How I Entered The Career of Employment Specialist

Around 13 years ago, I met with a case worker from WorkBC while waiting for surgery. As we chatted about why I was there, I remember wondering what it would be like to have their job. Then I thought about all of the education they must have completed to be in that role and I decided it couldn’t be something for me.

I recently found myself at WorkBC again after a major life transition. I met with my Case Manager a couple of times. We talked about what I enjoyed about my previous jobs and where I would like to go from here. I loved the job I had running our local laundromat and working with people. I’m a very social person so it was a perfect fit for me, but when I moved away for a new opportunity, I had to leave this job I loved. When I moved back, a full-time role wasn’t available anymore.

One day my WorkBC Case Manager called me and asked me to come in. She provided me with information regarding a course to become a Disability Employment Specialist. After reading it I was intrigued, but I was concerned I didn’t have enough of an education to complete it. She quickly assured me that this was something I could do, and I trusted her.

This was a 20-week course, 12 weeks of school, and eight weeks of practicum. Classes were mostly online via Zoom, with the exception of a few in person classes like First Aid. Some days were long, classes ran from 9:30 until 4:30 and were followed by homework, but it was a lot of fun. I looked forward to meeting with my classmates online and getting to know them.

I received so many certificates, including Standard First Aid, Mental Health First Aid, Trauma Informed Care, Non-Violent Crisis Intervention, Inclusive/Customized Employment Levels 1 and 2, and more.

I have learned about different career theories, how to apply them to work with clients with varying needs, and accessibility and inclusion in the workplace (more certificates!).

I am excited about working with clients and helping give them the tools they require to navigate their career path. I have learned so much from this course. I started out not knowing what career theories were and now I understand what they are and how they are helpful. I have never worked before as a career practitioner but I am excited about my future as a Disability Employment Specialist. I know this will help me become better at my job, and I can already picture different scenarios where I can use different theories and models.

But I also developed skills for managing my own career. I now have skills in my toolbox to help slow down racing thoughts and to rationalize what’s going on a little better.

One career theory I’ve enjoyed most is the Chaos Theory of Careers. One of the main principles is to be open minded and curious. I’m not going to lie, when my case worker suggested this career to me, I was completely surprised. I had never seen myself in this kind of employment before although I had often thought it would be a great career. I was open minded and trusted her instinct, definitely curious, and started looking more into it.

This theory suggests experimenting with new things and looking for clues. So many of the things we experienced in the course are things I was wanting to do already: to help myself with helping others. For example, I had already been considering taking Trauma Informed Care certification and Mental Health First Aid. I think these things are the ‘clues’ that this was something in the right direction for me.

The Chaos Theory of Careers also looks at taking baby steps – I need to pay more attention to this one as I tend to feel very overwhelmed quite often, and there is so much going on all the time around me.

Finally, Chaos Theory of Careers asks us to understand the bigger picture. I have an understanding of many of the different things I can do with this training, and I am so thankful. Not only will this help me with my career but it is also very beneficial for any interaction with people on a daily basis.

I am very thankful for all I have learned in this class, and I am excited about the opportunities I now have in working with people.

 Written by: Tamara

Sensory Pathway Provides Elementary Students A New Way To Learn

New addition to Coquihalla Elementary allows kids to self-regulate while developing their motor skills

Coquihalla Elementary students will able to access a new way of learning when they return to school thanks to a donation by Free Rein Associates Training Ltd.

Grade 1 Coquihalla teacher, Heather Link (right) with assistance from her daughter Emma attach decals to the school hallway floors as part of the sensory path.

A Coquihalla Elementary School hallway has been turned into an interactive sensory pathway. Filled with guided movements for kids to follow, this sensory pathway allows students to work off excess energy and develop motor skills such as balance, hand-eye coordination, and spatial awareness. Stickers and decals direct students on how to move and interact within the pathway, providing a variety of exercises that require them to hop, step, and jump through the path. The sensory path is now available for the students to use in between classes or when struggling to maintain focus, with teacher’s permission.

“Bodies – especially children’s bodies – are meant for movement,” said Anders Lunde, Resource and Inclusive Education Teacher at Coquihalla Elementary. “Having a sensory path in the hallway allows children to explore movement within the school and provide opportunities for children to self-regulate. In turn, this should mean less distractions in the classroom and improved learning.”

Following the route of a sensory pathway will allow students to fidget less, increasing concentration in the classroom, and provide a quick activity break to get hearts pumping. Schools who have created similar pathways in their buildings have noted students are able to expend energy that would otherwise lead to disruptive behaviour in the classroom.

The sensory pathway at Coquihalla Elementary was possible through a donation from Free Rein Associates. “It’s no coincidence that the motto of Free Rein is ‘The Reins of Freedom are Found Through Many Paths.’ We are excited to embody our motto in a more literal sense by supporting this project,” said Peter Bailey, Director of Free Rein Associates. “Free Rein has a long history of working with sensory programming. Our clients have benefitted greatly from using sensory integration activities that have led to great success. As a result, we see how this type of strategy can work well in schools.”

Studies have shown that movement stimulates cognitive activity, which means kids may learn better when they’ve been active. Both teachers and children have reported students experience an easier time learning after engaging in sensory activities twice a day.

Want to read more?

News of the sensory pathway was featured in the Hope Standard!

Read Now ->

Care Connections Program Expands With New Funding

Mobile devices like smartphones and tablets have put access to services and health care directly in our hands. However, for many people, this technology is unavailable. If someone is unable to access a smartphone — whether do to cost or digital literacy skills — it often becomes a barrier to receiving critical health care and supports.

