Employees at Creative Options Regina with a client. Supplied photo
The job of providing supports for people with disabilities or those struggling with their mental health can take a heavy toll, though Creative Options Regina discovered when you care for the caregivers it benefits both the clients and the company.
This is their second year being named as one of Saskatchewan’s top employers. This year will mark Creative Options Regina’s 10th year in business though executive director Michael Lavis notes it was about seven years ago when the company started to refocus their efforts to create a healthier and happier work environment for their employees.
“The field of work we are in may not be physically demanding, but it’s very emotionally demanding,” he explained. “We need to ensure our employees feel supported and have the supports they need to be doing well both physically and mentally to be able to provide the quality care.”
Lavis said the key to providing this supportive work environment was to understand the needs and wants of their employees, which he credits as being the non-profit’s most valuable assets, and make sure they felt valued, respected and that their voices were being heard.
Not only do they offer their more than 200 employees flexible hours — including the opportunity to work shortened and condensed work weeks — and the option to telecommute, they also encourage the employees to share their passions — leading to the introduction of a number of sports teams, clubs and fun nights out.
“It’s about facilitating relationships both in and outside of work,” Lavis said. “When you think about the amount of time people spend in the workplace throughout their life, you would hope they have those relationships and connections with their coworkers.”
Putting these extracurricular activities in place is generally at a very minimal cost to Creative Options Regina, Lavis said. Even when there is a fee — such as the $1,000 entry fee to participate in the Regina Dragon Boat Festival — the amount of time and the number of employees who come out to support is more than worth it.
“All summer long they practice once a week, they’re engaged in this physical activity and connecting by doing something that they all love. So to me, thats $1,000 well spent,” he said. “Sometimes you just have to give it a try.”
Though Lavis notes it’s not always easy to manage the different needs of all their employees, he says this approach has also helped them retain employees longer — which in turn has helped maintain a sense of trust with their clients alongside the high quality of care they are known to provide.
“In the support services sector the turnover rate is quite, quite high and we’ve been year after year between nine and 14 per cent — which is a fraction of the provincial average,” Lavis finishes. “I believe a big part of that is because of the work environment we are cultivating and the attention we pay to our employees.”
https://creativeoptionsregina.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Banner_SM_FB.png6461709Michaelhttps://creativeoptionsregina.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/cor-top-employer-2019.pngMichael2019-02-13 17:23:312019-02-13 17:46:00Caring for the caregivers is key for Creative Options Regina
February 13th, 2019, Saskatoon — Saskatoon Sexual Health, Creative Options Regina, and Inclusion Saskatchewan are pleased to announce a new companion website for our modern and innovative sexual wellness initiative Tell It Like It Is! just in time for Sexual and Reproductive Health Awareness Week 2019.
Tell It Like It Is! is a revolutionary program—It is sex-positive, inclusive, and comprehensive; the purpose is to assist diverse learners in making life choices that promote optimal health and wellness in all dimensions of life. Using a compassionate approach, each module offers various learning opportunities through topics such as: communication skills; hygiene; online safety; developing goals and dreams; building healthy relationships; as well as sexual health education on topics such as STBBIs. Evidence indicates that people with intellectual disabilities do not receive adequate health information and education. “It has been our experience that when health education like Tell It Like It Is! is provided participants experience positive outcomes such as identifying healthy relationships, having the capacity to make informed decisions, and have fewer vulnerabilities to abuse.” Michael Lavis, Executive Director of Creative Options Regina.
This project reaches further than the individuals who participate in the programming, as it aims to support caregivers, educators, healthcare professionals, and the disability services sector by sharing information about existing resources and supports related to sexual health and well-being. The demand for this one-of-a-kind program continues to grow, with interest from all over Canada and North America. To increase access to the project, the Instructor’s Manual is available at no cost online at our new website www.nevertmi.ca. The website was created in collaboration with Strategy Lab (Regina), and will continue to grow as a resource hub for sexual health and wellness education for diverse learners.
