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Meet the COR Family: Haley Zora-Boersch

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Hi there! I am Haley! I am COR’s registered dietician! I have been a part of the COR family since April 2022! Although I have been at COR for a short amount of time, I have loved being a part of the health team and felt so comfortable and valuable immediately! I first learned about COR from my sister-in-law, Mandy Boersch, who is the Director of Mental Health at COR and coaxed me back from Halifax to work here (and I’m so happy she did!). My favorite part about being at COR has been rapport-building and getting to know the people we serve. Everyone is so unique and wonderful in their own way. My proudest moments are after the Friday cooking classes when people try food that they’ve made themselves and realize they like it- especially when they were sure they wouldn’t. Also, their excitement and when they’re proud in themselves, make me feel really accomplished.

My advice for prospective COR candidates is to always be learning and growing because education and knowledge are so valuable. This doesn’t necessarily mean formal education, but life experience and always being curious will help immensely!

Fun facts about me!

  • My favorite book right now is “Field Guide to the Haunted Forest”
  • Random facts about me – I’m a cancer survivor (lymphoma), I ride motorcycles, and I have a collection of framed animal bones/ bugs, some of which I’ve found on hikes.
  • I’m quite active in my free time and have made a point of trying new things lately. I’ve played ringette for many years, we have a group of us that recently started CrossFit, I’ve been trying pole fitness, and very recently started rugby pre-season training.

Meet the COR Family: Landon Gordon

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Hi there! I am Landon! I am the Youth Experience Advisor at COR! I have been at COR for 12 years now and first started as a support which eventually led me to become a key support, and team leader, and then to the position I am in today! Believe it or not, I actually found out about COR through Kijiji! One of my favorite projects is helping start new teams! It is so amazing to watch the progress of the people we support as well as watch the progress of their teams! One of my favorite parts of COR is just being there! It is such a great organization and supports people in the best way possible! If I had any advice for anyone who is thinking about joining COR, it’s that COR is a great place filled with even better people.

Fun facts about me! 

  • My favorite book is S. by Doug Dorst

  • My favorite quote is “Happiness is a journey, not a destination.”

  • In my spare time, I like to visit with friends and family.

Meet Our COR Family: Shannon Wiebe

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Hello!!  My name is Shannon. I am one of the mentors and have been with COR for the past five years. I also facilitate Coaching and Gentle Teaching Training, as well as complete Personal Outcomes.  My days are filled with many different and meaningful opportunities to connect with others. From spending time with those we support and their families to all of you! Prior to COR, I was the Coordinator with Regina Residential Services Co-management Committee.  For 18 years, I had the privilege of planning with families.

I always look forward to the summer BBQ’s when I visit with families who share with me how happy they are that their son or daughter is living a purposeful, meaningful, and loving life. A few of my favorite memories over the years have been 100 Acts of Kindness, cardboard box sledding, and chats I have with families.  I also am inspired when someone says to me –

“Guess what I did?”

This could be someone we are supporting who tried something new,  just got a job, met up for coffee with someone, or learned how to garden. It could also be someone I’m mentoring who conquered one of their own personal goals. I’m cheering for all of you!!

Fun Facts about me!

  • My favorite book is my Bible!

One of my favorite quotes is –“Humility is the most beautiful virtue that we can develop”- Joyce Myer.

  • Something people are surprised to learn about me is that I have my motorbike license.   My husband and I enjoy taking trips on the bike together. The farthest we have gone is Monterey Bay, California. In my free time I enjoy walking our dogs, Murphy and Mochaccino, reading,  journaling and spending time with my grandkids (and the rest of my family too) 😉

Meet Our COR Family: Alexa Kupchyk

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Hi, I’m Alexa! I am a support worker for individuals who experience intellectual disabilities. I have been at COR for about 5 years now and first learned about it through a friend after hearing about how much he enjoyed his work at COR! I am currently a part-time support since I am in school at the moment! I have completed my Bachelor of Arts in psychology and sociology, and currently in my third year of a bachelor’s in social work! I am very interested in pursuing a Masters in social work with a focus on counseling so I can become a counselor for people with disabilities one day! Another aspect of COR I am a part of is being the creative encourager! I also teach a dance class during the spring and summer! I have been teaching my dance class for a couple of years now and I really enjoy getting to meet and teach different individuals! Often times I end up learning new dance moves from the people who come to the class which is always a blast!

My proudest moment at COR was when I supported an individual during a difficult evening, and just my presence and the relationship I had built with them leading up to that moment allowed the individual to be very vulnerable and honest with me about their feelings. I felt proud that they felt comfortable enough with me to open up, and also that they were able to express how they felt in a healthy way which is something we had been working on for a long time. My relationship with that individual has only continued to grow since then and even though I am no longer on their team, I still see them as much as possible and I consider them a true lifelong friend. My advice for prospective COR candidates is to go in with an open mind and learn as much as you can! COR offers so many incredible training courses that help make us not only better supports, but better people too. I’ve found myself using lots of what I learned in training and through support in my daily life.

