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This is Landon Gordon. This is his WHY!

What’s Your Why?

COR has over 220 employees, all with different stories. This blog series will highlight some of the amazing people that work at COR and what fuels their passion and purpose.

This is Landon Gordon. Landon is a support and has worked at COR for 9 years. This is his WHY!

 

What brought you to COR?

We shared similar philosophies on how to support people with intellectual disabilities.

Why do you stay?

Strong leadership, an inspiring culture and great people.

What’s the best thing about your job?

Helping others help themselves in a way that I would want to be helped.

What’s been the most impactful or meaningful experience you’ve had?

Seeing the power of relationships and learning that anything is possible when a person has a nurturing support system.

What do you wish others knew about supporting at COR?

Gentle Teaching and personalized support plans are the best way to support someone.

 

 

This is Michelle Scherle. This is her WHY!

What’s Your Why?

COR has over 220 employees, all with different stories. This blog series will highlight some of the amazing people that work at COR and what fuels their passion and purpose.

This is Michelle Scherle. Michelle is a Home Supports Coordinator and has worked at COR for 3 years. This is her WHY!


What brought you to COR?
Mostly by luck! I’ve been supporting people for years and I knew of COR for quite some time. I had co-workers that left where I was working to go to COR and all of them encouraged me to come here as I wasn’t loving where I was working, but I loved what I was doing. After a hard day at my previous job, my co-worker told me to go to COR’s website. I applied right away and here we are!

Why do you stay?
There are so many reasons why I’m here for life. COR is unlike anywhere I’ve supported before, I felt like I found my forever home as soon as I started here. One of the things that I love most is that I feel like I’m being invested in. I’m constantly being invited to learning opportunities, and new trainings so I can further my knowledge and expand my skill set.

What’s the best thing about your job?
The kindness and love is overwhelming! When you hear someone say, “my COR family” it really is the truth. We care about one another so much and want to see one another succeed. While here, I’ve been lucky enough to build some of the most meaningful relationships in my life.

What’s been the most impactful or meaningful experience you’ve had?
It’s hard to pick just one, so I’ll pick my first meaningful experience at COR! I supported someone who was going through a difficult time. After several weeks and a lot of long days, she came up to me with tears in her eyes and said, “thank you for helping me that night”. I knew something I did made a difference for someone I cared about. She’ll still bring up that when we see one another now and as much of an impact it may have made on her, it made an even bigger one on me.

What do you wish others knew about supporting at COR?
I wish people knew how fun it is to be a part of the COR family! We have so much going on and something for everyone to enjoy. There are tons of social events and there’s always something going on in the studio. It’s a great place to build relationships and rarely does it feel like work!

 

This is Michael Clark. This is his WHY!

What’s Your Why?

COR has over 220 employees, all with different stories. This blog series will highlight some of the amazing people that work at COR and what fuels their passion and purpose.

This is Michael Clark. Michael is a support and has worked at COR for 3 years. This is his WHY!


What brought you to COR?

I originally was referred by Abigail Frasz. I have always had an interest in helping people and have kept in contact with people from my high school in Manitoba that experience a disability.

Why do you stay?

The people I support and the people I work with. The flexible schedule is also great!

What’s the best thing about your job?

The relationships I have with the individuals I support.

What’s been the most impactful or meaningful experience you’ve had?

Some of the trips I have gone on (Calgary & Toronto with Peter and Saskatoon with Patrick). Also getting to know the Danakas family has been a great pleasure.

What do you wish others knew about supporting at COR?

How rewarding it is. It’s rewarding in the way I’ve been able to build relationships with the people we serve. It’s rewarding to see how you can have such an impact on someone’s life and how much you can help be a positive influence as well. It really brings value to what we do.

This is Brooks Ross. This is her WHY!

What’s Your Why?

COR has over 220 employees, all with different stories. This blog series will highlight some of the amazing people that work at COR and what fuels their passion and purpose.

This is Brooks Ross. Brooks is a support and has worked at COR since December 2018. This is her WHY!

What brought you to COR?

I had just moved home from living in Ohio for 3 months and during that time was let go from my long time job. I was honestly lost and didn’t know what to do or what I would be able to do with only half a university degree at 23. I then saw a posting on Facebook for COR and messaged my friend Sawyer who was an employee at the time. I asked him what exactly COR was and what he did with the organization. After hearing back from him I applied and was hired almost right away and I’m SO happy it worked out that way because it really is an amazing place to work.

Why do you stay?

I stay because I’ve never felt more accepted and supported in anything I’ve ever done. The people who work at COR alongside me are not just my fellow supports they are some of my closest friends. The community that Michael, Jim and everyone else has created is something I’ve never been able to experience before. Also, the love and kindness shown to everyone across the entire organization is something rare in today’s world. Day in and day out I see it and, I experience it. It’s something really special.

Whats the best thing about your job?

For me, the best thing about my job is that every single day I have the ability to directly make an impact or difference in the lives of those I support and those I support alongside of. I also believe that the people I work with and the individuals I support have made me a much better person in so many ways.

Whats been the most impactful or meaningful experience you’ve had?

The most impactful experience I’ve had actually just happened over the weekend. As COVID-19 is changing everything we know about our daily lives, it’s also changing the way we, as essential workers, do things. I have gone from supporting 4 amazing ladies to just 2 now. I haven’t seen one of the girls I support in over a month and usually we’re together every week. She’s like my little sister and hanging out with her is the best part of my week. On easter Sunday, as I was supporting, the girl I haven’t seen in a month and her mom stopped by the house to put a gift in the mailbox. She rang the doorbell and then stepped back for distancing purposes, and told me she made me a friendship bracelet and a note. As I looked at her from 6ft away I just wanted to hug her and was so overcome with emotion and love for this young girl. It was such an emotional moment and for me, this bracelet is a symbol of how much love she has for me and how much I mean to her. I realized in that moment that I truly make an impact in the lives of the people I support and that the things I do, although they may seem small, they really do mean a lot.