The goal with this project is to develop a community of individuals and organizations that will respect, value and celebrate the diversity and uniqueness of people with intellectual disabilities and their collective lived experiences. “We are all entitled to loving, fulfilling, and healthy relationships— Tell It Like It Is! promotes an environment where there’s never too much information, and participants are encouraged to ask questions, challenge assumptions, and gain vital life skills” said Heather Hale, Executive Director, Saskatoon Sexual Health.
To learn more about Tell It Like It Is, we invite the community to join us at an upcoming Community Collaboration and Learning Opportunity in Saskatoon on March 15, 2019: Sexual Health Education and People with Developmental Disabilities.
United Nations Population Fund: Young Persons with Disabilities: Global Study on Ending Gender-Based Violence, and Realising Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
https://creativeoptionsregina.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/Screen-Shot-2019-02-13-at-5.45.24-PM.png8641547Michaelhttps://creativeoptionsregina.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/cor-top-employer-2019.pngMichael2019-02-13 14:16:452019-02-14 08:11:23Never TMI website promotes accessible and comprehensive sexuality education for people with disabilities
Two local charities will be receiving $500 each thanks to the Mr Mikes Steakhouse “Deeds Well Done” program.
Organizations were nominated by costumers between November and December last year.
General Manager of the Grasslands Ryan Pylatuk said the winning charities were then based on the impact they have on the community and willingness to help the most vulnerable.
“Family Service Regina was chosen. They work with seniors, adults, children and pregnant and parenting teens to help strengthen individuals and families by creating safe, inclusive and vibrant communities,” he said.
For the location on the east, Plyatuk said Creative Options was selected.
The restaurant chain further noted this provides them the chance to recognize and give back to those who contribute towards making the community a better place.
https://creativeoptionsregina.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/mr-mikes-steakhouse-casual.jpg367550Michaelhttps://creativeoptionsregina.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/cor-top-employer-2019.pngMichael2019-01-21 12:28:412019-01-21 12:37:08Thank You Mr. Mikes!
https://creativeoptionsregina.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/WCB-Sask.jpg6301200Michaelhttps://creativeoptionsregina.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/cor-top-employer-2019.pngMichael2018-12-05 17:00:352018-12-09 17:59:12WorkSafe Sask. connects employers with psychological health expertise
As the director of professional practice for the College of Licensed Practical Nurses of Alberta (CLPNA), Tarnowski provides leadership support to licenced practical nurses (LPNs) in the delivery of safe, patient-centered care.
As the healthcare landscape changes and an aging population increases, so does the need for specialized and responsive healthcare.
She, along with the leadership team at CLPNA asked themselves, “How do we best prepare LPNs to meet the care needs of the changing demographic?”
Social innovation was made for questions like these, says Colleen McCormick, who teaches in the graduate certificate program and brings the principles and practices of social innovation alive as director of Connected Communities BC in the Ministry of Citizens’ Services.
“Social innovation is about co-creating solutions with the people who are living the problems,” she says. “Bringing diverse people and sectors together to radically collaborate on addressing a complex issue at the systems level is what makes the field of social innovation so fascinating to study and play in.”
McCormick says social innovators are driven by social impact, so they don’t care much for “Band-Aid” fixes.
“These solution-seekers want to tackle problems head on. This is not your traditional way of doing business.”
The six-month program is offered through Professional and Continuing Studies and is designed for those looking to incorporate social concerns and solutions into the very fabric of their organizations—whether in government, business or the non-profit sector.
Michael Lavis is the executive director for Creative Options Regina (COR), a non-profit organization that provides supports for adults and youth experiencing disability. He registered for the program to help him identify blind spots within the organization.
“The program is helping us better understand what drives innovation and to dissect and build a strong, healthy vibrant organization that has value for stakeholders,” he says.
Lavis says COR realized the benefit of focusing not only on the people who access supports, but also on caregivers. He says COR knows a strong, vibrant care team is key to providing exceptional care.