This is why Free Rein Associates was excited to launch the Care Connections program for residents in Hope this past summer. Through Care Connections, we offer smartphones to increase access to health and social services for historically marginalized communities. The summer program had 10 smartphones available for people who self-identify as living with a disability and do not currently own a smartphone. The phones have no restrictions to use and are for participants to keep for their personal use even after the program ends.

Care Connections distributed all available phones in under two weeks.

With the proven success of the program, Free Rein Associates is excited to share we received additional funding provided by the Government of Canada-British Columbia Workforce Development Agreement. An additional 20 phones have been made available for persons with disabilities.

To learn more about the program and to find out if you’re eligible to receive a phone, contact Megan via email at megan@freereinassociate.ca or by phone at 604869-6160. You can also drop-in to the Reins of Freedom office at 895A Third Ave during business hours (Monday-Friday from 9am - 4pm, closed for stat holidays). With only 20 phones available, they are available first-come, first-serve.

New Program Works To Connect Employers with Employees With Disabilities

The Right Fit helps people with disabilities find a job that matches their unique skills and provides on-the-job coaching to ensure employment starts off on the right foot.

'The Right Fit' is a new program in Hope that seeks to facilitate supported employment opportunities for people with disabilities and help create a more diverse, inclusive workforce.

Due to the current labour shortage, many employers are looking toward hiring people with disabilities. However, many of these employers cannot get past stereotypical preconceptions about this untapped resource and could benefit from guidance and education in regards to recruitment and retention of people with disabilities.

We also understand how difficult it can be to return to the work force when you have a disability and our program aims to make the process a little easier for our clients. We will support our clients throughout the process of procuring meaningful employment by assisting in the job search, accompanying clients to their job interview, and we will even accompany clients to their first shifts to support them in their training until they are confident in their new roles.

Our ultimate goal is to support our clients in achieving a permanent employment placement by matching clients with employers thus reducing the labour shortage while providing guidance to employers at the same time.

Whether you are a person with a disability hoping to find work or an employer looking to hire, 'The Right Fit' would love to work with you!

Meet the Team

Karen Legere – Community Engagement Coordinator

Certified CDP Employment Services Professional with a demonstrated history of working within the employment services industry. Skilled in Intake and Assessment, Case Management, Workshop Facilitation, & Skills Training Applications. Experienced with diverse groups of clients including immigrant, disability and older workers. Proficient with online database and case management systems. Effective with building successful networking relationships with service providers and community groups within the Fraser Valley. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me by email (karen.legere@freereinassociates.ca), phone (604-991-2278), or check out our Facebook page at your convenience.

Kirsten Pellow – Community Engagement Worker

Hello. My name is Kirsten Pellow, and my family and I are new to the community of Hope. My husband is a first responder in town, and we have two children who are in the local elementary school. We have enjoyed discovering all of our new favourite places in this great community. I have recently re-joined the work force, and am looking forward to helping individuals with disabilities find meaningful employment in this wonderful town! If you have any questions about what employment is right for you, or you would like information about hiring a great member to your team, please contact me via email (therightfit@freereinassociates.ca) or on Facebook.

Looks Can Be Deceiving: Understanding Invisible Disabilities

The word disabled usually evokes images of wheelchairs, canes, ramps, or other visible indicators of an impairment: sign language, hearing aids etc. But there are many disabilities that are considered hidden or invisible. Here are two examples.

What you see: Melanie

Melanie is a 29-year-old mom, dressed in flop flops and a pretty summer dress with two toddlers in car seats. With her permit displayed, she parked her car in the handicapped parking spot, grabbed the kids, and quickly walked with ease into the grocery store. Close behind her was a man who appeared to be very agitated. He confronted her in front of the store and angrily demanded to know why she had the handicapped parking permit and why she was using a handicapped parking when she obviously wasn’t disabled. He scanned her body up and down and then called Melanie a scam artist and told her she should be ashamed of herself. Other people lined up at the cash looked at her with disgust and shook their heads in disbelief. Melanie was humiliated but carried on with her errands.

What you don’t see: Melanie

Melanie is a 29-year-old mom who suffers from COPD as a result of pneumonia as a young child. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, or COPD, is an umbrella term for a range of progressive lung diseases and is the fourth leading cause of death in Canada. Melanie is able to walk short distances but a basic grocery shopping trip can leave her out of breath, dizzy, disoriented, and unable to walk more than a few meters. By just looking at her, nobody would ever guess that Melanie has a disability. In fact, it took a serious incident involving her passing out in the middle of a crosswalk for Melanie to even admit that she had a disability because she was afraid of being judged and labeled. Melanie has had her parking pass for over a year and has been harassed over a dozen times by strangers who question her disability or ask her to prove that she is entitled to accessible parking.

What you see: Larry

Larry is a 45-year-old single man. He works in a production line at a parts factory. For eight hours a day he is stationed on the line flipping components as they are fed into the paint sprayer booth. Larry looks strong and healthy, although a little overweight. At the end of the day, he is usually winded and red faced and often pulls up a tall stool to sit for the last hour of his shift. The other workers on the line aren’t allowed to sit when working and the shift supervisor, Linda seems to turn a blind eye to Larry’s behaviour. The other workers are angry that Larry is apparently allowed to be so lazy and they question among themselves why he is subject to special treatment. Behind his back they call him Larry the Lump and make fun of him after hours.

