really nice to me and when I do a good job, they hook me up with a bonus.” Not a bad gig if I do say so myself.

When the clock strikes 4 pm, Ted’s day isn’t finished. In his spare time he likes to tinker with new projects and fix broken treasures. If he can’t fix and sell it, he finds a way to repurpose it. One of Ted’s most recent projects is a mount for his iPod which fastens to the frame of his new bike. Now he can listen to tunes while he rips around town.

Looking around Ted’s home it is easy to see that Ted is passionate about creating

Looking around Ted’s home it is easy to see that Ted is passionate about creating. When he is not fixing up his ride he can be found drawing video game characters, painting fresh canvasses in his art class, and playing through games on his Xbox. One of Ted’s favorite games is Minecraft; a game where one builds and plays characters of their own design in a world which is also designed by the game player.

Finally, I asked Ted about his dream job. “I love cars,” he beamed. “I’d like to work with Monster trucks or clean Nascars. Maybe a mechanic.” It sounds like any pit crew would be lucky to have your creative vision and playful personality. Thanks Ted!

 

Ben Morris,

Community Education and Outreach

 

Bronwyn loves meeting new people and forging new friendships in her community.

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Over the last four years Bronwyn Lenton-Young has been volunteering in her community. Whether she is sorting and preparing food to be distributed from the food bank or delivering hot meals to the doors of people around Regina with Meals on Wheels, Bronwyn has learned to find joy in helping others. In addition to providing safe and healthy meals to her community, she has also learned important skills in cleanliness and sanitation in the kitchen. What started as housekeeping and sanitation at the Regina Food Bank has made its way into Bronwyn’s natural skill-set in the home as she becomes more familiar with her role.

Bronwyn’s ultimate goal is to become employed in customer service and to create permanent income for herself. She loves meeting new people and forging new friendships in her community. She has accomplished this in her role at the Regina Food Bank but perhaps most evidently with the people she meets on her Meals on Wheels route. When asked about her role at Meals on Wheels, she speaks more about the people on the route than the actual volunteering itself; Citing birthdays and her knowledge of the people she meets on a personal basis. Her infectious smile and ability to engage conversation with anyone strengthens her case for this award as it is directly related to her helpful role in the community. She cares about people and unknowingly brightens the days of those whose path she crosses.

She cares about people and unknowingly brightens the days of those whose path she crosses

Through Bronwyn’s experience volunteering with the public and with her ever developing knowledge of safe food and better housekeeping practices, she has evolved into a very independent woman. In Bronwyn’s home you will find her preparing her own meals as well as keeping her space clean and tidy. She is a terrific housemate to her friend Gillian, a great member of the Regina community, and a valued member of our COR community as well.

My favorite part about Bronwyn is that she is unassuming and humble. She expects nothing and is thankful for what she receives. When asked if she was aware of how valuable her role in the community was, she replied with, ‘my parents are proud of me. And Shea [Bronwyn’s Team Leader], she is proud of me also.’ Bronwyn helps people every day whether it be in providing healthy meal options to the less fortunate or by helping to keep the levels of cleanliness at work and at home suited to the highest of expectations. She would never ask for credit and that is why she deserves our recognition.

Thank You B!

On October 25th, 2017, Bronwyn was the recipient of the Al McGuire Award for Community Involvement. Watch SARC’s Celebrate Success video here.

 

Ben Morris,

Community Education and Outreach

 

Comic Book Club Brings Laughs and Lifeskills

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COR, in partnership with Inclusion Regina and the Next Chapter Book Club is hosting a weekly Comic Book Club at Comic Readers Downtown!

Recently featured in the SARC Spring Update, Ben Morris, Comic Book Club Facilitator, had this to say:

“Comic Book Club has been a breath of fresh air. Not only do we get to reacquaint ourselves with our favorite characters and stories old and new, but we get to share them with like-minded friends in a fun and creative environment. Whether we’re reading, story-telling, or just taking out an hour of the day to let loose and laugh, The Club is where it’s at!”

For more information, contact Ben: ben@creativeoptionsregina.ca

 

Nothing makes me happier than hearing about someone’s success at work

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I once heard a George Lucas quote that stuck with me – “Dreams are extremely important.  You can’t do it unless you imagine it.”