“We intentionally shifted our focus and looked at who all of our stakeholders are and what we’re doing to nurture those relationships,” he says. “The program is really helping us frame that.”
Assoc. Prof. Robert Mittelman, one of the program designers, says organizations are increasingly looking to build social needs into their business models.
“Corporate social innovation is about looking forward. It’s about using an intervention to address a social issue, whether it’s a new product, service or a change to how your organization operates,” Mittelman says. “It’s about putting that social issue at the centre of your business strategy.”
The blended program includes three applied courses that introduce participants to the foundations of corporate social innovation, design thinking and the principles of measurement and scale.
“Students go back to their organizations the next day, after a new module is released, and build change right from the start of the program,” Mittelman says.
https://creativeoptionsregina.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Social-Innovation.jpeg6241110Michaelhttps://creativeoptionsregina.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/cor-top-employer-2019.pngMichael2018-09-22 18:00:502018-09-22 18:11:38Royal Roads University article on innovation features COR
While they may not seem that similar on the surface, Mastermind Toys and Creative Options Regina (COR) are two organizations proving that when you take care of your employees, your employees will take care of your clientele. One is a toy retailer and one is a non-profit providing services to people with disabilities, but both focus on creating a warm and caring atmosphere and building a culture based on shared values.
The result? These two organizations have earned exemplary reputations with the communities they serve and enjoy unusually high staff retention rates for their industries.
Mastermind Toys
Mastermind has a unique philosophy for selling children’s toys and books. By fostering an educational approach, the company enriches not only the customer experience but the employee experience as well. In fact, they enjoy an average employee tenure of close to seven years — an almost unheard-of retention rate in retail stores.
Ryan Thorson, store manager of Mastermind Toys Terra Losa in Edmonton, Alberta, believes that the company’s workplace culture promotes a fun and inviting atmosphere that lives up to their motto: “We take play seriously.”
“I wanted to find a company where I could not only pursue career advancement,” Thorson says, “but also have it be a place that shares my values… a family-like atmosphere and a track record for treating its employees with fairness and respect.”
Mastermind was originally opened in 1984 by brothers Andy and Jon Levy in Toronto to sell educational software to families excited about their new home computers. Two years later, they opened a store in the Ontario Science Centre. Now with 60 stores across the country, and growing, Mastermind’s CEO, Jon Levy, understands the impact that his company can have on the communities where the stores are located.
In 2015, the company launched a partnership with WE (formerly Free the Children), a charity that supports youth education in Canada and overseas. In 2016, Mastermind stores raised $400,000, but the initiative isn’t just about giving back to the community; it’s also about engaging employees.
“Anne [Baston, vice-president of marketing] and I started to talk about the charitable side of our business and what we could do to broaden our horizons from the standpoint of how our employees were engaged charitably,” says Levy.
After much deliberation and brainstorming, the company selected WE. Its educational mandate plays well with Mastermind’s objective to sell toys that educate.
When they launched the initiative, many of the company’s younger employees were already familiar with WE from their school days. Selecting a charity with broad appeal, and that their employees were already comfortable with, made for a smooth, easy transference of enthusiasm from the top down. To drive home the impact that they are making through their charitable efforts, Mastermind takes managers of the stores that raise the most funds to Kenya on a yearly basis.
“Behind every great manager is up to 60 employees that get that store to greatness. Two store managers went with me and my wife, Karyn, who also works in the organization, the first year. The rest of their teams back in Canada got a fantastic reward package … Even though they didn’t go on the trip, they were highly congratulated with lots of prizing.”
Levy is always on the lookout for ways to connect with his employees. He started creating videos for the staff that, in addition to educating about a product, also introduces him to all employees in a playful, easygoing manner. This, in turn, helps break down uncomfortable hierarchy in the organization.
“Our inner kid, the way we like to play and what we think resonates with the community, really comes through in a personal way [with this] video program… so, it’s kind of fun,” he says. “When I visit stores, the newly hired staff say, ‘I know you, you’re on the video.’”