What you don’t see: Larry

Four years ago, Larry was involved in a horrifying car crash that almost claimed his life. He lost his wife and two children in the accident, and he suffered a traumatic back injury. The PTSD that resulted from the loss of his family left him alienated from family, prone to wild mood swings, paranoid and hyper alert. To add to the misery of his PTSD, the back injury makes it difficult for Larry to stand or sit for extended lengths of time and left him with lingering pain that is just barely managed with pain medication. Larry has worked at the plant for 15 years and the management felt that they would honour his commitment to the company and accommodate Larry’s special needs by providing him with a stool to sit whenever he needed it. Nobody who works around him knows what Larry deals with on a daily basis.

You Don’t Always Know Who Is Living With A Disability

The list of recognized disabilities includes many invisible conditions that seriously impair a person’s ability to live life to the fullest. Invisible disabilities include chronic pain, chronic fatigue, muscular skeletal conditions, learning disabilities, and a full spectrum of mental illness including psychiatric conditions. There are millions of Canadians who deal with invisible challenges every day.

Many Employers Know Creating An Inclusive Workplace Is Important, But They Need Help With The How

How do you create an inclusive workplace? Research shows that some of the keys to creating inclusive environments are exactly as you would guess: researchers see that when an employer focuses most on what a potential employee can do, instead of what they can’t, employees are more likely to succeed. Similarly, when an employer is willing to be flexible, and consider how an employee might work best, perhaps remotely or with a less than traditional schedule, talented people stay in their jobs longer.

In today’s labour market, where many industries are experiencing critical staff shortages, we know employers are primed to do what is needed to tap into talent they may have overlooked before. It’s prime time that employers looked to people with disabilities to fill their labour needs.

When Open Door Group and Presidents Group, two BC based non-profits focused on disability and employment, decided to partner on a project to help employers tap into this underutilized labour pool, that’s where we chose to focus. How do we make a practical tool that can help employers understand what it takes to create a truly inclusive workplace? How do we connect them to the knowledge and resources to get there?

The result is The Disability Inclusive Employer Self-Assessment.

Presidents Group and Open Door Group collaborated to dive deep into recent international research on practices that truly increase inclusion and retention of people with disabilities in the workplace. The result is a 35 question self-assessment which identifies the top practices in areas such as hiring and retention practices, employee benefits, physical and digital accessibility, organizational culture, and metrics.

The Disability Inclusive Employer Self-Assessment is the first of its kind: a disability inclusion self-assessment designed for Canadian employers which helps them gauge their current state and connect to resources to help them improve. It takes about 15 minutes to complete, and it’s free to access. After answering the 35 questions in the assessment, employers immediately receive a report with recommended resources and offers of free support in finding and retaining talent with disabilities.  

If you’re looking for one meaningful action you can take during National Disability Employment Awareness Month, consider taking 15 minutes to gauge your own company’s practices.

If you’re looking for two meaningful actions, fill it out yourself, and tell one other business leader about the tool. Your business will be better for it.

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Trish Kelly is the in-house Accessibility Consultant for Open Door Group, and was project lead in the development of the Disability Inclusive Employer Self-Assessment. She lives in downtown Squamish on unceded territory of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation).

To Disclose Or Not To Disclose: That Is The Question

Many people with disabilities have concerns when conducting a job search about whether or not they should disclose their disability to employers and, if they do, when should they do it.

This has been a topic of discussion for a long time and there are many different views on the subject. Ultimately, there is no one right answer. You need to determine the right decision for your situation. To do this, you need to know yourself enough, know how your disability affects you, and know how it could affect your ability to do the job you’re applying for.

No matter your disability, an employee has no obligation to disclose it to their employer. It is your choice whether or not you wish to share this information, and when you may want to share it.

Disabilities can be visible or hidden, and this plays a role in disclosure. Of course, you can’t hide something that is visible to all, such as a wheelchair. But as with visible disabilities, hidden disabilities can affect your ability to perform a job as well, so there is little difference when it relates to disclosure.

The more important question you want to consider is this: Does your disability, chronic illness or any other limitations you may have affect your ability to perform the job as stated in the job description?

You need to be honest with yourself in identifying potential problems you may face on the job and know just what you can and cannot do. When you begin a job search, you should know what type of jobs you’ll be applying for and review job postings and descriptions for the requirements of the job. This gives you the information about the position so that you can see the different tasks and duties that will be required of you.

Disclosure and Visible Disabilities

If you have a visible disability, you need to be prepared to explain how it will impact your ability to do the job and if there are any accommodations you would require when you go for an interview. Speak about your disability in positive terms, stating what you can do rather than what you can’t.

Practicing mock interviews with family or friends or your employment counsellor can help immensely with getting the wording right so that you communicate what you need to.

Disclosure then becomes a moot point because the employer would know up front and would have expressed their concerns if any. At this point, it is also about educating the employer about your disability and telling them about how you handle your limitations. Employers may not know and be too uncertain to ask questions to learn how to best support you, and this is your chance to do that.

Disclosure and Hidden Disabilities

If your disability is invisible, it becomes a personal choice. Again, keep in mind how your limitations would affect your performance of the job duties. If the limitations you face are stable or minimal then you may not need to disclose any information about your health, it is a personal choice and not required of a candidate. If you decide to disclose at this point, be prepared to discuss it. If you decide you will disclose it later, say when your probationary period is over, then that is again your choice.

Employers are required by law not to discriminate against people with disabilities, but you will never know if you have been declined a job offer due to your disability. Employers will tell you that there is a different reason you have not been accepted for a position such as not being the right fit, or that another candidate has the skills they needed. This is the reason a thorough discussion with your Case Manager or Employment Counsellor will be so important in coming to a decision about disclosure.

