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MAGAZINE OF UNITED WAY OF THE ALBERTA CAPITAL REGION
Adult literacy programsbreak down barriers toemployment
Reality CheckNew program demonstratesthe struggles of poverty
WINTER/SPRING 2013
The high cost oflow wages
PLUS:
THIS ISSUE OF WEMAGAZINE IS GENEROUSLY SPONSORED BY EPCOR COMMUNITY ESSENTIALS COUNCIL AND NAIT
Speaking UpReducing the stigmaof mental illness
In PersonWorkplace youth mentoringchanges lives
PM#40020055
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EPCORs Community Essentials Council (ECEC) invests
in a wide variety of community causes everything from
outreach support programs for seniors to workforce
readiness programs for unemployed people. Learn more
about the work we do beyond wires and water.
Visit epcor.com/community
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4 MESSAGEFROM
UNITEDWAY
5 COMMUNITY
CHAMPION
Cliff Higuchi saw a need in the
community and in response
created a new event
6 THISWAYIN
United Way happenings
including National Child Day
and United Were Strongmusic video
9 MYTHBUSTERS
Working poor: A surprising
number of Edmontonians
work for low wages
36LEADINGEDGE
A not-for-prot rebrands its
image for renewed interest and
support
38BUSINESSWAY
Two Edmonton businesses
commit time, talent and funds
42MILESTONESThe City of Edmonton launches
a dedicated United Way
campaign
16 LOCATION,LOCATION,LOCATIONAn Edmonton company connects with kids
through a worksite mentorship program
By Caitlin Crawshaw
29BRIDGINGBOUNDARIES
A trio of communities and their unique
relationship with United Way
By ElizaBEth ChornEy-Booth
33NOTYOURREALITY
Community members experience the decisions
people living in poverty make every day
By MiChEllE lindstroM
39LASTINGLEGACY
Barbara Poole was one of Edmontons great
philanthropists. Her devotion to the community
lives on
ONTHECOVER:
Frnk went to P.a.l.s., improved
hi itercy, found better job
nd new outook on ife.
PHOTO:a Peee / 3tEn
DEPARTMENTS
SPOTLIGHTEmployability
10 AWILLINGWORkFORCE
Employers need workers and there are still people
looking for work, how to bring both groups together
By ChEryl MahaFFy
19 SPEAkINGUPReducing the stigma of mental illness
By Cait wills
22LIFEAFTERLIFE
Finding work helps former inmates reintegrate and
contribute towards a productive community
By oMar MouallEM
26JACkETREqUIRED
Coats for Kids & Families has been providing winter
gear to the community for more than 20 years
By MiChEllE lindstroM
WINTER/SPRING 2013
FEATURES
6
36
we winter/spring 2013wemagazine.Ca 3
22
16
10
19
26
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OUR WAY
UNITED WAY OF THE ALBERTA CAPITAL REGION
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Nancy CritchleyASSOCIATE EDITORS: Mike Kluttig, Angela Dorval,David Odumade
EDITORIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Meredith Bongers, Karina Hurtado, Sheilah Pittman,Anne Smith, Jessica Smith-Perry
SPONSORSHIP AND CORPORATE SUPPORT COMMITTEE
Meredith Bongers, Nancy Critchley, Kevin Fitzgerald,Mike Kluttig, Stephane Hache
VENTURE PUBLISHING INC.
PUBLISHER: Ruth KellyASSOCIATE PUBLISHER: Joyce ByrneASSISTANT PUBLISHER: Andrew WilliamsMANAGING EDITOR: Bobbi-Sue MenardART DIRECTOR: Charles BurkeASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR: Andrea deBoerASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR: Colin SpencePRODUCTION MANAGER: Betty-Lou SmithPRODUCTION TECHNICIAN Brent FelzienCIRCULATION: Jennifer King
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Christa Broadfoot, Nancy Critchley,Elizabeth Chorney-Booth, Caitlin Crawshaw, Angela Dorval,Michelle Lindstrom, Cheryl Mahaffy, Omar Mouallem,David Odumade, Cait Wills
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS AND ILLUSTRATORS:
Nancy Critchley, Christy Dean, Dustin Delfs, Buffy Goodman,David Odumade, Aaron Pedersen / 3TEN, Eugene UhuadABOUT UNITED WAY
United Way of the Alberta Capital Region inspires people tocome together to make a lasting difference in our communities.
WE is published for United Way of the Alberta Capital Regionby Venture Publishing Inc., 10259-105 StreetEdmonton, AB T5J 1E3Tel: 780-990-0839 Fax: 780-425-4921Toll-free: 1-866-227-4276 [email protected]
Printed in Canada by Transcontinental Interweb
WEis printed on Forest Stewardship Council certified paper
Publications Agreement #40020055
ISSN 1925-8690Contents copyright 2013.
Content may not be reprinted or reproduced
without permission from United Way of the
Alberta Capital Region.
WINTER/SPRING2013 VOL 2 No. 2
Karina HurtadoCommunity Investment SpecialistUnited Way of the AlbertaCapital Region
The Worthof WorkIN THIS ISSUE, WEMAGAZINE EXAMINES THE SOCIAL
and economic implications of employment and the different ways
employability impacts diverse populations. Research shows that
most low-wage earners are women and unemployment rates forAboriginal people living off-reserve are usually higher than average.
For many low-income households, having a job is no longer a
guarantee for meeting a familys basic needs, much less a door to
long-term social and economic security. Working full-time, earning
less than $15 per hour while living in Alberta makes it difficult to
support a family. In 2010, 51.6 per cent of children experiencing
poverty lived in a household where one or more persons worked
full-time.
Significant numbers of newcomers, single mothers, Aboriginal
people, seniors and students work in industries that pay low wages
and have limited opportunities for career advancement. Therefore,
many low-income households work two or three jobs in order to
provide their families with an adequate standard of living.
We hope this edition of WEoffers insight and information into
how community agencies and United Way partners are helping
individuals realize their potential and increase their earning power.
Thanks to our co-sponsors, EPCOR Community Essentials Council
and NAIT for their contributions to making this fourth edition of WE
magazine possible.
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COMMUNITY CHAMPION
The evenT: Homeless Connect is a
one-day event, held twice a year, that
brings together necessary services in
one place for Edmontonians who are
near or experiencing homelessness.
Dental care, tax preparation, vision care,
mental health care and more are offered
in a judgement-free environment at no
cost to attendees in need. Between 1,400
and 1,700 people attend each Homeless
Connect in either the spring or fall.
The venue: The Shaw Conference
Centre draws attendees and customers
from across Alberta, and the world,
to Edmonton. The goal of the
centres employees is to be a part of
the economic growth of a city and
traditionally, the audience they want
to reach is outside the Alberta Capital
Region. Homeless Connect changes the
focus of the Shaw Conference Centre to
an inside-the-community perspective.
Cliff Higuchi is vice-president and
general manager of the Shaw Conference
Centre. He is a founding leader of
Homeless Connect and one of its biggest
champions.
We: W ad wy did yo com p
wit t ida of homlss Coct?
Cliff higci: In and around the summer
of 2007, we noticed there was a
higher than normal number of
people experiencing homelessness
using the Shaw as a drop-in centre.
In retrospect, there was quite a
bit of construction in downtown
Edmonton at that time. People were
being displaced. At that point, my
request to staff was, You believe
this is an issue, what are we going
to do? What are some potential
solutions?
We: how was homlss Connct
dvlopd?
Ch: We did an idea search and
came across Homeless Connect in
the United States. It looked like a
trade show for people experiencing
homelessness. Since trade shows
are a component of the business at
the Shaw, it was tting. We took the
idea to corporate management and
then to social service agencies.
We: Was it rally tat simpl to
gt homlss Connct startd?
Ch: At the time I was a little
abbergasted, we didnt get an
immediate response. It took us
between eight and 10 months to
really get the idea out to agencies
across the city. It was a real issue,
we were constantly asked, Why
would you want to do this? I
suppose the process was a little bit
backwards, usually the idea for an
event comes from the agencies. We
did receive a lot of initial support
from United Way, Homeward Trust
and the Edmonton Canadian Mental
Health Association. That was
enough to keep us moving forward
until others understood our goals.
We: how do staff mmbrs at
t Saw Confrnc Cntr
participat?
Ch: Homeless Connect is very
exciting for us at the Shaw. The
staff likes that Homeless Connect
is a signicant opportunity to give
back to the community. Many staff
members come out, volunteer and
lend suggestions about how to
utilize the venue. There is a feeling
of ownership amongst the staff.