“Every store you go into, whether it’s out in B.C. or in Nova Scotia, it feels like family,” says Baston. “There’s a community feeling to all of the stores. Despite the fact that we’re growing… Mastermind does a really good job of hiring people with similar values. You can feel that when you walk into the stores, into the home office. I think that makes it very different from other retailers.”
Creative Options Regina (COR)
A culture of gentleness is woven into all aspects of the organization at COR — not just in how the individuals and families COR serves are treated, but in the people it hires and how each employee is mentored.
Michael Lavis, executive director, says that their method of “gentle teaching” is not specific to disability but rather can be applied to all people constructing supports for marginalized populations. “There are a handful of organizations — I think there are four of us now in Canada — working on this philosophy… which is really the foundation, the bedrock of the work that we do. And this is rooted in whether or not a person feels safe and valued — putting relationships at the core of care giving,” says Lavis.
The company is the seventh-largest care provider in Saskatchewan and employs 200 staff who serve 20% of the most challenging cases in the province’s service delivery system. Like other service providers, COR is contracted by the government to provide personalized support services for people with disabilities. What differentiates them from other providers, though, is the intentional shift they made to focus on their employees — the caregivers.
“By making that shift — by making sure we are nurturing our caregivers and that our employees are feeling cared for — what ends up happening is they give the utmost care to [our clients],” says Lavis. “So, it’s shifting the focus as an organization to our employees — to what the employee experience looks like, what the employee wants, what they need from us to feel supported and how we can really understand what is meaningful to our employees.”
Organizational culture is a popular topic these days, but Lavis challenges people to go one step further and work on shared values, as he feels that that has the greatest influence on culture. “What drives culture is value alignment. That’s something we’ve focused on, understanding the values of our employees … and where we see that alignment and shared common purpose,” he says.
In the Saskatchewan disability services sector the employee turnover rate was around 60% in 2015. By contrast, the turnover rate at COR has remained at a steady 9 – 14% since the company’s inception.
Creating a caring staff atmosphere is about understanding who is working for you and what is important to them. For most employees, a fair wage is critical. But for many that is only a small piece of a larger picture. There are other crucial factors, such as whether or not employees feel engaged and if their ideas and suggestions are listened to and valued. At COR, they have found that exploring employees’ passions and helping them bring those passions to life in the workplace is key.
“We have to have that conversation with our employees, because we need to know what it is that they want and need and whether that is something we are able to provide,” says Lavis.
Helping employees bring their passions into the workplace enables them to impart important life skills. For example, one COR employee who loves cooking offered to teach other employees to cook. As the average staffers’ age is 28, this is a skill that some of them may lack. COR helped the employee develop a monthly cooking class with regular attendance of 10-15 staff, who can now pass that skill onto COR clients.
Lavis says they plan to develop an art initiative next. The idea was brought to him by two employees who wanted to share their passion for art. “It’s a pivotal moment,” says Lavis. “A matter of us saying, ‘Yeah. I’d love to help you. How are we going to do this?’
“It’s easy to think of barriers of why they can’t do it. And that takes the wind out of their sails. But, by saying, ‘I love this idea. We just have to think it through a little bit more. Let’s talk.’ — Then, they are motivated and energized, and you know what? [Here we are now] developing an art studio. There were lots of barriers, but we have been able to work through [them] to be able to see it realized.”
Lavis believes that a customer-centric focus has actually harmed many companies. “People tend to focus on the customer and forget about their employees,” he says. “I think that, whether it’s a for-profit or not-for-profit business, if we want to provide the utmost care for those we are contracted to provide services to, that starts with us caring for our employees. If they feel well cared for, they are going to provide great care.”
Regina group celebrates unsuspecting do-gooders with 100 Acts of Kindness campaign
Creative Options Regina spent winter months handing out gifts, helping community members
By Samanda Brace, CBC NewsPosted: Mar 21, 2018 4:00 PM CTLast Updated: Mar 21, 2018 4:00 PM CT
Ecole Connaught secretary Janine Jackson is given some baking after being nominated through Creative Options Regina’s 100 Acts of Kindness campaign, which recognizes people for their work and contributions. (CBC News)
Parking enforcement officers, drive-thru cashiers and university students are just a few of the people who have been recognized by a Regina group for the often unheralded work they do.
