While people may not think about the importance of going to work each day, for many people in Humboldt and Saskatchewan, finding employment can be difficult.
That is why Humboldt and District Community Services wants everyone to think about their own employment situation for the month of October during their Disability Employment Awareness Month.
What if someone lost their job tomorrow and could not find another one?
For people with diabilities, that is the reality of their situation.
For Naimh Menz with Humboldt and District Community Services, she works with people from all walks of life to help them find employment and get past those barriers that could be keeping them from a job they love.
While the focus is working with people with diabilities, both visiable and invisible, Menz says that she helps anyone that needs an extra hand finding meaningful employment.
“The most difficult thing for me in my job is seeing somebody across the table from me and they’re desperate to work and you want to do everything you can to help them.”
The first question that Menz asks of people is if they want to work and the majority of the time it is a resounding yes.
After that it is getting to know the person, says Menz; what they want to do and strengths or weaknesses they have that could impact their employment.
“We narrow it down to some places where that person would like to work. We always try to make sure it’s a right fit for that individual but also the employer.”
In Humboldt, Menz says they have made great relationships with local businesses who are willing to provide employment opportunities for people with disabilities, if that is the right fit, says Menz.
There is hardly a business in Humboldt who has not stepped up and become a part of an inclusive employment, she says, and they see the benefits first hand of having an inclusive work environment.
And everyone sees the benefits of that.
Working with the employees, Menz says that they will talk challenges and assistance with them but what them to gain that confidence of working independantly. After a while, Menz says she wants to step back and have that employee be independantly employed.
For people who are desperate to work, that confidence and self-esteem is big and that is what Menz sees in the people she works with.
For the employers, they see benefits from both a business side and an workplace environment side.
“It’s as simple as improving that workplace culture,” says Menz, “everybody is a bit more patient and kind.”
From a business perspective, it is training dollars and retention, says Menz.
Making sure people what to stay in their job is part of the process, says Menz. It is not about just putting them in any job but a job that they want to stay in.
“They have an opportunity, they’re invested there, and often we see that person be there five years along the line but they’ll have added on (to their job).”
Mark Wafer will be discussing inclusion in the workplace during a speaking engagement in Humboldt on Oct. 26. Wafer will be speaking with both businesses during his "Business Case for Real Inclusion" luncheon with an open community presentation in the afternoon.
For those employers or employees looking to get involved with inclusive employment, they can call the Humboldt and District Community Services or visit their office on Main Street.