There is a big sense of pride for the
Shaw Conference Centre to be the
home of Homeless Connect.
A big event requires a big venue.
Inspired by local need, Clif Higuchio Edmontons Shaw Conerence
Centre was a ounding orce behind
Homeless Connect
Change ofFocus
Learn more about Homeless Connect and a story
that inspired Cliff, atwww.wemagazine.ca
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by UNITED WAY STAFF
WE WINTER/SPRING 2013 WEMAGAZINE.CA6
ON NOVEMBER 20 OF EACH YEAR, Canada
and countries around the world celebrate National Child
Day (NCD) as a reminder of our shared commitment to
the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child
(CRC). In Canada, it also marks two historic dates: the
1959 signing of the UN Declaration of the Rights of the
Child and the 1989 adoption of the UN Convention on
the Rights of the Child. The founding principles of the
CRC include acting in the best interests of all children,genuinely considering the views of children in all decision-
making that affects them and ensuring children have the
right to primary consideration in all economic, social, and
political decisions, policies, programs and expenditures
that impact them.
The CRC is the most comprehensive treaty in support
of children in existence. It is signed and ratified by more
nations than any other human rights document in history,
attesting to its global significance and the underlying
universal values it upholds. Most importantly, it serves as
a reminder that every child in our community deserves to
grow up feeling happy, healthy and loved.
Success By 6, a community initiative managed by
United Way, the City of Edmonton, YMCA of Edmonton,
Edmonton Public School Board, Edmonton Catholic
School District, Community Initiatives Against Family
Violence and the Office of the Child and Youth Advocate ,with the generous support of FIRMA Foreign Exchange
Corporation, came together in 2012 to celebrate NCD
by raising awareness of children who experience
marginalization in Edmonton and area.
Research shows that there are currently 41,000
children in the Alberta Capital Region living in poverty.
Thats enough children to fi ll Rexall Place two and a half
CHILDRENS RIGHTS RECOGNIZED IN EDMONTON
times. On NCD many people in our community came together to celebrate
childrens rights which included a free swim at 14 pools throughout the city,
courtesy of the City of Edmonton and the YMCA of Edmonton on Sunday,
November 18.
City of Edmontons Mayor Stephen Mandel and Franco Savoia, president
and CEO of the Y MCA of Edmonton, attended an event at Commonwealth
Recreation Centre, where Mayor Mandel presented students from Clara Tyner
Elementary School with a proclamation declaring November 20 as National
Child Day in Edmonton. He promised to ensure Edmontons children andyouth have the support, encouragement and respect necessary to reach their full
potential.
National Child Day is an opportunity we can not afford to miss to engage
our community as a whole about the key issues affecting children in the Alberta
Capital Region. As a city rich in children, it is important to recognize National
Child Day, as we are all able to have a positive impact on the lives of children.
For more information visit WWW.SUCCESSBY6EDMONTON.INFO/NATIONAL-CHILD-DAY/.
Mayor Stephen Mandel proclaims National Child Day in Edmonton.
WE, THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE of United Way of the Alberta Capital
Region, made its big-screen debut at the 2012 United Way Campaign Kick-off
on September 18, 2012, with the launch of WE TV!
WE TV brings to life the inspiring stories of people from right here in our
community people like Brittany Tyerman and Tyler Tollefson, who were
featured in the Summer/Fall 2012 issue of WE Magazine. Brittanys story is
about a teen who got her life back on track after being referred to the Da Bom
Squad, a paramilitary program that helps push youth beyond their physical and
WEMAGAZINE HITS THE BIG SCREEN emotional barriers. Brittany, along with Constable MichelleHorchuk, a former Da Bom Squad co-ordinator whom she
credits for helping change her life, tell a real-life story of
change, hope and success.
Tylers story is one of volunteerism and dedication to
community. Tyler, along with his wife and three young girls,
are active United Way supporters and are firm believers that
the only way to get what you need out of life is by giving back.
To watch Brittany and Tylers stories, or to subscribe for
future issues of WE Magazine visit WWW.WEMAGAZINE.CA.
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SINCE 2004,
the RISE Awards
has recognized
the outstanding
achievements and
contributions of
immigrants in our
community and those
who support them alongthe way. Coordinated
by the Edmonton
Mennonite Centre
for Newcomers, the
annual event brings
together individuals,
organizations,
government and
community to celebrate
local success stories.
Employers Awards
are presented to
organizations that
demonstrate excellence
in strategic leadership,
mentoring, and
recruitment practices through the development and implementation ofpolicies that break down employment barriers for Internationally Trained
Professionals. Community Awards are presented to individuals in the area s of
arts and culture, community leadership, youth, and lifetime achievement.
This years RISE Awards will be taking place on May 8th, 2013 at Northlands.
THE EMPLOYER AWARD CATEGORIES ARE:
Individual Achievement Award
Outstanding Workplace Award
Small Business Excellence Award
THE COMMUNITY AWARD CATEGORIES ARE:
Arts, Culture and Athletics Award
Community Leadership Award (Organization)
Community Initiative Award (Individual)
Youth Achievement Award
Lifetime Achievement Award
For more information on the RISE Awards or to purchase tickets v isit
HTTP://RISE.EMCN.AB.CA/.
WE WINTER/SPRING 2013 WEMAGAZINE.CA 7
ON SEPTEMBER 18, UNITED WAY OF THE
Alberta Capita l Region released its 2012 campaign
video, United Were Strong, featuring three musical
performances by local artists. The video, a musical
mash-up of three original songs that align with United
Ways focus on education, income and wellness in the
Alberta Capita l Region.
Working closely with the highly creative marketing
company PlanIt Sound, United Way brought togetherlocal artists, actors and filmmakers to create this
powerful and captivating music video that uses music
and imagery to deliver a message of hope and unity
for people in the community who may be living in
poverty. The video tells the story from three different
perspectives: a woman struggling with a mental illness,
a man who suddenly finds himself unemployed and
a young girl who gets involved with a bad crowd
after school.
Tupelo Honeys lead vocalist Dan Davidson was
joined by the charismatic 14-year-old singer Yasmeen
Najmeddine and talented rapper Maigan van der Giessen.
Each artist infuses the music video with his or her own
unique style of rock, folk and hip hop.
A sincere thank you goes to R .J. and Rowena Cui, of
PlanIt Sound, Simon Morgan and his team at Lindisfarne
Production and everyone whose talent and effort madethis project a success.
To watch United Were Strong or download the three
original songs, visit WWW.MYUNITEDWAY.CA.
UNITED WAY MAKES MUSIC
From left to right, Dan Davidson, Maigan van der Giessen
and Yasmeen Najmeddine on set of the United Were Strong
video shoot in August 2012.
A dancer at the 2012 Rise Awards
RISING TO THE OCCASION
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WE WINTER/SPRING 2013 WEMAGAZINE.CA8
IT IS THE GENEROSITY of the Alberta Capital
Region that has kept the Coats for Kids & Families program
running for 21 years. Because of donations from all across
our region, and the support of our partners and sponsors,
together we continue to provide warm winter coats to
individuals and families in need.
The year 2012 marked new successes in support of the
program. The Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation andGlobal Edmonton joined the program as presenting partners,
providing new opportunities to create awareness of the
program in our community.
As part of the launch event on October 23, 2012, PCL
family of companies issued a challenge to the community
to collect winter items for those in need. They unloaded a
truckload filled with more than 4,000 winter items including
coats, toques, mitts, work boots and other winter gear all
collected from the employees based here in Edmonton and
area. Mayor Stephen Mandel was on hand to accept PCLs
challenge on behalf of the City of Edmonton and its employees.
KEEPING THE CAPITAL REGION WARM
For the first time ever, the Edmonton Oil Kings ran a collection drive for Coats
for Kids & Families during the home game on October 28, 2012. The day was a great
success, helping to collect many much-needed coats, toques and other winter items.
We encourage you to get involved, too! There is a need for men, women and
childrens winter wear. To date, close to 7000 winter items have been distributed
through the program.
Coats for Kids & Families officially runs October to December of each year.
Donations can be made year-round to United Way. For additional information, visitWWW.COATSFORKIDS.CA.
DISCOVERY SPEAKERS
AT UNITED WAY, we believe that community membersand organizations will make decisions and take actions that
strengthen communities, families and individuals when they
have the opportunity to discover our work.
We also believe that it is our responsibility as a community
builder to connect people to the issues that surround us.
United Ways Discovery Speakers program provides
opportunities for people to hear first-hand the difference
that is being made in the lives of families and individuals in
our community. Our speaker group comprises people who
have benefited from a front-line program or service in our
community.