“It gets kind of heavy during the winter months and what better way to lift people up than recognize the significant things they may not realize they are doing,” said Ben Morris, director of storytelling for Creative Options Regina.
The non-profit organization, which offers support services and programs for people with disabilities, has been celebrating people in the city with its 100 Acts of Kindness campaign.
Morris and his team have sneaked into schools, community centres and onto city buses to surprise people and thank them for their work with small gifts like baking and T-shirts.
“You don’t actually have to know the person, or know the ins and outs of their life to recognize they have value,” he said.
Dr. Gordon Chin at the Victoria East Medical Clinic was another recipient of the 100 Acts of Kindness campaign. (CBC News)
The group finds some of its recipients through nominations on its website from people who want to show their appreciation for others who brighten their day, doing 10 acts per week through the campaign since in began in late January.
Feels good to give
Jesse, one of the people supported by COR, volunteered his own time before work for the 100 Acts of Kindness street team.
“It’s pretty fun bringing the T-shirts and cookies to people,” he said.
“It makes them happy.”
Morris and his team surprised Shea Beaudry, a COR support worker, with a nomination during Week 7 of the campaign. As Beaudry drove up to a client’s home, Morris and his team were waiting in the driveway.
Shea Beaudry, a COR support worker, says she was shocked to be acknowledged for her work. (CBC News)
Morris handed Beaudry a T-shirt, a button, stickers and home baking, and read out her nomination.
“When I felt alone, down and not worthy, Shea was there to fill me up and lift me up,” Morris read from the nomination by Maria Koback.
“Shea is one of the most empowering people in this world and I am so thankful to have met her.”
Beaudry was shocked by the acknowledgement.
“It just makes you feel better for doing what you do normally and being yourself,” she said.
The campaign will wrap up once the 100 acts are complete but Morris says he hopes it will inspire others.
https://creativeoptionsregina.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/COR-100-ActsOfKindness.png7881500Michaelhttps://creativeoptionsregina.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/cor-top-employer-2019.pngMichael2018-03-22 08:00:092018-03-28 14:36:46CBC Saskatchewan: Regina group celebrates unsuspecting do-gooders with 100 Acts of Kindness campaign
Published on: December 15, 2017 | Last Updated: December 15, 2017 5:02 PM CST
In this season of giving, reporter Pamela Cowan is profiling some of the organizations and people working to make the lives of Reginans better. Watch for her stories for the rest of the year as we showcase the 12 Days of Difference-Makers.
Staff crowd around Andrew Ronnie and hug him as he blushes. It’s his 35th birthday.
One can feel the love inside the room.
Ronnie says softly: “Now I’m safe.”
It’s a feeling he hasn’t always felt. For many years, Ronnie didn’t feel loved and, in fact, was feared and shunned.
A number of years ago, he spent six months in the psychiatric unit at the Regina General Hospital. After his release, he was in and out of the emergency department.
No one could deal with the violent outbursts he was prone to until a group of special people uncovered his giving heart and his desperate need to feel safe.
He was the catalyst for the development of Creative Options Regina (COR) — a non-profit organization that develops personalized supports for people with a wide range of intellectual disabilities, and often mental health issues.
“They care about me a lot,” says Ronnie, the first person to receive COR services.
“What’s really important to understand is that these aren’t bad people,” says Michael Lavis, executive director of COR. “It’s just the system wasn’t flexible to be able to meet the needs of these folks to provide them with the care they required.”
And so, Lavis Says, COR started working with people “nobody else wanted.”
Andrew Ronnie and executive director Michael Lavis, right, play foosball at the Creative Options Regina office. Michael Bell / Regina Leader-Post
COR was created in partnership with the Ministry of Social Services in 2009.