For more information on disclosing a disability to your employer and the laws that protect you from discrimination, check out this helpful guide from the Disability Alliance of BC.

Somewhere Else Café Has A Place For Everyone

The Somewhere Else Café sits about 10 kms north of Hope on Hwy #1 in Dogwood Valley. For more than 35 years, owner and head cook Gail Marlatt has served up bountiful fresh home cooked meals to truckers, travellers and locals alike, earning trust and loyalty in return.

We spoke with Gail and her staff about their experiences with employing people with disabilities.

“We are a small place, we’re family. Everyone has a place here.”

— Gail Marlatt

Why is inclusivity important to Somewhere Else Cafe?

Everyone needs a chance. The staff are very protective and support each other. We just take it as it is, working together, learning from each other, and staying flexible.

How has working with employees with disabilities impacted your other staff?

The staff at the café care about each other, they are all are very understanding of each other’s needs. Having co-workers who experience disabilities has helped the team realize that effective communication is very important and that listening is key. There are two young men who work at the café on a casual basis and working alongside colleagues with disabilities has not only taught them compassion and understanding but has also helped them gain perspective on their own challenges.

Have you noticed any impact on your customer experience by hiring persons with disabilities?

Customers have all been just lovely when they see that the restaurant is an equal opportunity workplace. The staff are responsive to each worker’s needs and they work as an effective team; respecting everyone’s abilities and ensuring a positive work experience for everyone.

One member of the kitchen staff, who has a visible disability, is happy to tell anyone who asks that he is saving up his earnings to buy a boat and motor. He is so committed to this dream that he is very frugal with his spending. He resists spending $1.50 on a pop, choosing to either charm the servers into buying his pops or instead saving his money and drinking water on shift. He has a cognitive disability and he is smart like a fox. He knows how to get what he needs at work and the staff enjoy learning more about him every day.

One of the café’s servers shared that customers enjoy interacting with staff and charming interaction between customers and staff will often happen throughout the day. The Somewhere Else Café is one of those comfortable places where total strangers will chat across tables. There’s lots of laughter and story telling and it’s a safe and friendly place for everyone.

What would you say are some of the benefits to being an inclusive employer?

We don’t think about it. Everyone deserves a chance. We take everyone as they are. Hiring people who have disabilities is not new to the Somewhere Else Café. Some disabilities are visible and some are not. The staff is diverse and inclusive and always have been, inclusive hiring has never been a conscious decision. It just happened by being open and receptive and accepting people for who they are.

Ready to diversify your team and become an inclusive employer?

Learn more about hiring people with disabilities and how Free Rein Associates can support.

The Business Value For Inclusive Hiring

An engaged and reliable talent pool is vital to the success of any business, big or small. Who you bring on to your team can be the difference between the success and failure of your business. With labour shortages impacting employers across the country, inclusive hiring practices have become more important than ever.

An inclusive hiring practice is the process of interacting with, interviewing, and recruiting a diverse group of people, and having set policies in place to ensure bias does not interfere with the hiring process. It involves recognizing that employees come from a diverse range of backgrounds, experiences, and beliefs that can strengthen your company. Inclusive hiring should be intersectional, taking into account a number of factors other than gender and race. Inclusive hiring includes hiring people with disabilities.

According to Statistics Canada, there are 645,000 Canadians with disabilities who have the potential to work and are not currently working. Not only will inclusive hiring practices strengthen a business, but it can address the challenges that businesses face due to the labour shortage.

So why aren’t employers engaging more employees with disabilities? This is likely due to the misconception that a person with disabilities wouldn’t be able to perform the duties required of the role and the belief that hiring a person with disabilities would cost the business too much money.

The reality is, employees with disabilities strengthen businesses and support business growth. Here are 6 reasons why you should ensure to follow inclusive hiring practices and not hesitate to hire a person with a disability because of their disability.

Employees with disabilities are productive workers

Ready, Willing & Able is a Canadian national program designed to increase the labour force participation of people with an intellectual disability or on the autism spectrum. Recently, they reported that 76% of the businesses who had hired staff through their program rated their productivity as equal to or better than average.

When employers take the time to learn and understand a person’s disability, it allows employers to make informed decisions on what roles and responsibilities will suit this person best. Many people with disabilities are highly detail oriented and will notice flaws or mistakes other employees will miss. Many people with disabilities find support through routines and become highly effective and efficient in completing their specific tasks.

Every employee will bring different skills and abilities to the work place, including employees with disabilities.

Employees with disabilities are reliable

When a staff member doesn’t show up for their shift, it can greatly hurt the business and staff moral. According to WorkBC, employers have rated the attendance of employees with disabilities as average or better 86% of the time.

Research from the Centre for Inclusion and Citizenship found that employees with disabilities tend to be as punctual or more punctual than other employees 94% of the time. And while many have the misconception that people with disabilities will require the use of more sick days, that same research rated employees with disabilities as well as or better than average 98% of the time in their use of sick days.

Employees with disabilities are loyal

More than ever, employers are struggling to not only find employees but are struggling to keep them as well. However, research shows that inclusive hiring contributes to a stronger, more stable workforce. WorkBC has found that staff retention was 72% higher among employees with disabilities.

Higher retention rates help to reduce costs associated with recruiting, hiring, and training new staff. The higher your retention rate for your business, the higher your profit margins are as well.

Inclusive businesses are more innovative

The pandemic exemplified the need for businesses to be innovative, creative, and flexible enough to pivot quickly and easily. Diversity cultivates stronger creativity. Employees with disabilities are able to bring a new perspective to the workplace. In addition to this, the creativity and flexibility used to meet the needs of an inclusive workforce strengthens those skillsets amongst all of your staff. This allows your entire team to be able to innovate and adapt easier in rapidly changing markets.