In 2012, 29 speakers made over 335 presentations to
workplace groups throughout our region on behalf of United
Ways partner agencies.
These speakers volunteered their time to thank our
community and share the difference that our collective
support has made in their lives.
There is no greater testament to United Ways community
impact than a story from someone whose life has improved
because of the work that we do.
For additional information, visit WWW.MYUNITEDWAY.CA.
To hear some of the inspiring stories of the Discovery Speakers, visit
WWW.MYUNITEDWAY.CA/DISCOVER-SPEAKERS.
2012 DISCOVERY SPEAKERS
Kris Andreychuk(NET), Elaine Comeau, Jean Cremer(Strathcona Shelter
Society), Larry Derkach (Jewish Family Services Edmonton),Jenn Dermott
(United Way of the Alberta Capital Region),Tamara Gaudet(Canadian
National Institute for the Blind), Constable Michelle Horchuk(Edmonton
Police Service), Dianne Jackson (Canadian Red Cross), Edgar Jackson
(Canadian Paraplegic Association),Nimera Kalmbach (Connect Society),
Emily Keating(Youth Empowerment & Support Services),Amanda Kokram
(*BGCBBBS), Donna Lemieux(Centre for Family Literacy), Donna Mackey,
Joshua Marshall (Bissell Centre), Brian McPherson (Canadian Paraplegic
Association),Jimmy Morrison (Operation Friendship Seniors Society),Lincoln
Nanaquawetung(Canadian National Institute for the Blind), Ross Norton
(Canadian Paraplegic Association), Luke Ross (KARA Family Resource
Centre), Gary Sampley(Edmonton Epilepsy Association), Lise Schitroth
(*BGCBBBS), Kyle Schneider(E4C),Tanaura Seon(The Support Network),
Pamela Spurvey, Jennifer Tairney(Terra Centre), Karen Unger(*BGCBBBS),
Kerry Woodland(*BGCBBBS) andJudy Yawney(Edmonton Food Bank).
*Boys & Girls Clubs Big Brothers Big Sisters of Edmonton & Area.
Sponsored by:
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Edmonton has vEry low unemployment and
many working people receive excellent wages. But hidden
in the wealth is a widening gap between the richest 10
per cent and the bottom 20 per cent of wage earners. A
surprising number of working adults in Alberta earn less
than $15 per hour and struggle to make ends meet even
after a 40-hour work week. In November 2012, Edmonton
Social Planning Council released a report titled Achieving
the Promise, Ending Poverty in Alberta, which shows the
difcult reality faced by the working poor.
MYTH:A full-time job means prosperity.
There are many thousands of Edmontonians who
basically will work full-time for the full year but still livein poverty, says John Kolkman, executive director of
the Edmonton Social Planning Council. Kolkman says
that while much of the report deals with Alberta-wide
statistics, Edmonton closely mirrors the provincial reality.
Children are especially likely to experience the effects
of working poverty. The report details Statistics Canada
research showing that, In 2010, 51.6 per cent of children
who live in poverty were in a household where one or
more persons worked full-time for the full year.
and the Parkland
Institute about Albertas
reliance on food banks
compared to the rest of
Canada: Alberta has the
highest rate of food bank
use by those working
full-time, full-year.
Working in poverty
is precarious. Job loss,
reductions in hours
worked and/or pay
cuts can immediately
drive a householdbelow the poverty
line. Single parents,
especially mothers, are
vulnerable to slipping
under the poverty line
and remaining there if
they have weak links
to the labour market.
When facing uncertain
or low-paying work, it is difcult to
nd adequate child care and act as
primary caregiver to the child.
Many Edmonton residents put in long
hours for low pay
WorkingPoor
by BoBBi-SueMenard
we winter/spring 2013wemagazine.Ca 9
mYTH BUSTERS
The Ending Povertyreport shows
that income transfers only go so far
when working for low wages. Full-
time work, even when combined with
EMPLOYMENT BY ThE NuMBErs
Source: Statistis canada 2012
Albetan Eaning $15 pe o o le,by Age Gop (Apil 2011 to Mac 2012):
60%
55%
50%
45%
40%
35%
30%
25%
20%1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
1990
Pecentage of Albeta cilden in poo
familie wee one o moe paent a afll-time, fll-yea job:
45+ yrs
23%
15-19 yrs
22%
20-24 yrs
20%25-44 yrs
35%
MYTH: If you have a job you dont needto access services.
Kolkman points out that many families struggle in
isolation and access social supports in an emergency.
Many people try to cut corners. If they really run stuck,
they might have to go to a food bank once a month to
supplement things and so they kind of struggle to get by.As the economy improves, food bank usage has dropped
slightly. But the Ending Povertyreport contains a shocking
fact uncovered by the Alberta College of Social Workers
MYTH:The governmentprovides for the workingpoor.
income transfers from governments,
is still inadequate to lift children out of
dire circumstances.
Kolkman says the good news
is that income transfers from the
government, such as the Child Tax
Benet, do help bring families above
the poverty line.The bad news is that there are very
few nancial supports for people
without children.
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WE WINTER/SPRING 201310 WEMAGAZINE.CA
PHOTO:DUSTIN
DELFS
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PLAYERS: Ed Bean, founde of Cstal Glass (L)
and Ken Fanczek, geneal manage, ave infomall
woked to ie people wit baies to emploment,
including people expeiencing omelessness.
11wemagazine.Ca we winter/spring 2013
transition from the street.
After doing well at his job for several months, the
young man disappeared. He may have fallen backward,
but he had taken two very solid steps for ward, Franczek
tells me, his white shirt and smart tie testify ing to his
own rise in the glass industry. And you dont know what
impact that one person youve helped today will have
in the future. People say you cant change the world,
but you can change a life. And its like a tree it grows
exponentially.
Franczeks story hints at some of the complexreasons unemployment and underemployment remain
stubbornly high for those at the margins of work, even
with unemployment at 4.7 per cent in Alberta and why
it makes dollars and sense to put concerted effort into
matching everyone who can work with a job that ts.
Even though the effort may, at rst, seem unrewarded.
BEYOND EXPLOITATION
The Bissell Centre in inner city Edmonton serves people
whose reasons for being unemployed range from mental
illness to addiction to physical disability to life trauma to
low literacy to criminal records to single parenting and
more. Some are escaping violent situations, and some
are aboriginal and endure pervasive prejudice, and some
might be immigrants, says CEO Mark Holmgren. All
those barriers bundled together make people start to feel
crunched and then a person says youre a lazy bum.The lineup outside the Bissell Centre every morning
testies that dozens are anything but lazy.
HALFWAY THROUGH A LUNCHEON
featuring Frank ODea, who went frombeing homeless to co-founding Second
Cup, a few puzzle pieces clicked into place for Ken
Franczek. First, ODeas life story reminded the
Crystal Glass general manager how important a
hand up was for him many years ago, when home
was no longer a welcome place and he desperately
needed work. Second, he realized that the well-
spoken young man sitting next to him wasexperiencing homelessness and in need of a job.
Before that luncheon ended, Franczek had conspired
with boss Ed Bean, the community-minded founder of
Crystal Glass and Crystal K ids, to offer the young man
a hand up a job, but equally important, mentorship
and forgiveness for the small stuff during the tough
Employ
ability
In the midst of a city-wide labourshortage, barriers to employmentstill exist. People can move fromthe margins of the labour poolto full employment all it takesis community
bChEryL MAhAffY
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PHOTO:
KENARMSTRONG
WE WINTER/SPRING 2013 WEMAGAZINE.CA12
Theyre here even in deep-freeze temperatures, hoping for a days work
at $11 to $15 an hour. The Bissell Centre began running its own placementservice 20 years ago because of a need in the community for things a casual
worker might be able to do. The program also offers other services a loaner
pair of boots, a ride to the work site, or regulation gear.
Bissell will make 13,000 casual placements in 2012, bringing close to
$1 million into Edmontons economy. Seeking a win-win for both sides,
the centre avoids employers who pay rock-bottom wages and stays in close
contact with partner work sites to make sure each match works out. It also
supplies free lunches, safety equipment, socks, gloves and other gear typi-
cally donated. As Holmgren puts it, Our model is to work with the entire
community to put people to work.
Besides its casual labour pool, the centre runs pre-employment training,
an accredited daycare and a Jobs First pilot involving intensive coaching
in work and life skills. With multiple entry points to employment and staff
who build trusting relationships, Holmgren says, When a window opens,
someone can suggest a route in.