A year before its creation, the provincial government identified 448 Saskatchewan people with intellectual disabilities and other complex needs who couldn’t access services — many from around Regina.
“We’ve seen families say, ‘We can’t do this anymore’ and they cut ties and that’s hard,” Lavis says. “I can only imagine how painful it is to drop their loved one off at the emergency room and abandon them. That’s happening all of the time.”
So COR, working with others in the community, connects individuals and their families with whatever services are required.
“Ultimately we’re providing support to everyone who is connected to that person’s life,” Lavis says.
The government gathered community-based organizations to discuss who required specialized services and how to provide them. Many were homeless, living in psychiatric units, shelters or hotels and two-thirds had a mental health diagnosis.
Complicating matters was that many were involved with multiple government departments.
“What happens to the people that touch two, three or four of those government departments?” Lavis asks. “What we know to be true is often they fall into these huge gaps that exist in our service delivery system.”
For example, people with mental health issues are the responsibility of the Ministry of Health. Those with intellectual disabilities deal with Social Services. Aboriginal people receive federal supports through Indian Northern Affairs Canada. Those under 21 fall under the Education Ministry and people in trouble with the law are involved with Justice and Corrections.
A number of adults connected to COR endured significant trauma while growing up in foster homes or group homes.
“Trauma that was inflicted upon them by the very people that were intended to protect them,” Lavis says.
Foster and group homes aren’t equipped to provide the supports these kids need, so they’re bounced around in the child and family system, he says. When they reach adulthood, they’re bounced around some more.
Supports through COR are tailored to each individual’s dreams.
Services range from daytime, recreational, supported living and employment supports. Depending on an individual’s needs, home supports might be provided for a few hours a day to 24/7 care.
Based on a companionship model, staff promote each individual’s independence.
“They might help them get up and get ready, grocery shop, prepare meals, do medication management and then help them connect with the broader community, both socially and recreationally,” Lavis says.
Many under the care of COR are society’s most disenfranchised.
When Ronnie moved to a home, he required two-on-one support around the clock. He couldn’t have a roommate because of his violent history.
“(He) came with case file after case file of all the horrific things he’s ever done in life,” Lavis says.
Candidly Ronnie confides he’s “had lots of temper and anger.”
But gradually Ronnie’s life was transformed. In 2012, he moved into a new home with a roommate and now receives one-on-one care.
“I’m working on no self harm and I’m working on not trashing the house — that was in the past,” Ronnie says proudly.
He hasn’t been to the hospital for more than a year, which Lavis credits to COR’s “gentle teaching” philosophy.
When dealing with behavioural issues, staff are taught: “Go for the centre. Mend the heart. All else will follow.”
Among those they had to mend was Gerald, a man with cerebral palsy who was unable to speak.
The first time Lavis met Gerald he was trussed tightly in his wheelchair with restraint upon restraint upon restraint. Boxing gloves and a helmet with face mask prevented the young man from hitting, pinching and biting those around him.
Gerald’s wheelchair was bolted to plywood to prevent him from toppling because of his constant thrusting.
“I remember looking at Gerald and thinking, ‘This is horrifying — straight out of a movie.’ Imagine, in 2009, that this exists in our own community,” Lavis says.
When COR staff started caring for Gerald the first thing they did was remove his restraints. There were ongoing struggles as he continued to pinch and bite.
“He couldn’t walk because he’d been in this wheelchair for so long that he had zero muscle capacity in his legs,” Lavis says.
While the team tried to build trust with Gerald, they gained a champion in the health-care system who discovered he had a bowel obstruction and dental issues.
“When we dealt with those underlying health conditions, the pain stopped and the hitting of the head stopped,” Lavis says. “Some of that violence that we saw was him trying to tell us, ‘I’m in pain. I hurt.’ ”
Eventually Gerald moved into a home with a roommate and has learned to walk unassisted.
“He has to hang on to the railings in the home, but there’s no helmet, no gloves, no restraints,” Lavis says.
***
Over eight years, the non-profit organization has grown to 170-plus employees who support more than 50 high-needs people.
