by Connie Polman Tuin
With its Employment Services program, Powell River Association for Community Living (PRACL) supports adults with developmental disabilities with all aspects of employment; career development, job search and training, or supporting independence on the job.
It’s important to match the right person to the job. Our skill- and interest-assessments maximize the chances of successful placement, for both client and employer. Employers benefit by gaining valuable employees; clients benefit by acquiring meaningful employment. There are no guarantees, but our placement-success rate far surpasses the failure rate.
Employment Services supports employers, too, by offering free job coaches to assist and train new employees. The goal of our long-term commitment to successful placement is on-the-job support for employees by both co-workers and employer.
For employers who have difficulty thinking of where to place someone, our service will come to the business and assist in identifying opportunities. For example, we asked one business what was not being done in the store. Management provided a list of items; then we put a job description together, customised for a particular client. That employee has worked there for five years, loving every minute.
Customising benefits clients who need jobs designed specifically to their skills and abilities. While they are expected, as is any employee, to do a good job and to value that job, customising acknowledges that some people may not meet the entire job description but, with a little customising, can fulfill the job.
When Employment Services opened the door in 1986 with its new ideas, we struggled to find placements. We began with sweeping jobs; next, lawn-mowing jobs, evolving to jobs as gas jockeys and in retail, construction, restaurants, and golf clubs. Today, our slogan is “Real Work for Real Pay” in recognition that many clients want more than entry-level jobs—they want to gain skills and increase their value as employees. Maintaining high expectations of employees challenges them to be the best they can be. The right placement, support and challenge level helps clients exceed everyone’s expectations.
Work hours for clients range from two to forty hours per week. Our successful, working clients feel valued and contribute a lot to our community.
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