Inclusive hiring strengthens your corporate culture

Every business has a corporate culture, whether you hire one employee or one hundred. It is just as important for smaller businesses to consider how the corporate culture is perceived by their staff as it is for larger organizations. Corporate culture plays a role in not only employee retention, but customer satisfaction as well. Happy employees tend to make happier customers. And happier customers tend to spend more money on your business.

Diverse and inclusive teams have been reported to have higher employee moral, enhanced connectedness, and enriched leadership and management skills amongst senior level staff. The same research from the Centre for Inclusion and Citizenship found that employees with disabilities rate as well as or better than average on contributing to a positive workplace morale 99% of the time. Employees with disabilities tend to have a more positive attitude towards their work and that attitude can be contagious amongst other staff.

Inclusive hiring improves customer satisfaction

A 2006 survey of consumer attitudes towards companies that hire people with disabilities found that 92% of respondents regarded companies who hired people with a disability more favourably than their competitors. That same survey found 87% of people indicated they would prefer to give their business to companies who hire inclusively. These days, customers are willing to seek out and work with businesses that reflect their communities and values just as much as they are willing to seek out a good deal.

There is immense value to engaging in inclusive hiring practices. It has been shown that inclusive workplaces see a substantial return on investment not only in profits, but in developing an innovative workplace with strong employee moral and high customer satisfaction rates.

To learn more about hiring people with disabilities, including resources for employers, check out our resource page here.

Rona Hope Building Supplies Lives By Their Values

Rona Hope Building Supplies is a locally owned and operated business in Hope, B.C. . They offer their customers access to all of the top brands of materials needed for building construction or home renovation projects. Rona Hope Building Supplies, part of Fraser Valley Building Supplies, has long been an inclusive employer in Hope.

We spoke with the store manager, Luke Adrian, about his team’s experience in hiring and working with people with disabilities.

Why is inclusivity important to Fraser Valley Building Supplies?

Inclusivity and having a diverse workforce with a variety of skills and problem solving styles is the cornerstone of our team’s strength. One of the values we live by at Rona Hope Building Supplies is fostering collaboration. This goes hand in hand with a workplace where everyone feels like they are heard and have a role to play.

How has working with employees with disabilities impacted your other staff?

Our staff love to work along side our team members with disabilities, and some have been working together for years. Developing friendships, and having shared experiences bring much joy to all involved.

Have you noticed any impact on your customer experience by hiring persons with disabilities?

The impact on our customers has been very positive. All of our people with disabilities live here in the community and the Hope community for the most part is welcoming and understanding. If there has been some negative views held by some, they are in the minority. Retail is a team game to begin with, and we have an amazing team here at Rona Hope Building Supplies. Through supporting one another, good communication and customer service we can turn perceived negatives into positives.

What would you say are some of the benefits to being an inclusive employer?

So many benefits. It challenges us to think outside the norms of society. Teaches patience, empathy and understanding, which are values so missing in todays fast pace world. But mostly, it showcases to all that an inclusive workplace, and by extension, an inclusive word is what we believe in as a company. You have to live your values and be the change your wish to see.

How can employers ensure employees with disabilities feel safe and valued in their workplace?

As employers, we need to know and understand our team members strengths and weakness. Putting our people in situations where natural abilities bring them success is so important. Whether it’s a team member with disabilities or not the formula for feeling valued and safe is the same.

What would you say to other employers who may be concerned about hiring a person with a disability?

Do it. there are always a thousand reasons that you can come up with why something may not work. But if you give service to your fears and doubts you are missing out on a world of possibilities. I like to challenge people with the following quote

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world.

There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.

We were all meant to shine as children do. It’s not just in some of us, it’s in everyone.

And, as we let our own light shine, we consciously give other people permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

— Coach Carter

Ready to diversify your team and become an inclusive employer?

Learn more about hiring people with disabilities and how Free Rein Associates can support.

Why It’s Important To Implement Inclusive Workplace Practices — Even If You Don’t Have Any Employees With A Disability

Strong businesses ensure everyone feels welcome and included. Inclusive businesses treat everyone with respect and dignity. More than anything, an inclusive workplace is a workplace with a culture of safety, equality, and equity of treatment and these values are reflected in everything the business does.

To ensure an inclusive workplace, business owners and managers need to implement and support inclusive policies and practices. These policies need to be shared with employees at all levels. In fact, employees at all levels should feel able to provide feedback and insights into these policies as they will often have unique insights to inclusivity the leadership team may not have.

It’s important to implement inclusive workplace practices no matter what type of business you run or who you hire. Here are three reasons you need to incorporate inclusive practices in your workplace, even if you don’t have employees with disabilities.

Employees may have invisible disabilities and have not disclosed to you.

The reality is, you likely have an employee with a disability. In 2017, the Canadian Survey on Disability (CSD) found that an estimated one in five Canadians — or 6.2 million — aged 15 years had one or more disabilities. Employees may not have disclosed a disability to you, and they are not obligated to do so at any point.

Invisible disabilities can impact individuals as much as visible. ‘Invisible Disability’ is an umbrella term that captures a whole spectrum of hidden disabilities or challenges, primarily neurological. They often come with symptoms such as debilitating fatigue, pain, cognitive dysfunctions and mental disorders, as well as hearing and eyesight impairments and more. Common invisible disabilities include but aren’t limited to anxiety, depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, and fibromyalgia. They cannot be detected in blood tests, X-rays, CT scans, or MRIs — but this doesn’t make them any less real, or any less debilitating.