An encouraging number go on to find full-time work, including some at
the Bissell Centre. Suddenly theyre on a path where they can think of afuture, not just about basic survival, and theyre less likely to harm them-
selves and others, Holmgren says. Employment is not a panacea, but its a
bigger contributor than people often think.
A WILLING WORKFORCE
THE WORTH OF A JOB
Its nearly a decade since Jay Freeman helped turn an LRT
station into a war ming centre for people experiencing
homelessness in bitter mid-winter, but he still recalls one
group that insisted on being roused hours before sun up, sothey could be first in the temporary work line and not miss
out on a job. They were sleeping on the concrete floor of the
LRT, yet they were going to get up at 5:30 a.m. and rush off
to work.
Thats how much it means to have a job, adds Freeman,
who has since become executive director of Edmontons
Homeless Commission. And money is but the star t of it.
What we are is so tied to what we do. To have to say, Well,
I dont have a job is demoralizing. Its embarrassing. It kills
the soul.
Put positively, work enriches our lives w ith structure a nd
purpose and social networks, says Alberta Health Serv ices
clinical supervisor K atherine Hay. I truly believe if someone
took away our jobs, most of us would end up unwell.
Employing people at the margins a lso reduces health, po-
lice and social service costs. Providing services for a person
experiencing homelessness costs $130,000 a year, more thandouble the cost of a dedicated worker. A jail cell costs 10
times more than an apartment.
Hays unit offers a continuum of employment opportuni-
DOWNTOWN PROUD: The streets are no longer mean for Jerry, Glen
and Warren (L to R). They are employed members of the Downtown
Proud team, a social enterprise that provides meaningful jobs to
people looking to re-enter the workforce.
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13wemagazine.Ca we winter/spring 2013
Employ
abilityties to Edmontonians living with addiction and mental ill-
ness: pre-employment training, working in a greenhouse at
Alberta Hospital , stafng a bistro at the Northeast Health
Centre, cleaning apartments and for those ready for the
challenge marketplace jobs with supportive employers.
Her staff worked with just over 400 people last year; given
that one in ve of us wi ll experience mental illness at some
point, many more could benet, she says. When people
obtain satisfying employment that is individually matched,
I really think that is one of the keys in recovery.
GOOD FOR BUSINESS
There goes one of my Downtown Proud guys. Jim Taylor,
executive director of the Downtown Business Association,
is keeping an eye on the street as we chat by phone when
the object of our conversation swings into his view.
More than 20 downtown businesses fund Downtown
Proud, which employs ve
people with addictions, mental
health issues and other employ-
ment barriers through Boyle
Street Community Services.
Their mission: to keep Jasper
Avenue tidy.
We got them into housing and we got them support
services and we only work them enough that it wont af-
fect their government benets, Taylor says. Three of the
original ve have remained with Downtown Proud since itbegan three years ago; a fourth dropped out and the fth
launched a painting and contracting business. Instead of
suffering rude remarks for being on the street, the workers
enjoy words of thanks, he adds. It really changes a person
when they start va luing themselves because of what they re
doing rather than feeling they have no worth at all.
Downtown Proud is one of several supportive work crews
around town. Drop in on Edmontons Waste Management
Centre, Kids in the Hall, Jasper Place Health and Wellness
and elsewhere, and youll nd people hard at work who
would otherwise be jobless. A few crews operate as social
enterprises businesses whose mission is to break even by
doing good. When you dont need to make a prot or your
prots are always invested back in your company, you can
really make a d ifference, Taylor notes.
That said, the corporate world can also benet by hiring
from the margins, Taylor adds. Chains such as Tim Hortonsdo it by job carving, redening roles so that people with
particular barriers can ll certain jobs. You may have some
good employees who are being underemployed part of their
days, doing tasks that dont use their skill set. As soon as
you car ve out a job that somebody else is happy to have,
youve upped the production and lowered the cost of getting
another part of your work done.
Easy to say, harder to do, Taylor adds. People are so
busy running their business that somebody has to tell them
how. Rather than just banging on doors saying youve got
to hire the disabled or people with other barriers, we need
people who can go in and help get it done.
THE BOOM EFFECT
Theres no doubt that Albertas boom economy, coupled
with the surge of retiring baby boomers, opens doors to
applicants who wouldnt otherwise get a chance. Agencies
such as the Bissell Centre can serve as a bridge, identifying
the former inmate who holds promise despite her criminal
record and helping the man with mental illness make it
through the tough spots. We
have a lot of talented people
here, Bubel says. Employers
are telling us they have such
high turnover that they see the
value of our stepping in to help
people stick around.
While the openings created by the boom are welcome,
the pace is not always ideal for Hays mental health clients,
many of whom perform best on reduced hours of work.
Anybody who has a heartbeat gets hired part-time, butthen theyll be cal led every day saying we need you to work
more hours. This may be one of your star employees, but
youre better of f sticking with part t ime rather than losing
them entirely.
It doesnt help that the federal government denes
employment at a level that discounts the progress made
by anyone working less than 12 hours a week, Hay says.
Or that students with disabilities become ineligible for free
education at the same age as everyone else. Or that compa-
nies are recruiting overseas rather than getting the most
out of what we have in our own backyard. There are lots of
little things going on, but much more needs to happen over
time to make the workforce reective of our population.
BEYOND FEAR
Reducing unemployment at the margins depends not
only on inner city agencies and private employers, but onneighbourhoods all over the city, says Franczek, who still
wonders what pulled his proteg away from Crystal Glass.
We need to create places outside the inner city where
I truly believe if someone tookaway our jobs, most of us would
end up unwell.
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WEMAGAZINE.CA14 WE WINTER/SPRING 2013
A WILLING WORKFORCE
people can be when theyre in transition. My dad used to say Ken, if youwant to be a dentist, dont hang out w ith the garbage man. If we want people
to contribute to our community, we have to
insert them into it and allow them to learn from
their environment.
Franczek has seen the good that can come
from hanging out with the right crowd not
only in his own life but in the downtown boxing
club where he volunteered for years among kids
with rough lives, moulding negative energy
into positive. I can easily count 10 of those
young adults who have made it who have jobs, who have relationships, who
have put their lives on track, he says. Then they become positive contribu-
tors. And if you really want to take it full circle, theyre all going to need a
windshield.
A TRIO OF BARRIERS
SLEEPING ROUGH
No home, no job. No job, no home. Thats how Freeman sums up the close
link between life on the streets and unemployment. He sees first-hand how
hard it is to find and keep work without a place to call home.Edmontons 2010 homeless count found 2,421 people on
the streets, in shelters or surfing
couch to couch. With average rent
eating up 65 per cent of full-time
minimum wage and nearly half
of Albertans liv ing paycheque to
paycheque, thousands more teeter
on the edge of eviction. If you dont
have a residence or give the address
of one of our shelters on an applica-
tion form, an employer is going to at least think twice about
hiring you, Freeman says. And simple things about finding
and keeping a job become huge obstacles. Waking up on
time, showering, putting on clean clothes, getting to work in
a sprawling city every step takes an extra dose of ingenu-
ity. Not surprisingly, sleep deprivation is endemic among the
homeless, he adds. If youre not sleeping properly, youre notgoing to be very productive at work.
Edmontons Housing First program has placed more than
2,000 previously homeless Edmontonians in safe, sup-
If you dont have a residence or give
the address of one of our shelters on
an application form, an employer
is going to at least think twice about
hiring you.
PHOTO:AARON
PEDERSEN
/3T
EN
TRANSFORMING POWER: Shirley Sandul (L) executive director of P.A.L.S.
and Frank are all smiles. Improving adult literacy boosts lifetime employment
outcomes and improves individual standards of living.
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15wemagazine.Ca we winter/spring 2013
ported, permanent, affordable housing in recent years.
Some will never be able to work, but the vast majority
can and crave the companionship and sense of worth a
job can provide, Freeman says. Whats more, they need
the money. When we go and visit their apartments, their
fridges are still empty. Theyre still poor.
Easing back into the workforce after years of sleeping
rough is not easy. The concept that when you say I have
to be at work at 8:30 you really mean it theyve kind
of lost those ski lls and need a compassionate employer,
Freeman says. Yet without work, the previously homelessall too easily spiral back down. Its absolutely critical they
get reintegrated back into the workforce and frankly the
workforce needs them.
LOW-LEVEL LITERACY
Two years ago, Frank was in hiding. Barely able to read,
hed found a job in security but
worried the reports he had to
write at the end of every shift
would nd him out. At home,
he was irritable and testy.
It wasnt just that I couldnt
read, but that I didnt believe
in myself, he says.