What do you wish others knew about supporting at COR?

I wish that others knew how amazing COR is and that it’s not just a job. You meet the most amazing people, not only the individuals who call COR their forever home but the office crew, the support teams we serve on and the other supports from the different teams. I wish others knew how to live by what gentle teaching is because I am so happy I am able to live that way now and don’t know how I didn’t before. COR to me is what community and inclusion is all about. It’s not about rules or guidelines it’s about making sure everyone is able to achieve the things in life they want and to live with nothing but love and support.

 

COR Festive Party 2019

I have allowed the practices of Gentle Teaching to bleed into all aspects of my life

Making sure someone is feeling safe, loved, and engaging in whatever we are doing has allowed so many relationships to flourish and has made me a better care giver and support

When I started supporting with Creative Options Regina two years ago I had a very different understanding of Gentle Teaching. After supporting in this environment, having the pleasure of taking both Gentle Teaching Levels 1 & 2, as well as the countless other training’s provided by COR, I have completely transformed my understanding, and my way of supporting. Being able to support someone in such a positive environment, one that is flexible to the needs of the individuals rather then having them bend to the needs of the organization, has allowed me to see so much growth and positivity in the lives of the individuals I support, as well as one’s I have had the pleasure of meeting and spending time with. I have allowed the practices of Gentle Teaching to bleed into all aspects of my life. Making sure someone is feeling safe, loved, and is engaged in whatever we are doing has allowed so many relationships to flourish and has made me a better care giver and support.

I have allowed the practices of Gentle Teaching to bleed into all aspects of my life

Lauren,

COR Family Member

COR featured on AMI: Our Community

In August 2018, COR was featured in a documentary that aired to a national audience highlighting our approach to services. A special thank you to the AMI team and Halter Media for capturing our story so beautifully! We are very appreciative.

To learn more: https://www.ami.ca/category/our-community/media/creative-options-regina

People experiencing disability often don’t have the same options afforded to them as everyone else. Through personalized support services and the Gentle Teaching philosophy, Creative Options Regina aims to change that.

I have seen tremendous transformations in the people I support

I, Jusinda, have had the opportunity to work with people who each have their own unique abilities. I have been able to become creative in a variety of different ways to create a barrier free environment for the individuals I support. The training I received — Gentle Teaching and application has given me the tools to give value to relationships. I have come to have more compassion for individuals that have been in the system for most of their lives. It can be very complex; respect is not complex. Since I have been able to apply the skills I have acquired at COR I’ve come to realize our time and attention are our most valuable resources as people. So when we choose to focus our time and attention on people, and with that compassion, beautiful things can grow.

its what i look up to

I have seen tremendous transformations in the people I support at COR with Gentle Teaching tools I have utilized. I have had the ability to learn from mistakes and grow through relationships. I have learned that relationships are not easy in this context, but I have chosen to give my time and attention to the individuals that I serve because I genuinely care about their progress and passions. I truly pride myself in being a part of the COR family, because COR is not your typical 9-5 job, as a support worker my job has taught me to be patient in the process of growth, and that growth is ongoing. The individuals I support at COR are my equals, my friends and the level of passion I see in them are what I look up to. They have shown me more about myself than I ever imagined. Gentle Teaching is effective and in line with my values about the approach taken when having a working relationship with individuals with varying abilities.

 

Jusinda

COR Family Member

COR Family BBQ on Willow Island 2017

Angie's FamilyChris & JessicaFiring Up the GrillGarth & LavinaJamie, Megan & JCJasen & FamilyJeff Playin FootballJessie & DadLisa, Mara and BrookSmileLori and DadMarshmallow RoastMckenzie, Kelsey & AbbieMichael & ChristineRelaxingThe GangRene and LavinaTommy & MomTiffany and GangAdam and DadTrent and FamilyWhitney & ShaunWillow Island

Gentle Teaching really made me assess my own life

Gentle Teaching has transformed the person I am as well as the person I aspire to be in many ways. What started out as a “job” in the beginning, quickly became “spending time with the guys” and this was because of Gentle Teaching. I think essentially, Gentle Teaching allowed me to understand the importance of living in the moment and appreciating the little things in life. I started realizing quickly the opportunities for learning and life experiences that these guys I support had missed out on through their lives because people who were supposed to “care” for them, honestly did not care. Showing them first hand that they are just like everyone else and have the freedom to make their own choices was sometimes anxiety filled. In the end though, not only did they learn something, but I did as well – how much I took for granted in my own life.

gentle-teaching-has-allowed-me-to

Gentle Teaching really made me assess my own life to what I viewed as important and what others thought I viewed as important because these are very different categories. Gentle Teaching has allowed me to view situations from multiple perspectives which enhances my problem solving skills. I think someone cannot fully understand this culture of gentleness until they are fully immersed in it. In order to fully understand the culture of gentleness, it is important to allow yourself to be vulnerable not only with the individuals you support, but your support team as well. I’ve never had a job where I could discuss personal struggles with a coworker and come out feeling more equipped to support rather than being torn down and humiliated. I have truly been blessed with an amazing COR family and continue to grow and thrive because of them. Gentle Teaching quickly becomes a way of life and you begin to realize how often you use it outside of supporting. I look forward to using my experience with the culture of gentleness in my future endeavours of nursing and beyond.

Shelbi, COR Support