Workplace accommodations and inclusions must include visible and invisible disabilities. By implementing inclusive workplace practices, you are signifying to your employees with invisible disabilities they are in a safe place to work and will be supported should they need to request accommodations or decide to disclose their disability to you.

You may hire someone with a disability one day.

People with disabilities are vital members of our community and are very likely to join your team one day, especially as your business grows. By proactively ensuring your business has inclusive practices and policies in place early on, it will help ensure anyone you hire who has a disability feels safe and welcome from day one.

Your customers may have a disability.

Inclusive workplaces are about culture above all else. Ensuring your team is a safe, inclusive space will translate to ensuring your customers feel safe and welcomed as well. Providing training to your team that educates employees on the importance of diversity can help to enhance understanding and provide a safe space for everyone to become aware of personal bias. When your team has that understanding, your customers with disabilities will know it.

How to start building an inclusive workplace?

Now that you’re ready to foster a safe, inclusive business, the Canadian Association for Supported Employment can help you build your policy. Check out the HR Inclusive Policy Toolkit here.

Care Connections: Connecting Those In Need With Access To Mobile Services

September 15, 2022 Update: All phones under the Care Connections program have been distributed to the community. There are no additional phones available at this time.

December 21, 2022 Update: Care Connections 2.0 has launched. Up to 20 phones are available first-come, first-serve.

When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, more services than ever went mobile. This included our access to health services including accessing mental health counselling and doctor’s appointments. Even government services moved to a virtual-only model and it was near impossible to access services in-person as we distanced to keep each other safe.

Mobile devices like smartphones and tablets have put access to services and health care directly in our hands. However, for many people, this technology is unavailable. If someone is unable to access a smartphone — whether do to cost or digital literacy skills — it often becomes a barrier to receiving critical health care and supports.

This is why Free Rein Associates is excited to introduce the Care Connections program. Through Care Connections, we are offering smartphones to increase access to health and social services for historically marginalized communities. This program will have 10 smartphones available for people who self-identify as living with a disability and do not currently own a smartphone. The phones have no restrictions to use and are for participants to keep for their personal use even after the program ends.

To learn more about the program and to find out if you’re eligible to receive a phone, contact Megan via email at megan@freereinassociate.ca or by phone at 604869-6160. You can also drop-in to the Reins of Freedom office at 895A Third Ave during business hours (Monday-Friday from 9am - 4pm, closed for stat holidays). With only 10 phones available, they are available first-come, first-serve.

We have received funding from the Social Planning and Research Council of BC (SPARC BC) and Fraser Health Authority, as part of the Connect to Care grant program to provide smartphones to clients without access to a mobile phone.

Returning To Work While On CPP Disability Benefits

Most people who receive CPP Disability benefits experience severe and/or prolonged limitations that prevent them from working at any job on a regular basis, but most would benefit from the additional income that a part time or temporary job would bring.

Many are under the impression they can’t work because their CPP benefits would be cut off or lessened to the point that it would not make financial sense to work. This is not entirely true.

You must contact Service Canada when you begin working, and once you have earned $6,400 (before tax) in 2022. Your disability benefits may be impacted by your gross (before tax) earnings:

• If you earn below $6,400 (before tax), this alone should not affect your disability benefits.

• If you earn between $6,400 and $17,489.40 (before tax), this may show that you are regularly capable of working and it may affect your disability benefits.

• If you earn $17,489.40 (before tax) or more, this demonstrates you are regularly capable of working and you will likely no longer qualify for disability benefits.

So, let’s look at this $6,400 before tax amount. If a person works two 4-hour shifts per week at minimum wage ($15.65), the weekly wage before tax will be $125.20. Multiply this by 52 weeks to determine the annual wage before tax, they would be earning $6,510.40 in a year. While this amount is slightly higher than the amount allowed, the effect to the benefits will be very minimal.

It’s not until you start earning substantially more that Service Canada will begin to ask if you are capable of working on a regular basis. This means a person can work and earn extra income without penalty. So, a part time job of 8 hours a week is possible for you. You can also consider a temporary or seasonal position too.

I also think there may be small business employers who will appreciate having an employee who doesn’t want many hours but can be a reliable part-time employee.

While your benefits will stop once you have reached the $17, 489.40 threshold, it doesn’t go away permanently. If you return to work on a regular basis, you may be able to continue to receive your disability benefits for three months. This gives you and the CPP time to evaluate your ability to work regularly.

If you are no longer able to work after your benefits stop, you may qualify for the Automatic Reinstatement or the Fast Track application process. These options are designed to get you back into pay as quickly as possible when you are unable to continue working due to a reoccurrence of the same or related disability. Communication with Service Canada about this subject is key, keeping them informed about what you are trying to do lets them know what is happening if they see you reporting income earnings.

Allowing someone to work while on CPP Disability gives them an opportunity to earn extra income which in turn gives a person increased self confidence, greater independence, and a sense of contributing to their community.

Job Reference Etiquette: How To Help Your References Help You

You crafted the perfect resume. You rocked your interviews. And now, your dream employer has asked for your references. You’re so close to obtaining the job you want, now is not the time to drop the ball.

Your references are an important part of the job search process. But because they are the last step of the process, many job seekers spend more time with their resume, cover letter, and interview skills, they end up sharing references without considering reference etiquette. By not following a few simple steps with their references, job seekers risk losing out on that perfect job.

Here are four key elements of job reference etiquette that will help ensure your references are able to properly sell you to your potential employer.