Frank is not alone. Forty
per cent of Edmonton adults
dont have enough reading, writing, math or computerskills to meet daily living needs, says Shirley Sandul,
executive director of Project Adult Literacy Society
(P. A. L. S.), which pairs adult students with volunteer
tutors to improve those skills. With low level literacy
youre more likely in a low-paying job, more likely the rst
person red and less likely to take any further training
or even be offered it at work. And you have access to fewer
resources because you cant read and you dont want to
admit you cant.
Literacy gaps limit potential so drastically that any
change has a huge effect, Sandul says, pointing to a
35-year scan of OECD data that found a one per cent
rise in average literacy translated into a permanent 1.5
per cent increase in GDP per capita. She would love to see
a comprehensive, community-wide effort to reach every-
one with literacy needs.
Frank is proof of the potential. After two years withP. A. L. S., he re-entered the market with new condence,
landing a job in a transmission shop. Whats more, he is
taking courses at the Citizens Police Academy to become
a community support worker, aiming to give back while pursu-
ing a lifelong dream of being in police work. His family takes
pride in the new Frank, whos now setting his sights on nish-
ing Grade 12. I never thought that was a possibility before, he
says. I know now that I can do whatever it is I want.
VISIBLE AND INVISIBLE DISABILITIES
How much would it cost to t a person with a disability into
your workplace? Employers in one Bank of Montreal study
overestimated the cost by as much as $10,000. In reality, more
than half can be accommodated at no cost and others typicallyrequire adjustments costing no more than $500, according to
an employers surveyed by the Job Accommodation Network.
In return, employers retain or gain workers who more often
than not prove loyal and productive.
Yet among the 350,000 individuals with one or more dis-
abilities in Alberta, only 67 per cent are employed; for those
with mental i llness, the gure drops
below 30 per cent. According
to the Premiers Council on the
Status of Persons with Disabili-
ties, half of those with no work
want a job and believe they would
be capable of full participation if
barriers and disincentives were
permanently removed. People
with disabilities are an untapped
source of people power in a group that includes lawyers, doc-tors and engineers.
Its really important to think about people with disabilities
as potential employees and focus on their abilities, because
they have much to contribute to the workplace, says Iris
Saunders, executive director of EmployAbilities in downtown
Edmonton. Her clients have hearing or vision loss, or men-
tal illness, or developmental or physical challenges, but with
the agencys support, 75 per cent nd jobs. Truly the biggest
challenge and you would think it would be the easiest is the
myths that surround people with disabilities.
Fifty-six per cent of small businesses in Alberta (and 44
per cent across Canada) say theyve hired a person with a dis-
ability, according to a survey conducted for BMO Financial
Group. In the time-honoured tradition of seeing is believing,
one successful match often leads to more. Especially with the
shortage of workers in Alberta, recruiting people with disabili-
ties makes good business sense, Saunders says. It increasesthe size of the population you can choose from and compa-
nies with a diverse workforce are seen as more progressive
and dynamic.
Employability
With low level literacy youre more
likely in a low-paying job, more likely
the rst person red and less likely to
take any further training or even be
offered it at work.
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Brianna and mentor Nola Caleb and mentor James Mentor Lydia and Taylor
Mentor Cheryl and Alyssa Ryan and mentor Anita
Mentor Gennadi and Cassius
WE WINTER/SPRING 2013 WEMAGAZINE.CA16
DONOR PROFILE
FACE TIME: Mentor Victor and Ben find there is no substitutefor spending time together. WorleyParsons employees andtheir protegs look forward to their weekly meetings.
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THREE YEARS AGO, VICTOR LIN STOOD AT THE
front door of WorleyParsons south-side
campus, welcoming a gaggle of elementary
school kids into the building for the first time: I
remember overhearing one of the kids, a little girl,
who walked in the door and said, Well, this looks
like a nice place to work! Lin still laughs at the precocious nine-year-olds evaluation of
the Edmonton engineering companys main office but admits that,
at the time, it was reassuring. After all,
before the first group of kids set foot at
WorleyParsons, no one really knew if the
pilot program would be a hit.
Months before, United Way had ap-
proached WorleyParsons about a potential
mentorship program between their staff
and kids involved with the Boys & Girls
Club Big Brothers Big Sisters (BGCBigs) program in Millwoods.
The idea was to bring protgs to their mentors, allowing the
adults to squeeze volunteer time into their busy schedules.
For many years, WorleyParsons had been a keen supporter of
several United Way fundraising and volunteering initiatives, and
the pilot program seemed like a natural fit. Nevertheless, an in-
house mentorship program was unfamiliar territory. At that point,in 2009, wed never expanded into a mentorship capacity, says
Lin, a project manager with WorleyParsons who co-ordinates the
mentorship program.
WorleyParsons mentorship program bringsyouth to the workplace and changes lives
by CAITLINCRAWSHAW Photographyby BUFFY GOODMAN
The logistics were simple. Once a week, BGCBigs would bus
in two groups of kids one from Menisa Elementary School and
the other from T.D. Baker Junior High School to the companys
head office. For just one hour, mentors and protegs would spend
time together in a casual environment and focus on having fun.
When we first star ted, the caseworker brought this Tupper-
ware box full of games, says Lin, whos also a mentor with theelementary school side of the program. It was the perfect ice-
breaker and kids happily engaged with the adults over puzzles
or games of Life. Over the course of the
year, that container of treats began to
grow, mysteriously. Soon, it was over-
flowing (the treasure trove now takes up
an entire closet), and Lin discovered that
other WorleyParsons staff members were
quietly donating toys, puzzles, games and
other fun stuff that their own kids had
outgrown. The kids have been adopted by our group not just
the people mentoring, but a lot of other people, Lin explains.
The game closet continues to be popular, but oftentimes men-
tors and protegs have their own projects on the go. Lin and his
mentee, who participates in Scouts, tend to work on achieving
new badges. Other pairings do crafts, art projects, make cookies
and much more. It depends on whatever spark of interest worksfor the mentorship relationship, he says.
There are also group activities from time to time. We have the
good fortune of having a two-storey atrium area, so one day we
The kids have been adopted
by our group not just the
people mentoring, but a lot
of other people.
LOCATION,LOCATION, LOCATION
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decided to have an airplane competition, says Lin. Adults and children
designed and folded paper airplanes with specific goals in mind (such as
having the plane hit a target or fly through a hula hoop held by the men-
tor on the ground floor). To teach kids about the importance of safety,
anyone on the ground floor was required to wear a hard hat, goggles
and gloves. We were over-teaching the safety element, he laughs.
After a successful first year, the pilotprogram became a permanent initiative
between WorleyParsons and BGCBigs.
The first group of 15 volunteers has
grown to about 23, and the program now
involves the companys downtown office
and a third school, Abbott Elementary
School. Three years ago, we planted the
seed and proved it could work, says Lin.
In fact, thanks to WorleyParsons experi-
ence, several other companies in town have decided to follow suit and
host in-house mentoring programs with BGCBigs. Lin is excited at the
prospect of the program spreading throughout the city and helping more
kids: Imagine if all of the companies in Edmonton did this. We could
really cover a lot more of the mentoring need in Edmonton.
While it may seem like fun and games on the surface, Lin knows that
theres a profound benefit for the kids, who come to the program for
a variety of reasons. Some are experiencing major problems at home,while others have simply been referred by teachers who figure they could
benefit from some extra one-on-one attention from a caring adult. For
the junior high kids, quality time with a mentor can help them navigate
the challenges of teenage life: peer pressure, puberty and
self-esteem issues, among other things.
This isnt just conjecture. Lin has surveyed the kids to find
out how well the program is working. He recalls one com-
ment from a former mentee that still makes him emotional
years later: My Big Sister is someone I can look up to.
We talk about my futureand what is important to
me. When I talk to her, it
reminds me that no matter
how tough life seems right
now, everything will turn
out OK at the end. After
chatting with the girls men-
tor, he was sad to learn that
the girls family was divorc-
ing and shed been struggling personally. The mentor was
shocked to learn shed had so much influence on a young life.
Like the protegs, the mentors come to the program for
different reasons, says Lin. But, when it comes down to it,
for most of them, its a karma thing. Someones helped them
in the past, and they want to give back. While the experience
helps kids, Lin says its a personal development opportunity
that employees appreciate. And while the program takes upwork time, even the company benefits, since happy employees
tend to be more productive and engaged: When you put it all
together, theres a three-way, win-win-win that happens.
FUN AND GAMES: There is a mix of groupand one-on-one activities. The commongoal is to have fun together.