“If there was a blanket diagnosis that I could give to everyone that we provide services to, I would say that it is a deep sense of loneliness,” Lavis says. “A deep sense of disconnect. These are folks who have very few, if any, true friends — unpaid, natural supports in their lives.”
In Saskatchewan, 170 community-based organizations provide services to roughly 5,500 adults with disabilities.
Within that group of people, approximately 100 have been identified as having complex and challenging support needs. COR supports 19 of the 100 people.
Funded by the provincial and federal governments, COR has an operating budget of $7.8 million.
A number of COR participants have had lengthy stays in the mental health unit — the shortest being three months, the longest being 19 months.
“When you sit down and evaluate the cost of daily police interventions and all of the emergency room visits that happen weekly and the stints in the acute care settings — this is a fraction of the cost,” Lavis says.
To meet a growing need, Rory McCorriston, director of people and culture at COR, hired 30 employees in the past year.
“The majority of our organization is made up of support people,” he says.
The average age of staff is 28 — a good fit for the people they serve who are, on average, in their 30s.
Rory McCorriston, director of people and culture at Creative Options Regina. Michael Bell / Regina Leader-Post
It’s not uncommon for COR to hire people without previous disability experience.
“In some situations, it’s almost preferred because often if you have people who have done this type of work in a more traditional setting or have done it for a long time, they come in with their own set of ideas about caregiving,” McCorriston says.
Staff turnover is low and jobs aren’t posted because people send in unsolicited resumes after hearing COR’s story.
“In this industry of disability work, it’s common for an organization to have high staff turnover,” McCorriston says. “But when the basis of our philosophy of caregiving is building relationships, it’s hard to build a relationship if you’re only there for under a year.”
Staff help people gain abilities and return power to those who have felt helpless for years.
“Every day we’re hoping to come in — not to dress them, but to help them pick out the right outfit,” McCorriston says. “It’s not cooking and cleaning for that person, but doing it together.”
***
Chris, another young man, was a conduit for great change in Saskatchewan.
“He fell victim to that trap of living in the psychiatric ward for 19 months,” Lavis says. “Can you imagine, at a cost of $2,000 a day? He was there because there was no place for him to go.”
COR worked with Social Services and Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region’s Mental Health and Addictions Services to create supports for him. Provincial funding was used to hire a psychiatric nurse. Together they provide proactive mental health supports.
“Much better than queuing up at the emergency room and waiting for a six-month appointment with a psychiatrist, which is the norm,” Lavis says.
Another initiative rolled out two years ago after COR was asked to help a 14-year-old boy with autism who had significant behavioural challenges.
Executive director Michael Lavis. Michael Bell / Regina Leader-Post
“The system was really challenged to provide supports to him,” Lavis said. “Through that process, we changed our mandate to include youths and get involved earlier with these kids so we can put an end to that revolving door and they don’t fall off that cliff when they graduate to adulthood.”
Now COR supports youths who have intellectual developmental disabilities and mental health issues.
“Our hope — and I say hope because it hasn’t happened yet in the province — is that these kids are going to be able to transition from Child and Family programs to Community Living — the department within Social Services for disabilities — and the transition doesn’t disrupt their lives,” Lavis says.
This summer, COR opened its second youth home and currently provides 24-hour support for three individuals.
“The plan is to add another one or two kids this winter, but we’re also providing support to children who are living in the family home,” Lavis says. “Often the system forces the families to the brink and they have no other option, but to hand their child over to the system.”
More avenues opened four years ago for those with disabilities when COR partnered with Campus for All, a unique program at the University of Regina.
Every year, 12 students with intellectual disabilities participate in the inclusive post-secondary education program and convocate after four years.
“Campus For All was doing a fantastic job of the academic and social piece, but where they were struggling was the employment part,” Lavis says. “We have a number of folks really starting to thrive in the community and they want to work. They want a paycheque and they want meaningful work.”
To address that need, COR and Campus for All partnered to create 4 to 40, funded through the Ministry of Economy.
