Both Rotary clubs in Lloydminster are continuing to help provide employment opportunities for people with developments disabilities.
The Rotary Employment Partnership with Inclusion Alberta has been in place for 14 years in the city. Chair of Rotary Employment Steering Committee Tara Ferguson says they have a committee that meets once a month to discuss how to connect with the community in order to create employment.
“Using our connection in the community because we’re all business people and typically that’show you find employment is through your connections. We engage our business partners in the community to help look at creating roles in the businesses that are actual real work for real pay.”
Across Alberta, the partnership has created 400 jobs and over 70 have been created in Lloydminster in the past 14 years. Ferguson says once the initial contact is made with the business, Inclusion Alberta does the rest.
“She’ll [Inclusion Alberta representative] go in and look and see what the businesses needs are and then she supports the individual throughout the training process. Making sure that they’re comfortable coming into the role and that the employer understands what is needed on their end of things.”
Ferguson says despite having a tough economy the past few years, the committee helped create nine jobs in the last year with the most recent being a job at Brown’s Social House.
“When there is an employment opportunity the person going into that role it just creates a whole new role for them. We know what it’s like to be a part of a team environment and the satisfaction that it brings with getting to know your coworkers and doing events outside of work.”