My Big Sister is someone I can look up
to. We talk about my future and what is
important to me. When I talk to her, it
reminds me that no matter how tough
life seems right now, everything will turn
out OK at the end.
WE WINTER/SPRING 2013 WEMAGAZINE.CA18
DONOR PROFILE
Mentor Anita and Emma
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Employab
ility
Mental illness affects people from all walks of life.
Returning to work can be a challenge, but asunderstanding grows, stigma diminishes
19WEMAGAZINE.CA WE WINTER/SPRING 2013
byCAITWILLS
I had very low energy, she says. I remember coming
into work and, by noon, I felt like I was looking at the
world through a black cloud. I was pushing to get throughthe day and I felt drained and exhausted. I worked in
an environment where mental health is important, and
I knew something was wrong, so I spoke to my doctor.I
t started with being tired all the time.
Thats not unusual; busy professionals
often feel like they need to catch up ontheir sleep. But as the days and weeks passed
for Nancy McCalder, her fatigue didnt get
better, it got worse.
SPEAKINGUP
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Its a non-issue, she says bluntly about the health status of
her employees.
While she says the goal as a supervisor is to manage
employer-employee relations with flexibility and enoughrigour to meet operational goals, You hire someone based
on their skills and how they help you achieve your mission,
not their mental health status.
Challborn admits, though, that the employers desire to
support their staff wholeheartedly while managing opera-
tional needs, can be a challenge. You hire someone to do the
job, and because an employee may be afraid they are going
to be discriminated against, they dont say anything at the
interview stage or beyond.
If someone is employed and they have a [health concern],
they may not say something, which makes support minimized
and can negatively impact recovery. What ultimately mat-
ters, though, says Challborn, is the individuals recovery and
it is critical for employers to learn all they can about mental
illness in order to support their employee.
One in five people will suffer mental illness in their
lifetime, says Challborn, so as an employer you are going
to come across it. Its illegal to discriminate against an
employee who is suffering f rom mental illness, so it makes
sense to be very well-educated about opportunities and what
you can do.
So what can employers do to support employees
while protecting the organizations bottom line?
First and most important, says McCalder, is where thehead of the organization walks-the-talk by creating a
non-judgmental and trusting work environment. That way,
employees can instigate a conversation around their mental
health diagnosis without fear of recrimination. The individ-
uals immediate supervisor needs to know [whats going on]
so that they can support the individual, says McCalder. If
an employee has communicated to you, you need to ask what
it looks like when theyre in distress. What does it look like if,
for instance, theyve stopped taking their medication?
Second, she says, We, as supervisors, need to invite the
conversation. We need to be able to say, Im observing that
youre not doing well.
After opening that line of dialogue, McCalder says, the
supervisor should then make sure that the employee knows
that supports are in place, in the workplace and in the
community, should they want to take advantage of them.
Employee assistance programs are very important in thisscenario, she says. Theyre anonymous and have great
support systems available.
Employees should also be reminded to contact organizations
SPEAKING UP
McCalders physician promptly diagnosed her with depression andstarted her on a treatment plan to combat her symptoms and help her get
back on her feet.
I was lucky. The treatment prescribed was helpful immediately, she
says. I was given medication that was effective and took some time off
work. By the time I returned, the medication had helped a great deal.
Today, McCalder is the executive director of the Support Network,
which is the operating organization for three key assistance programs for
people in Northern Alberta in distress. While she was lucky enough to
recognize the symptoms and seek help, many individuals suffering from
mental health issues may not have the ability to reach out for help, which
can be debilitating, personally and professionally.
Ione Challborn, executive director of the Canadian Mental
Health Association (CMHA), Edmonton region, wears several hats.
She is the functional head of an organization that is one of 135 regional
offices offering support to Canadians with mental illness, but she also has
to run a business a business with bills to pay, payroll to meet and staffto support. So how does she support employees with mental il lness in the
workplace while running a successful organization with 25 staff members
and more than 100 volunteers?
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21WEMAGAZINE.CA WE WINTER/SPRING 2013
Employ
ability
like the CMHA, which has programs in place to help with
coping strategies and mechanisms for recovery from a men-
tal-health illness diagnosis. The Support Network also offers
programs, including an information directory service, 211,and a 24-hour distress line.
If you have a friend, family member or co-worker in
distress, call the distress line, urges McCalder. You can get
some advice and receive coaching on how to ask the right
questions, which she knows from experience is critical to
reaching an employee who may be suffering.
I had an employee who was suffering from postpartum
depression, and I [initially] missed the signs, says McCalder.
But, because of her personal experience with depression, she
says she was comfortable initiating a conversation.
I approached my employee and told her that I thought
I knew what was going on because of my own experiences
with depression. When she asked me what I knew about it ,
I shared my personal story with her.
McCalder believes that her personal experience helped
her assist an employee who was potentially in crisis. I recog-
nize the symptoms and, as an employer and as someone who
suffered from depression, I will do something, she says.
In order to balance supporting her employees mental
health with her organizations operational priorities,
McCalder, like Challborn, believes the solution is simple:
I will speak out.
Walk away from a vicious cycle
He is soft-spoken and hesitant in his speech but very candid
about where he is today and how he got here.
Joseph (not his real name), works part-time at a large
organization in Edmonton in an office that focuses on
supporting individuals in crisis within his workplace. He also
works part time at the Canadian Mental Health Association,
where he was formerly a client, providing practical supports
to current clients.The work is meaningful and, most important, shows him
that he is contributing. But that wasnt always the case.
I was a client at CMHA for close to two years, he says.
Suffering from a form of depression that goes back to his
time in university, there was a sense that friends were
moving on with their lives, getting good jobs, while he was
just sitting at home, unemployed.
It was a vicious cycle, and I didnt see any way out.
Becoming a client at CMHA meant trying something new.
Although he had previously had one-on-one treatment, the
group-setting dynamic was uncharted territory for him: It
was really essential to have that structure and that dynamic.
I met other people who were also struggling and I found it
really helped to know I wasnt alone. I wasnt a freak.
The long-term aspect of the group setting was important
because it provided a non-judgmental, positive environment.
The results are measurable, Joseph says. I think its been a
gradual process, but I definitely feel better about things. I
have made contacts and I have some friends.I feel like Im in a better position, although I still struggle
with work issues.
The advice he would give to employers who may be
struggling with how to support employees who are suffering
from mental illness is simple: Ive met a lot of people
who have had a hard time, and it helps that employers
understand that people dont necessarily fit into a mould of
the stereotypical employee.
Have patience and concentrate on the strengths of the
employee. Ask about their ideal working environments;
that can make a big difference. Recognize each individual.
Everybody, no matter the diagnosis, has certain strengths.
JOSEPHS STORY
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LIFE AFTER LIFE
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T
by OMAR MOUALLEM
Photographyby EUGENE UHUAD
23WEMAGAZINE.CA WE WINTER/SPRING 2013
HERE IS HOPE FOR PEOPLE RETURNING TO THE COMMUNITY
after they have paid their debt to society in prison.Employment is the single best influence that reduces
the rate of reoffending. Paid work gives purpose, resolve and
resources to people striving to reintegrate into society. In
return, employers, neighbours and the wider community gain
a productive citizen.
Finding a job is an important steptowards reintegration into society
Employability
AFTERLIFE
LIFE
STANDING TALL: Daryl Clark in the kitchen at LendrumMennonite Brethren Church, helping prepare the food for
an annual Christmas supper for former inmates.
LIFE AFTER LIFE
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WE WINTER/SPRING 2013 WEMAGAZINE.CA24
LIFE AFTER LIFE
completes it in a month, hell be granted regular temporary absences from
Stan Daniels to work.
Im fortunate because I have a friend and hes willing to find me a job,
Sean says. Hes already talked to his employer and shes willing to take me on,
first as a cleaner, but shell put me through some courses to become a weldingapprentice. If it pans out, it will be his first job ever.
But fellow lifer Robert Perrault isnt so lucky.
At 72, he doesnt have to work. He doesnt have to walk in the freezing
cold to lifers meetings either, but after 23 years in prison any unrestricted
movement matters. I want to work because I want to work, and thats what it
is, he says. But whats available is manual labour and, at his age and with his
background, hes not interested in pushing a broom.
There was a time when society trusted Robert with its lives but those days
are over for the former Air Canada pre-flight inspector. Try to get any of
these jobs when you have a criminal record, he says. Thats the first thing
they ask you: Do you have a criminal record? Exasperated, he says, They
dont want you. So for now, he volunteers 40 hours a week doing reception
and data entry at HIV Edmonton.