Keep in contact with your references through the years

No one wants to be called and asked for a favour from someone they haven’t spoken to in five years. While life can keep us busy, it’s important to maintain relationships with the former colleagues and supervisors who may act as a valuable reference in the future. Social media makes this process much easier. It can be as simple as a short message on LinkedIn once a year to see how they are doing and what new developments have occurred in their career.

This also provides you the opportunity to update references on your personal career path and share what new skills you’ve acquired. This will help your references remember the value you brought to a company and demonstrate that you continue to provide value in your work.

Ask for permission before ever giving out a reference

This is the most common and most dangerous mistake job seekers can make with references. Not only is it respectful to obtain your reference’s consent before sharing their contact information, it also allows you to ensure your reference won’t be on vacation or unavailable to take your prospective employer’s call. At this stage, let your reference know what type of roles you’re applying to — who knows, they might even know of an opportunity for you!

Employers will be able to tell if your reference wasn’t expecting to hear their call. This signals to the employer that you may not have the communication, organization, and professional skills required to excel at your role.

Inform your references when they may be contacted

Asking permission from a reference is the first step. Letting them know when you’ve shared their contact information and with who is the next. When you tell a reference what company they’ll be hearing from and the job you’ve applied for, they can begin to reflect on how they know you’ll fit into the role. You can ask your reference to highlight specific skills you want them to focus on and what skills the role requires. This will allow them to easily reference examples and stories from their work with you when speaking to your prospective employer. It’s a vital step in ensuring your reference can help you obtain a job offer.

Most of the time, your reference want to help you secure the offer. They will be happy to have you share tips and tricks on how they can shine the best light on you.

Thank your references, whether you were offered the job or not

Providing a job reference for someone does take time out of a person’s day. Reference calls can last anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour. Your references are taking their time and energy to help you as best as possible, and it’s important to recognize that with a thank you note. Whether it’s through email or in a handwritten note, a thank you goes a long way in showing appreciation and maintaining that reference for your next job opportunity. Your reference will also want to hear if you were successful in obtaining the role or not, they’re invested in the process now!

If you have the ability to, it doesn’t hurt to show extra gratitude to your references by treating them to a coffee or a gift card to their favourite restaurant.

What are some other ways you can help your references help you? Share in the comments on Facebook or in the comment section below.

Finding Work After 50

Age is just a number, until it comes to finding a job.

Losing your job or changing careers later in life can be both terrifying and exciting. There are so many questions; Should I look for work in the same field or should I try something new? Are my tech skills adequate for today’s labour market? Will an employer hire someone like me who’s getting close to retirement age?

Keeping your cool and using some new strategies can make the experience fun and rewarding. You can get the foot in the door by making a few simple tweaks to your resume and modernizing your approach to job search.

Update your email address

If your email is one of the older domains from the 00’s like Yahoo or MSN, consider updating to Gmail or if you have a website, consider using an email address connected to your domain.

Remove years and stale info from your resume

If you graduated high school in ‘82 or college in ’89 you are giving away your age before prospective employers even get a chance to meet you. If you have post secondary education, remove the high school completely. If you only have high school, leave the info but remove the graduating year.

Remove any certificates or micro qualifications that are expired or more than 10 years old. If you are 52 years and your resume still has a babysitting certificate from when you were 15, remove it. Instead focus on courses or certificates that show you have been learning new skills. In fact, during your job search is a great time to update Foodsafe, Serving it Right, First Aid or other certificates that may have expired.

Make sure you exist online

If you haven’t already done it, create a profile somewhere on social media; Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook or another platform and start creating a presence for yourself. If you already have an established profile, find a way to mention that in your resume or cover letter. If you admin community Facebook pages, or have a website or are active on Twitter, make sure to mention this too.

Don’t overlook references to webinars, resources, courses or training that you have accessed on the internet. If you did labour market research about the field you are entering, try to slide that into your cover letter or mention it in your interview. Doing so can be a good reflection of your technical skills and your ability to stay current. Employers are generally looking for people who know their way around the internet and social media.

Clean up your act

Employers will Google you and check out your Facebook profile. Remove any pictures and content from social media that reflect you in a unprofessional way This is also a fresh way to promote yourself in ways that a resume can’t. Your political views or comments on social issues can tip the scales in your favour if an employer likes what they see, and vice versa. This is also a good way to sneak in some indicators that you are active and healthy, by posting pics or posts talking about being active or engaged with your community.

Market your value

As soon as you walk into an interview the employer is going to recognize you as an older applicant. While age discrimination is illegal, employers will still sometimes dismiss older people due to prejudice and misconceptions about skill levels and health. Employers may have concerns about older workers’ ability to work long hours, or perform more labour-intensive tasks or their ability to gel with a young team.

Being aware of these potential concerns and turning them into a plus can really disarm a reluctant interviewer.  Think about how your maturity can be marketed. During your work life, you have undoubtedly developed a strong work ethic, reliability, the ability to prioritize tasks and manage your time. Yes, young workers might be adventurous, energetic and ambitious but many mature workers have transferrable skills they have gained through raising a family that those younger workers may not have developed yet; diplomacy, crisis management, team leadership, conflict intervention, budgeting. Consider also that now that you probably no longer have kids at home, your time is much more flexible than a young parent’s, your availability to work shifts or be on call could be very attractive to an employer.

Job search after 50 doesn’t have to be frightening and if you take into account the value of your experience and the wisdom you’ve gained along the way you should be able to find a perfect fit in no time.

What is Labour Market Research?

