EMPLOYABILITIES  MISSION STATEMENT – To promote and enhance employment & learning opportunities for individuals with disabilities  HEAD OFFICE LOCATED IN EDMONTON. Serving the communities of Cold Lake, Bonnyville, Lac La Biche, St. Paul, Vegreville, and Fort Saskatchewan.

EMPLOYABILITIES PROVIDES SERVICES TO:  Individuals with disabilities, medical conditions and barriers to employment  Employers  Community

FUNDING SOURCES  Federal Government  Provincial Government  Municipal Government  Fundraising Donations Variety of activities

 A disability is any diagnosed or undiagnosed:  physical,  learning or  mental health condition  that significantly affects daily activities or productivity in employment or training. DISABILITY DEFINITION

TYPES OF DISABILITIES  Arthritis  Hearing Impairments  Cerebral Palsy  Hepatitis C / HIV  Spinal Cord Injuries  Developmental Disabilities  Mental Illness  Back Injuries/Strains  Stuttering  Aspergers/Autism  Medical Conditions  Fetal Alcohol Syndrome  Diabetes  Fibromyalgia  Learning Disabilities  Blindness  Multiple Sclerosis  And many others

WHAT WE DO & HOW WE DO IT We help individuals: o Find jobs o Identify specific employment goals o Explore skills training opportunities o Identify job leads o Find employers looking to hire o Provision of support through the interview process o Follow up supports

Eligibility: o All Albertans, including Aboriginals, persons from other cultures, etc with a disability, medical condition and/or barrier to employment, including those on: o Employment Insurance (EI) o Income Support (IS) o AISH o PDD

EMPLOYABILITIES CAREER AND EMPLOYMENT CENTRE o Innovative one stop information center o Features warm, friendly environment with adaptive equipment, labour market information and job search materials o Employment Coaches available for 1-1 meetings o Prepare for work and help find employment o Services available at no cost

ENTRY-LEVEL EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS TRAINING 24 week Tuition Based program consisting of: o Essential Skills training o Basic Computer Training o Job Shadow/Work Experience opportunities o Assistance with job placement o Full days, Monday – Thursday

For Persons with Developmental Disabilities - Must be PDD funded oIndividualized pre-employment preparation oSkills training enhancement oIntroduction to computers/ , Internet oAssisted employment placement oJob coaching/on the job support STEP UP

Access to Success – ( For Youth 15 – 30 years ) 14 weeks of classroom instruction 6 weeks of work exposure Life Skills Employability Skills Job Search Skills Computer Skills WHMIS/First Aid Customer Service Skills Completion Bonus $ Special Features Physical Activity Plus Nutrition & Wellness

SERVICES TO EMPLOYERS  Basic Human Resource Supports  Develop successful strategies to employ individuals with disabilities  Access to a pool of people from an untapped source  Provide training and resources on disability topics

NorthEast Career & Employment Program o Serving Cold Lake, Bonnyville, St. Paul, Lac La Biche, Fort Saskatchewan and Vegreville. o Eligible Clients : EI, Income Support, PDD, AISH or Other Albertan o Client Services : Essential Skills training, On the Job Training & Employment Supports o Outreach workers in partnership with Alberta Works

Cold Lake/Bonnyville Employment Services  Unemployed or marginally employed individuals  Services include Job Placement, Essential Skills training, and Workplace Training  Outreach workers in partnership with Alberta Works

Workink Alberta  A virtual employment resource centre, web site for persons with disabilities, entrepreneurs, Aboriginals, employers and career practitionershttp://ab.workink.com  In partnership with CCRW

Employment & Retention Enhancement Services Services offered to employers and government departments include:  Employment based task assessments  Worksite Job coaching  Specialized learning supports  Recommendations for effective Accommodations

Resources available  DVD’S & publications – Disability Handbook, Employer Handbook, Workplace Strategies, Train the Trainer  Website:  Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn  “Hired” Web Browser

CHALLENGES  Funding & Disbursement  Restrictive Client Eligibility Criteria  Dispelling myths re: hiring of PWD  Perception employers have of PWD abilities & employer expectations

CHALLENGES  Building relationships with employers  High demand for technical skills  Finding the right match between employer and client

INNOVATIVE EMPLOYER ENGAGEMENT  Work Skills Training  Employers Panels and Presentations  Collaboration with Chambers of Commerce Businesses  Employer Awards  Awareness Campaigns

INNOVATIVE ENGAGEMENT OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES  Therapy Dog  Engaging and Interactive Activities  Technologies & Computers  Social Media

Employment Resources for Individuals with Disabilities ab.ca