Steve Pellatt likens it to being a teenager again. What are the options out
there? he asks. Were all at the same stage of life as these 16-year-olds. I
relate more to my niece and her friends because Im going through the same
thing. Im 53. I should be way beyond that. I should be getting ready to retire.There is a mix of hope and hopelessness in the room tonight, but 10 blocks
south its just hope.
IF YOU DIDNT come to the Edmonton John Howard Society just for a free
cup of coffee and many do then the first thing youll probably see is the
wall with three bulletin boards under the capped labels: RESOURCES,
EMPLOYMENT, HOUSING. The middle one is the biggest.
There are more than 370,000 people in the Canadian correctionalsystem and, statistically, almost all of them will live to see the outside world
again. But to return to a productive life, they must first find meaningful
employment. And for that, they come here.
But even in Albertas strong economy that can be difficult. According to
the John Howard Society, 75 per cent of people admitted to federal prison
struggle with employment before they come in contact with the justice system
and nearly half are unemployed. When released from the system a job makes
a definite positive impact. For those who find a job only 17 per cent reoffend
in the first year. For those who do not find a job in the first year, 40 per cent
reoffend.
Every day at the John Howard Society, up to 40 people with criminal
pasts are trying to beat the odds through a number of services helping them
meet their most basic needs. They know that here they can get food bank or
housing referrals, help obtaining photo ID, clean clothes for job interviews
and, sometimes, just a Ziploc bag of Corn Flakes. Every obstacle beaten, even
hunger, is another reason to avoid returning to crime.
But its the job board that remains one of the most popular attractions.Its tacked with laminated bright blue books filled with job opportunities
in construction, mechanics and more, ranging from $12 to $30 an hour.
By most peoples definitions, Sean Munroe is a big guy.But sitting at a long meeting table, hunched in his heavy
white winter jacket and gazing down at the bent white
paperclip in his tattooed hands, he looks small.
Its the 37-year-olds first time at St. Leonards Society
of Canadas Peer Mentoring Program, and the only
person he knows in the room is John, his escort from
the nearby Stan Daniels minimum security prison. We
should open the blinds, says John. See the traffic. Its asmall luxury for his client.
As the room fills with more people, theres no
judgment of Sean. They are like him: Lifers. Men and
women who committed varying degrees of murder and
are on the road to recovery, to redemption. Even Daryl
Clark, the volunteer facilitator, is a lifer.
But then Allan, an older, confident man in a black
leather jacket enters. You. He points to a dazed Sean.
I knew Id see you again. Sean remembers him now.
His old neighbour from Drumhellers medium security
prison punches him in the shoulder. Its nice to see
people you know and theyre actually smiling, says
Allan.
Sean has a lot to smile about these days. At 22, he
was sentenced to 15 years for second-degree murder.
He worked diligently toward recovery and got therapy
however he could woodworking, arts and crafts andIn Search of Your Warrior, a rehabilitation program
for young incarcerated aboriginal Canadians. When he
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25wemagazine.Ca we winter/spring 2013
Emplo
yability
But theres another slip of paper that they come for, a
tip sheet on how to handle your criminal record on job
applications and in interviews.
Even for construction jobs, youre required to get a
criminal record check, says Claire Whittal-Williams,intake and employment counsellor, but three, four years
ago, anyone could walk on site and say, Can I get a job?
And you were usually told, Yes. Get some work boots and
work for us. But now, she says, the development market
has cooled and new hires are closely scrutinized.
Education, poverty, learning disabilities all these
factors can lead to crime, but once you have a criminal
record, the mountain of obstacles gets taller. At an
interview, the questioners quietly stewing from across
the desk wonder if they can trust you with customers and
co-workers. Will you steal inventory? Will you even show
up on time?
We tell our clients that when theyre asked to disclose
if theyve had a criminal record, be honest and say
you do, says counsellor Sara Riddle. If you lie about
your past, youll most likely be found out because your
reference mentions it or your parole ofcer visits you atwork. Or a lie could be discovered if time off is required
for a rehabilitation program.
Instead, John Howard trains its clients to emphasize
the positive things in their lives what theyve learned
and the steps theyve taken to keep the past from
repeating. And, says Whittal-Williams, if youre going
to disclose that you have a criminal record, do it in
the middle so that at the end you can say, Yes thats
happened, it was a part of my life, but Im going to AA
meetings, or Ive done skill-building programs. She
adds, Sell your skills.
And leave it to them to nd those marketable skills in
just about anything. Say you had to do janitorial work
in the institution, proposes Whittal-Williams. OK, so
you worked on schedule, you made sure you met every
requirement and you checked in with your supervisor
until you were done. So you can follow protocol.
With dramatic pauses she emphasizes her point:
There. Are. Skills. In. Everything. She laughs. And
theyre looking at you like, Are you kidding me?
Of course theyre not, because half of the battle is
restoring the clients condence. In the institution
the only decision they ever made was waking up, says
Riddle. Theyre told when they can eat, when they cango to the bathroom, when they can shower. And then
theyre released. That power of self was taken away.
Whittal-Williams points out that they cant do it alone.
Currently, employment counsellors help about 1,000 people, mostly
men. Women often choose to seek help across the street at the
Elizabeth Fry Society, which offers many of the same services as
John Howard, but exclusively for women.Executive director Toni Sinclair says the employability chal-
lenges facing women are often greater. We know that in our
society its more difcult, in general, for women to seek certain
kinds of employment than it is for men, that pay remains unequal
and advancement can often be limited for women in certain elds,
says Sinclair. For women with criminal histories, the landscape
becomes even bleaker.
Many of the women seeking the societys assistance are mothers.
Single mothers. Add to that the challenge of regaining custody
of your children and suddenly the task of nding time to write
a resum, send it out, get from interview to interview and then
hold the job down becomes more complicated, more frustrating.
But programs like Work4Women, which tailors the process for
each woman served from application to working help ease the
frustrations.
Maureen Collins is executive director of the John Howard
Society and she has seen the positive affect of meaningful
employment in the lives of people looking for a chance to start over.
Somebody has to give you a shot. You need stable housing and
you need meaningful employment where you earn a legitimate
living, says Collins of people who are moving through the process
of returning to everyday life after prison.
For Collins its the success stories that spring to her mind.
For example, Chris, who after a series of stints in prison due to
addiction-related behaviours, got clean and got on track. Chris
worked intensively on personal development and after incredibly
hard work he is now married, a father, an employee and the owner
of a seasonal landscaping business. That rst chance is huge, says
Collins.
Once the rst job is a success, Collins says anyone can see the
results. When someone who has been in prison nds meaningful
employment you can see it in their face. It is night and day. They
look like a different person. There is something in their eye, a
sparkle, and a spring in their step. People who nd work after beingin contact with the justice system are incredibly proud and simply
transformed.
There is something in their eye, a sparkle, and a
spring in their step. People who nd work after being incontact with the justice system are incredibly proud and
simply transformed.
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MOUNTAINOUS JOB: George Seanor volunteers
his weekends to clean outerwear donated byEdmontonians.
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Employ
ability
Program brings new or gently used coatsto those who need them
27wEmagazinE.Ca wE winter/spring 2013
byMichelle Lindstrom PotograpybyBUFFY GoodmAn
more opportunities to donate new or gently used coats
to the program. Additionally, children grow so rapidly
that a winter coat usually only ts for one season,
meaning an abundance of small coats make their way
to Edmonton-and-area Page The Cleaners to be cleaned
and shipped to community depots for distr ibution on
United Ways behalf.
George Seanor is a long-standing Page The Cleaner
employee of 35 years, and United Way volunteer. For 21
years, Seanor has been dry cleaning the donated coats
that come to his location. Hes been at the main Page
The Cleaner location 11416-142 Street in Edmonton
for about 10 years and cleans donated coats after hours
or puts in full Sundays to keep up with the volume.
Roughly 11,000 coats per year are distributed to Capital
Region families through the campaign, and most
garments pass through Seanors location for cleaning.I put in a fair bit of extra time but thats OK; its not a
problem, he says.
Many United Way volunteers and supporters
are surprised to hear that donations
of mens winter coats never quite meet
the annual need in Albertas Capital Region.
[Men] are at the highest need and at the lowest
donation, so year to year were always short of
menswear, says Jenn Dermott, Discovery pro-
gram co-ordinator for United Way of the Alberta
Capital Region. The ratio of men experiencinghomelessness, or males in poverty, to women, is
currently about 60/40 in our community.
Coats for Kids & Families is a well-known United
Way initiative in par tnership w ith Page The Cleaner that
tackles the lack of warm outerwear many people face
in this cold reg ion because they dont have the means
to purchase enough for themselves or family members.