Fun facts about me!
-My favourite quote is “failure means you tried”. Trying new things and getting creative is one of my favorite things to do as a support and a creative encourager. Even if things don’t go as planned, I know I tried which is always better than doing nothing. We can always learn from failure, but we can’t learn from doing nothing.
-In my free time I enjoy going to the gym, kickboxing, and spending time with friends and family. I am truly blessed to have so many incredible people in my life and I love being able to spend as much time with them as possible.
-A fun fact about me is that I love adventures and anything that gets my adrenaline pumping! I have been skydiving twice now, and my next big adventure will hopefully be swimming with sharks!

Meet Our COR Family: Dillon Schmidt

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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

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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: Keir Trainor

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Hi, I’m Keir! I’m the People and Culture Advisor! I mainly work within recruitment alongside our Employee Experience Advisor, Casey! In addition, I facilitate payroll for all COR employees alongside Lill! I began my journey with COR working as the Payroll and Benefits Specialist, but quickly moved into what I was really passionate about – people!

I recently celebrated my 2 year anniversary at COR! I’ve been here since late September 2020. Time really flies when you love what you do! I first learned about COR when I was working at PEBA (Public Employees Benefits Agency). I met one of my great friends, JJ Mathieson, who was working full-time at PEBA and supporting overnights at COR. He told me about what he did and that he loved the organization and its culture. From there, I told him to let me know if there were any opportunities to work within COR in a business role! A few months later, he said to me that they were hiring a People and Culture Advisor. I applied for it, didn’t get it, but I was offered a benefits and pension specialist position (very in line with what I was doing at PEBA) and I took it!

My favorite project at COR so far has definitely been Healthy Workplace Month. I spent time over the past year filming different shorts for the COR socials and it was a blast! I’ve realized I’m very camera-shy, but getting out of my comfort zone really stretched me as a person. This year, we’ve decided to garner as many recipes from everyone across the COR family and compile it into a cookbook that everyone can use in their daily life. I’m super stoked to see what recipes come in from who, and try them all out! There are a few major projects at COR that have really strengthened my ability to move through adversity and plan for the future. Before moving to COR, I didn’t have much experience in implementation and planning. I felt very privileged to be able to come into a role that would impact the organization as a whole, as well as to work with incredibly supportive individuals who always had my back through thick and thin!

My advice for prospective COR candidates would be to have an open mind and open heart! Since starting at COR, I’ve really tried to immerse myself in the philosophy of Gentle Teaching and I feel that it’s really impacted how I think, my values, and how I conduct myself on a daily basis. It’s interesting to reflect on prior years and positions I
held in different organizations and see how they compare to COR in terms of culture, philosophy, and structure. I know it sounds cliché, but I really do feel that everyone has my back within COR and that I’m free to take risks and make mistakes without judgment!

Fun Facts about me:
My favorite book is called “Can’t Hurt Me” by David Goggins. It’s an autobiography-style book with some insane stories about persevering through adversity and creating mental toughness within yourself. I think I’ve read it about 3 or 4 times over. I would totally recommend it to anyone who is looking for a brutally honest story about
overcoming obstacles in your life!

I’m a major Dark Knight fan, and I always think back to when he fell down the well in Batman Begins. The quote goes, “Why do we fall, sir? So that we can learn to pick ourselves back up”.

I think this quote is insanely relatable to my life and I can honestly say I hear this quote in my head from Alfred at least once a day! I’m constantly falling down, but it’s having the strength to stand back up, dust myself off, and keep pushing forward that’s so important!

I once had to do a triathlon because I lost a bet with my partner! We were casually chatting about a video game that I play, and I told her it would be impossible for her to reach a “max level” skill in the game. Sadly, she took on the challenge with the prize being me doing a triathlon with her. I laughed in her face but ended up doing the triathlon a few months later…

Meet Our COR Family: Julian Seilman

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Hello! I am Julian and I am a Key Support at COR and have been supporting at COR for 5 and a half years now! I first learned about COR through the Kinesiology Program at the University of Regina! Seeing the people I support grow and achieve milestones in their lives has to be one of my favorite moments at COR!

My favorite project at COR had to have been during my undergraduate studies! I was leading the Transit Travel Training Program, which helped people around the community learn conventional bus routes around the city! It made me feel proud to empower them and give them more opportunities for transportation. One of my favorite memories was being thanked as a team by one of the moms. She was emotional to see her son for the first time in around 30 years being engaged with himself and the community.

At COR, you really learn how to come out of your comfort zone. You build strong relationships and friendships with both the people you support and your co-supports. Everyone is so friendly and understanding, it really feels like being a part of one giant family. Seeing the smiles and the memories you make with the people around you makes you really take pride in being a support at COR!

