Agency's employment partnership now the largest of its kind
85 students accessing services from Community Living Sarnia-Lambton working this summer, thanks to initiative Wednesday July 14, 2010 -- Deron Hamel
A longstanding partnership between Community Living Sarnia-Lambton, two local school boards and a college has resulted in the largest summer employment service for students who have a disability in Ontario.
Highlighting the partnership’s success, Bob Vansickle, a supervisor with Community Living Sarnia-Lambton, says 85 high school and college students aged 16-29 are working this summer, thanks to the service.
Through the partnership, Vansickle says staff members from Community Living Sarnia-Lambton attend planning meetings for students and share connections to employers with their partners.
Employers provide co-op education placements and summer and after-school jobs, as well as hire students for permanent positions after they graduate.
There are many benefits resulting from these employment opportunities, Vansickle adds.
“Students require less resources upon graduation, as they have developed excellent work skills and work behaviours,” he says.
“It’s an extremely easy transition for many students.”
Enhanced inclusion, friendships and the overall sense of pride people feel from being contributing members of the community are some of the other benefits Vansickle says the partnership has seen over the years.
While he says there have been too many students involved with this service over the past 21 years to count, there have been 77 students in Lambton County who were provided with access to co-op educational placements through the partnership so far this year.
In addition to the 85 students who received summer employment through the service, four gained after-school jobs, 15 have participated in the agency’s pre-employment workshop and 14 students have started working permanent jobs.
“We’re hoping that number will be much higher by the end of our (fiscal) year,” says Vansickle.
Asked how other Community Living agencies could establish similar partnerships, Vansickle says he recommends they work with local school boards, but notes it takes time to develop a strong relationship.
There are also funding opportunities available from Employment Ontario and Service Canada that agencies can access.
It’s also important to work with local employers so they can see the benefits that stem from hiring people who have a disability, Vansickle adds, noting this can be accomplished by engaging the local Chamber of Commerce and service clubs.
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