Womens coats are general ly more plentiful becausewomen tend to shop more frequently than men and also
have more than one coat in their closets therefore,
Jacket
RequiRed
JACKET REQUIRED
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Were talking certified work boots, says Christa Broadfoot,
Discovery director for United Way of the Alberta Capital
Region. Thats the difference to somebody who may havesecured work outdoors and they need the proper certified
equipment to maintain that job thats really expensive when
you dont have any money.
Those needing a coat can call 2-1-1 to find out which
community depots distribute to the public at large. With
that call, a 211 representative will let the person know where
the closest depot is to his or her current location, the times
and dates the depot distributes coats and what coats were
provided to that depot to give out.
Twice a year, theres another initiative in which United Way
takes part in order to provide people experiencing homelessness
and those on the cusp of homelessness with coats, work boots
and care kits. Homeless Connect is an event that started up in
2008 and has now been held eight times at Edmontons Shaw
Conference Centre. It isnt run by United Way but is instead a
large community collaboration between multiple partners and
service providers in Edmonton. The biannual event (spring andfall) offers attendees warm coats, haircuts, dental checkups,
a good meal and information on housing, taxes and other
resources all in one day, at one location.
United Way has been a part of the event since its beginning
and witnessed October 2012s Homeless Connect become
an even greater success than previous years because Parlee
McLaws LLP came on board as a sponsor. Parlees three-year
commitment to Homeless Connect secured United Ways
ability to provide more than 1,700 people living in poverty
with standardized kits full of personal care items including
shampoo, deodorant, and razors. Prior to that sponsorship,
everything was generated solely based on community
donations, so there wasnt the same number of every item or
some things would be dif ferent, Broadfoot says.
There are 400,000 Albertans living in poverty and
123,000 of them fall within the Capital Regions boundaries.
Coats for Kids & Families and Homeless Connect are just
two of the many initiatives United Way of the Alberta Capital
Region and its Discovery team oversee. Dermott says its
important to know that even with long-standing programs
in the community such as Coats for Kids & Families, each
year theres still a need for donations, volunteers and public
awareness.
LEARN MORE
Seehttp://coatsforkids.ca andwww.homelessconnect.ca
for more information.
JACKET REQUIRED
HIGH VOLUME: The commercial cleaning equipmentat Page The Cleaner operates extra hours to handle
the volume of donated outerwear.
Edmontons such a good community when it comes to volunteering and
for donating, Seanor says. The amount of coats we get is just incredible. He
can include himself in that good community considering he began helping
United Way with the program from the start. A nd he volunteers his time and
expertise simply for the satisfaction that people in need, like friends from his
childhood, who he recalls shivering each winter, will be better-equipped for
Albertas harsh weather.
United Ways main campaign, or peak coat donation time, runs each year
in late October to early December and has done so for over two decades. We
try to time [the campaign] when people might be going through their closets
as the weather starts to turn, Dermott says. United Way will accept jackets
year-round, though, if somebodys closet is bursting with winter wear and
they just cant wait until the fall to clear it all out.Work boots and other cold-weather gear toques, mitts and scarves
are also items United Way gladly accepts for Coats for Kids & Families.
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by ELIZABETH CHORNEY-BOOTH
29WEMAGAZINE.CA WE WINTER/SPRING 2013
BRIDGING BOUNDARIES:
in GSA communities contribute to United
Way campaigns, each community has a strong
relationship with Edmonton and the mission
of United Way is an important part of regional
health. GSAs located in Fort Saskatchewan,St. Albert and Strathcona County all run their
own Community Investment Committees(CICs), which each include various local
officials, members of the community, and a
member of United Way staff.
OST UNITED WAY OF THE ALBERTA
Capital Region supporters know
about the great work that the
organization does with people from all walks
of life in the city of Edmonton, but the needfor United Way funding does not stop at
the city limits. United Way funds groups inmunicipalities in the Capital Region, which it
refers to as Greater Service Areas, or GSAs. The
funding is distributed for three reasons: people
M
EDMONTON
PARKLAND COUNTY
LEDUC COUNTY
LAMONT COUNTY
STURGEON COUNTYFORT SASKATCHEWAN
ST. ALBERT
STRATHCONA COUNTY
GREATER SERVICE AREAS
BRIDGING BOUNDARIES
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United Way has a long-standing relationship with Fort Saskatchewans
Community Investment Committee, dating back to 1998. The committee
was formed after a group of local citizens became concerned that many
donations that originated in the Fort Saskatchewan area were being
funnelled into Edmonton-based projects even though there was plenty of
need in the local community. Since its inception, the Fort Saskatchewan
Committee has funded over 20 different community groups, ranging from
recreational services for kids and youth with disabilities to a restorative
justice program focusing on youth and community involvement.
Fort Saskatchewan Community Investment Committee chair April Jennings
says she appreciates that United Way allows the committee to direct
funds in ways that specifically serve the needs of the population of FortSaskatchewan, rather than trying to mimic programs that exist in Edmonton.
Smaller communities have unique needs and different needs than a larger
community, Jennings says. One example is we dont see a great deal of
homelessness in Fort Saskatchewan. Thats an issue that Edmonton is dealing
with on a huge scale. Were finding that thats not something were dealing
with, but our family violence statistics are higher than other communities.
Fort Saskatchewans CIC is allocated $50,000 from United Way each
year. The money is typically awarded through two annual grantingcycles. Jennings says the impact on the local community at large has
been huge. Even an initiative like the Next Steps Senior High Breakfast
FORT SASKATCHEWAN COMMUNITY INVESTMENT COMMITTEE
and Lunch Program, which addresses the nutritional
needs of a select group of young people, ultimately
affects the entire Fort Saskatchewan community.
When we support groups like that, we find that the
graduation rate is increasing, Jennings says. So
were putting more citizens into our community that
have a high school diploma and are going out there
with basic nutritional information so they can keep
themselves healthy throughout their adult years. Its
hard to pinpoint, but the trickle effect is huge.
The Fort Saskatchewan CIC has chosen to
distribute its United Way funds among as manygroups as possible so as to impact a greater number
of citizens. Jennings says that the needs of the
greater community are varied, which is why the
committee tries to spread the wealth.
The money is being put towards prevention so
that later on down the line our community and our
government doesnt need to put those dollars into
intervention situations, Jennings says. We can tapin at the root problem and help before it gets into a
crisis situation.
Fort Saskatchewan
CIC: Established 1998
Funding distribution approach:
Provide funding to a broad range of
programs
FORTSASKATCHEWAN
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The St. Albert Community Investment Committee was established
in partnership with United Way in 2007, but the committees roots goback much farther. The CIC grew out of the existing St. Albert Strategy
And Mobilization (SAM) Committee, which had already been funding a
limited number of community projects. Since SAM already had programs
in place to take care of some of the communitys needs, the committee
felt it could focus United Way funding to pay for a single program year
after year.
This particular community investment only addresses one function,
which is an outreach worker that tries to work with the homeless, poverty
and at-risk individuals in the community, says Scott Rodda, director of
Family and Community Support Services in St. Albert and member of the
local CIC. The outreach worker position is funded by the money that United
Way directs to the CIC, and that individual distributes rent supplements
that are provided by the City of St. Albert. Its a great example of the GSAs
ability to partner different agencies together for the benefit of vulnerable
citizens.
The outreach person is also available to those who need extra support
and information or access to counselling, therapists or other services.Currently, approximately 30 families benefit from the efforts of the
outreach program. Rodda says that while 30 families out of a population
of over 60,000 people may not seem significant,
to those 30 families, the outreach worker makes animmeasurable difference. He also notes that at-risk
families and individuals often dont stand out in
smaller communities, making them more difficult to
identify and help.
Smaller communities might sometimes have a
harder time identifying those who are vulnerable in
parts of the community, Rodda says. They can be
pretty obvious and visible in a larger community. Its
not as obvious in some of the outlying communities.
The benefit to doing outreach work in a smaller
community, however, is that there is often better
communication between agencies and workers, which
is why the program in St. Albert is so valuable. Rodda
credits United Way with respecting the processes
of the CIC and letting local voices determine where
the funding is best spent and understanding that
funding a single outreach worker is more importantto St. Albert than spreading funds among several
competing groups.
ST. ALBERT COMMUNITY INVESTMENT COMMITTEE
St. Albert
CIC: Established 2007
Funding distribution approach: Provide
consistent funding to a specific program
Program: Outreach worker who works
with people who are experiencing
homelessness or at risk of homelessness
ST. ALBERT
BRIDGING BOUNDARIES
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