The employment initiative connects individuals involved in Campus For All and COR with employers who provide a flexible four-to 40-hour work week.
“Community employers want to be inclusive, they want to have diverse work forces and they understand the importance and the value that diversity brings, but they don’t really quite know how to do it and they need help — particularly with the demographic that we’re serving,” Lavis said. “There’s a lot of fear and apprehension around what that looks like.”
Brittany Bechard, left, and Serena Bernges at Creative Options Regina. Michael Bell / Regina Leader-Post
COR participants work at individualized jobs at businesses including SeedMaster, SaskTel, Dutch Industries, Meyers Norris Penny and Farm Credit Canada.
Employers are not subsidized and the paid employment includes benefits and pension.
Job descriptions and work hours vary, but the benefits of a meaningful job are the same — greater self esteem and inclusion.
“We have a guy working at the SaskTel warehouse that went from a few hours and now he’s up to 30 hours a week,” Lavis said.
Job coaches from COR help individuals integrate into the workplace.
“It’s really helping to set that person up for success,” Lavis says. “When I talk about success, I mean developing not only their skills, but connecting them to the relationships that come with any place of employment.”
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Lavis is passionate about his work.
“So many people that we serve have been given such horrific labels and diagnoses — this laundry list of all these bad things they’ve done and these are some pretty amazing people… How do you give them that opportunity to shine so others can see that value as well?”
Prior to becoming one of the founders of COR, Lavis spent 12 years working with marginalized children and women in post-conflict zones around the world.
The 38-year-old worked on projects funded by the Canadian government, Oxfam in Great Britain and other international development organizations in places like northern Uganda and southeast Asia.
Back in Regina, Lavis insists he’s one of a team working to make a difference.
“We have this incredibly passionate young board made up of community professionals from varied backgrounds that are really committed to social change,” he says. “They don’t have a background in disability — most have zero connection, like myself, to disability. They’re very supportive of what we’re doing because they believe in the vision.”
When Serena Bernges, one of the younger residents of Valley View Centre in Moose Jaw, moved to COR in 2016 she was adamant she didn’t want to live with roommates or a group of people.
She wanted her own place in Regina.
Bernges has a soft spot for Valley View where she had friends throughout the institution, but she has new-found freedom in Regina.
The 43-year-old lives in a self-contained suite in a small bungalow with another woman. No longer does she share a bedroom and best of all, she gets to cook her own meals.
“I make stuffed mushrooms, lasagna and sausage and hot dogs,” Bernges says. “I live in the best house in the world.”
https://creativeoptionsregina.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Leaderpost-Image.jpg630840Michaelhttps://creativeoptionsregina.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/cor-top-employer-2019.pngMichael2017-12-17 13:19:532017-12-17 13:19:53'Mend the heart. All else will follow': Creative Options Regina creates new life for many with disabilities
The University of Regina hosted a Press Conference on October 28th, 2016 in celebration of 4to40 and the National Disability Employment Awareness Month. The event was attended by over 100 employers, community leaders, partners and 4to40 job seekers.
We are proud to have Dr. Vianne Timmons, President of the University of Regina, Michael Hoffart, President & CEO of Farm Credit Canada, and Hon. Laura Ross, MLA for Regina Rochdale, support our efforts to increase employment opportunities for all those we serve.
For more information on Inclusive Employment, visit: www.4to40.ca
https://creativeoptionsregina.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/IMG_4776.jpg16672500Michaelhttps://creativeoptionsregina.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/cor-top-employer-2019.pngMichael2016-10-28 15:00:482016-10-29 00:20:284to40 Press Conference: National Disability Employment Awareness Month recognized at the University of Regina
https://creativeoptionsregina.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Vital-Signs-2016-Report.png7901876Michaelhttps://creativeoptionsregina.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/cor-top-employer-2019.pngMichael2016-10-04 13:00:472016-10-13 09:35:234to40 Featured in 2016 Vital Signs Report: Economic Belonging -- Building an Inclusive Workforce