Job seekers will often struggle with knowing where to start looking for work. Going online and searching listings to see what jobs are available in town then sending off resumes is usually about as far as most people go. But doing some further investigation can answer a lot of questions and help make informed decisions to ensure your career is heading in the right direction.

Labour Market Research will tell you not only who is hiring, but can also tell you what to expect for wages, advancement policies, benefits, and job expectations.  Labour Market Research will tell you if the company runs shifts, if employees are expected to be on call, or if the work is seasonal. You can find out what skills you will need to enter a new position, qualifications or certificates you might need, where you can get any required training, and how much it will cost for that training.  

Depending on the information available, you may be able to learn about how the company interacts with community service agencies, other offices or factories they may operate or how the company gives to charity.

This type of in-depth research can really give you a step up in an interview if you mention that you have researched the company and you are already familiar with their hiring practices, policies, mandates or mission statement.  

The more informed you are, the better decisions you can make for yourself and your prospective employer, saving time and frustration for you both.

DUMB Goals

Having a goal, possessing a sense of direction, gives us meaning in our lives. This meaning validates our existence and gives us a sense of worth. It gives us hope for the future and a belief that we can achieve our goals.

But what about the practice of setting goals? What methods should we apply? What is the most effective way of accomplishing our goals? Systems people tell us that goals need to be SMART. That is the acronym for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely. There are variations on this theme, but SMART goals are what Career Development Practitioners (CDPs) are taught in school in order to assist people in returning to work. CDPs often work for employment programs with measurable outcomes, so they need to be realistic about the goals of their clients.

“If the goal is uninteresting to you, why would you follow it? Surely it needs to motivate you every day. There must be a reason to follow this direction. It has to drive you onward.”

Goals, we are taught, should be specific. They need to be clearly defined with concrete terms associated with them. A goal needs to be an accurate picture. We should be able to measure that goal. It is important to develop a quantitative measurement. “We are what we measure,” is the battle cry of evaluators everywhere. The goal must be achievable. Is it within my grasp? Do I possess the resources to achieve it? That means the goal needs to be realistic. Realistic means that it should be pragmatic, within my scope and not detached from reality in any way. Finally, the goal needs a timeline and be organized through a series of specific time measurements.

As a student I reflected on these SMART goals thinking about how structured it all felt. I worried about specificity. What is the goal? When will it be accomplished? When would it take place? I was also really uncomfortable with this idea of realistic. It comes down to whose reality we are talking about. Over my 28 years of working as a CDP I have met many people who tell me that their friends, parents, teachers have told them they need to be realistic about their futures. I ask them what that means. They usually describe a job that is local, low paid and easy to get. These jobs are realistic. But so are jobs in every field of work on the planet. How do people get jobs collecting bugs in rainforests or steering rafts down great rivers? Or for that matter how do people find their bliss, their raison d’etre. They dared to dream. They are people who have followed their vision and is a reality for millions of workers engaged in work that brings them joy and satisfaction.

It occurred to me that none of the goals that I had achieved in my life had followed the SMART methodology. I started to see the SMART acronym in a different light: Sensible, Mediocre, Adequate, Regular and Tedious. I couldn’t see where the imagination, dreams, excitement were involved. I was missing the sense of play and enjoyment.

I thought I need my own acronym for goals. So, I came up with Dynamic, Unlimited, Motivating and Bold, or DUMB. When we look at concepts like Krumboltz’s Planned Happenstance, we start to recognize the need for dynamism. Krumboltz said that it is important to have a goal but that it was equally important to be able to change it when better opportunities come along. It is important to determine a direction but also to be prepared to follow a new direction as we learn more information.

When we think of a goal, we start to look at it like a line from the present to the future, completing a series of objectives to achieve the outcome. This linear approach causes us to miss the many new opportunities that may arise on the journey. So it may be more useful to think of goal setting in a web-like shape, with points of connection rather than a line with a terminus. We need to develop goals that are unlimited rather than closed.

If the goal is uninteresting to you, why would you follow it? Surely it needs to motivate you every day. There must be a reason to follow this direction. It has to drive you onward.

I use the term bold to encompass an idea that is tied to goal success. The question we must ask when undertaking a new goal is: What will be different when I achieve this goal? Without this, there is little point in undertaking change. Research has shown outcomes are achieved by people who envision a different state, that the goal has improved a situation, that a new condition has been brought into being. It needs to be seen as bold and different.

I’m not sure the DUMB acronym will catch on. It is designed to rail against a nice neat methodology, rather than the messy, complex nature of existence. Maybe the truth is that we are smart when we know our limitations and weaknesses.

Maybe “Half of being smart is knowing what you are dumb about.”

These are the words of a science-fiction character, Daniel Foreman. Foreman is characterized by writer, David Gerrold as a trainer who teaches people to achieve their potential in their fight against the alien species called the Chtorr. Foreman helps people to adapt their mode to best fight the aliens.

Could there be a metaphor in there? But I digress. Back to goals.

Back in 2003 a group of scientists determined the power of imagination is largely responsible for “human motivation and goal-directed behaviour.”

The Study by Arana, Parkinson (et al) asked a group to make decisions about food listed in menus that were based on their likes and dislikes. The researchers noticed that the parts of the brain that fired were the same in most cases. They saw that the imagination neurons were firing at the same time as the motivation neurons.

So, if the imagination is important in our motivation, then shouldn’t we be talking to our friends and family about our dreams and not what is “realistic”?

Goal setting is a messy business. We need to embrace that the complexity and variation in our existence plays a role in what we choose to engage in. Having a goal will take us to new vistas that we never knew existed. It’s in among that landscape where we will discover places that we had never envisioned.