Meet the COR Family: Ryan Halvorson
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.
