Looking for a job during COVID-19 is challenging for everyone, especially for people with disabilities, and the service providers who support them. By collaborating together, two EARN partners, St. Lawrence College Employment Service and CVE Inc., helped a student with a disability find employment in the horticultural sector.
Desirée Imeish, Employment Consultant with St. Lawrence College Employment Service, submitted this story on how the power of collaboration enabled this successful hire to come about:
I received a call from the Co-op Department at Algonquin College, requesting assistance for a part time student enrolled in the horticultural program, and who was described to me as having a developmental disability. I contacted the client to register her for the St. Lawrence College Employment Service Employment Ontario Program, specifically the training incentive program. Next, I cold-called various garden nurseries and found an employer, The Herb Garden, open to giving the student an opportunity.
After the 1st interview, the employer had concerns about the amount of time needed to coach the client, given the busy season for the nursery. I remembered a program I had learned about through EARN – CVE. This program offers coaching for individuals on the job. So, I called CVE Inc. President, Tim Macmillan, and he explained the services that CVE could offer, especially one-on-one coaching, a support that was needed in this situation. CVE’s job Developer Taylor Clarke, who also did the coaching, contacted me quickly. With her assistance our two organizations coordinated our services to offer wrap-around supports to the client. I am happy to report, that with support from CVE, the client started the position on June 1, 2020.
Many thanks are extended to Desirée Imeish, Employment Consultant of St. Lawrence College Employment Service for submitting this story and to Tim Macmillan, President, CVE Inc. for his assistance.
To find out more about St. Lawrence College Employment Service: http://www.employmentservice.sl.on.ca/
To find out more about CVE Inc.: http://www.cve.ca/