When I begin a job search, the first question I always ask a job seeker is, “what is your dream job?” Somewhere in that dream is the perfect job for each person, whether it’s the head coach of the Riders, a free-lance writer for a social media campaign, a chef, a firefighter or Celine Dion’s manager (each of those are real answers I’ve received!).  While I will admit, I’m quite skilled at my job, I may not have the strings to pull to hook someone up with Celine Dion, but I do recognize that within that dream probably lies an interest in popular music, a passion for an instrument, an outgoing and organized personality.  From those traits, a real and meaningful job can be sought.   4to40 prides itself on thinking outside the employment box – focusing on each individual’s uniqueness. No one should be forced to work in a job or an environment that doesn’t make them happy or fuel their passion.  For people who experience disability, work generally is a dream that is accepted as whatever is given to them.  I work hard every day to change that.  When I take individual interests, skills, talents and personalities into account, and then customize and carve roles out within workplaces that are of interest to the job seeker, I open up a whole world of potential for employment.

 

Dreams are extremely important You can’t do it unless you imagine it

Nothing makes me happier than hearing about someone’s success at work, whether that’s an increase in hours, learning a new set of tasks or being invited for beers on Friday after a shift.  The feeling of success at work is so much more than just the job itself. Gaining independence, financial freedom, being a contributing and valuable member of a team, forging real and meaningful relationships.  We all seek these outcomes from our workplaces.  Why wouldn’t the success of 4to40 be measured in the same ways?

For the people I support, becoming employed leads to independence, self-confidence and a feeling of self-worth.  But wait, my role doesn’t end there.  4to40’s partners, the employers we work with, not only see the great value the employees bring to their workplace efficiency, they also recognize how workplace culture changes.  When committed to inclusion – that is, embracing the diversity of every human – employers see that their entire workforce can be more welcoming, patient and empathetic.  Workplace culture becomes more supportive of everyone, ensuring that all talents and successes are celebrated and acknowledged.  4to40 encourages employers within our community to create an environment where all employees feel connected, valued and safe.  Through the support of our project, job coaches and willing peers in the workplace – all these important needs can be met, and dream jobs can be achieved!

Miranda Klinger

Employment Partnership Consultant, 4to40

 

Finding the perfect job is hard!

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Jessie loves sport! Being active is a giant part of his makeup (blueprint) so a job at the University of Regina in the athletic department was an obvious and easy transition for him. After more than a decade of employment at a local grocery store, Jessie knew it was time for a change. Jessie’s friendly and conversational nature now thrives on the busy and bustling Regina Campus. “I get to meet a lot of people and chat them up all the time! Sometimes [my friends] come by and say hi which is pretty cool too.”

Jessie’s extremely conversational personality mixed with his natural ability to make people smile makes him the perfect candidate for a role in customer experience. On finding a job that fits his talents, Jessie also stated that, “If I am not checking people in to the gym, my boss lets me clean the equipment and chat with people around the gym. I have a good boss.” Consumers in health services have so many options nowadays with gyms popping up on every corner. Jessie has found a way to make that experience different at the U of R.

I have a good boss

In addition to being able to use his natural abilities every day in his role at the gym, Jessie is able to feed his need for sport after hours as well. Once Jessie punches the clock at the end of his day he is able to make use of the facility. When asked about the perks of his role, Jessie’s eyes lit up to say, ‘I have my own student card and can play ball or sit courtside to watch the Cougars play as long as I am not on the job.” Jessie went on to say with a grin, “sometimes I get tempted to shoot a couple hoops when I’m on break, but I know it looks bad on the resume!”

Finally when asked what he does with his hard earned paycheck he replied, “I save it. I don’t spend a lot. I guess I do want a DeRozan Jersey to wear while I am shooting hoops, but that’s it.” Not only is he an athlete and social butterfly, but he is responsible too!

Finding the perfect job is hard. Feeding the soul and the bank account is often something that we have to do separately; making time in our lives for both. Jessie has managed to find a role with the University that not only takes care of both of these life necessities, but nourishes them as well.

Great work Jessie!

 

To learn more about Inclusive Employment, visit: www.4to40.ca.

 

Ben Morris,

Community Education and Outreach

 

Culture of Gentleness: A Promising Practice for Supporting Vulnerable Individuals

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Global Regina Click here to watch the interview on Global.

 

CTV Morning LiveClick here to watch the interview on CTV Morning Live.

 

Culture of Gentleness