Fun Facts about me!

I tore my Achilles two weeks after Kevin Durant.

My favorite book is “You Can’t Hurt Me” by David Goggins

Meet Our COR Family: Matt Chin

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Hi, I’m Matt! My role at COR is the Director of Youth Support. I have the privilege of being involved with and overseeing all of the homes and programs that are specifically for Youth. I’ve been at COR for over 11 years now! It seems like a long time but it has all gone by incredibly quickly. When I finished my Kinesiology Degree I was looking for work while I made the decision of obtaining further schooling in the areas of occupational or physical Therapy. A couple of my university professors were on the Board at COR and I had heard them speak briefly about COR. That intrigued me to look into the disability field and I started searching for jobs in that area. Through my church, Shannon Weibe found out that I was looking for work and encouraged me to look into COR. I took her advice and the rest is history!

I’ve absolutely loved being a part of COR’s decision to serve Youth. From the very beginning, there was so much positive energy and excitement at the thought of being able to help kids and provide them with a loving home and stable environment. The prospect of possibly preventing years of unnecessary trauma and countless transitions really resonated strongly for me. Being involved in coordinating the first youth home in COR and seeing everyone come together and be creative in our approaches and with the unique hurdles that youth face was definitely one of my favorite projects so far. My proudest moments at COR come from my deep-rooted desire to be the best “cheerleader” I can possibly be. My role allows me to see different leaders come and go on a regular basis. There is truly no better feeling for me than seeing Leaders succeed and being able to cheer them on in whatever capacity I can. It could be as significant as taking time to coach and mentor someone, or as simple as sending an encouraging message or bringing food to a meeting to show gratitude. It is a core value of mine to be able to support people and give them the opportunities they need to succeed.

My advice to anyone who is looking to join COR is to embrace the challenge! I think people can sometimes see the work that we all do from a very superficial lens. It looks fun to accompany someone to the park or the mall. It seems very easy to share treats, give hugs, or enjoy a hobby with someone. The truth of the matter is that the work we choose to do is hard. It’s hard because we’re choosing to do things the right way. We’re choosing to invest in people and build on genuine relationships. When you can embrace the challenge and realize that the hard work you’re putting in is bettering the lives of the people you serve, it makes everything worth it.

Fun Facts about me:

I love food. I make it a point to travel based on opportunities to try new and intriguing foods. Sharing food with others is a Love Language of mine and most of my social interactions are based around the food that is involved.

I am an introvert at heart. I enjoy spending time alone recharging my batteries through video games and movies. When I’m feeling a bit more social, golfing and eating at new restaurants is usually how I like to spend my time with others!

Meet Our COR Family: Darby Kraus

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Hey, my name is Darby! I am the Team Leader within COR Youth and have been at COR for just over 2 years! I first learned about COR while I was pursuing my Bachelor of Kinesiology at the University of Regina. Throughout my time at the university, I had the opportunity to see a few different presentations from COR in my disability studies courses, as well as listen to my professors talk very highly about the organization and the work that COR does. I knew from those experiences that working with people with disabilities was an interest of mine, but it took me a couple of years to fully figure that out after I obtained my degree. Upon completion of my degree, I worked as a Health Coach for a couple of years before realizing that my true passion was not helping people with their fitness goals, but connecting with them and building a relationship that was more meaningful than that. After some soul-searching and researching, I rediscovered COR, applied, then began my journey in 2020.

One of the best things about COR is that everything we do is rooted in building strong, healthy relationships. Whether that is with the people we support, with our team members, or with the community, everything we do is based on Gentle Teaching and that really allows for everyone to feel safe and valued in their relationships, which in turn creates an environment in which we can help support the people we serve to the best of our abilities. As a team leader, I love being able to create a safe space for my team to be vulnerable in as this helps us have more open and honest communication which I find then directly correlates to the strength of our team when supporting the youth that we support.

My proudest moment so far at COR has been around starting up a brand-new youth home with a brand-new team and seeing that team become such strong, incredible supports. I am so proud of my team for continuing to show up even when things were not always easy and constantly working at becoming stronger, more compassionate people both in the boys’ home and out of the home as well.

My advice to prospective candidates is always to be open-minded and ready to be vulnerable when it comes to building relationships with the people that we support. The key to success is being genuine and bringing the best version of yourself to the table. There will be times when things get tough and Gentle Teaching may not make sense, but don’t be afraid to ask questions and maybe sit in some discomfort to really begin to understand the beauty of Gentle Teaching.

Fun Facts about me:

If I were to choose a favourite book, I would probably have to pick “Radically Happy” because it was such a relaxing book to read and it gave me many tools to use when I am feeling stressed or overwhelmed.

My favourite quote is, “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.”

Some things that I enjoy doing in my free time include working out, playing with my dogs, reading, playing video games, and having coffee/connecting with my friends.