CAMPUS FOR ALL – 2019
After graduation from high school, students with intellectual disabilities have very few opportunities to further their education. As a result, these young adults often find themselves ill-equipped for the workplace and lacking the skills that might otherwise provide important opportunities in life – such as employment. The reality is that 80% of people who have an intellectual disability are jobless and heavily reliant on government support services.
The good news is that together we can turn this number around! University is a viable and beneficial means to improve employment outcomes, job quality and income for individuals with intellectual disabilities. In fact, graduates of inclusive post-secondary initiatives have an employment rate of nearly 80% — but they need support to get there. Without support to find and maintain employment, the lives of inclusive post-secondary alumni are – upon completion of their studies — in danger of stagnation personally, educationally and workwise. They are very much at risk of ending up segregated in our community.
As its foundational mandate, Campus For All: Inclusive Post-Secondary Education encompasses three pillars: academics, social networking and employment. To address the employment pillar,
Campus For All partnered with Creative Options Regina (see https://creativeoptionsregina.ca/) to create an employment project entitled 4to40 (see https://4to40.ca/).
4to40 Project
4to40 delivers employment services to students and individuals who experience both an intellectual disability and related barriers to entering the workforce. These individuals want to work and contribute to our community. 4to40 receives no government funding and relies heavily on donations and fundraising.
4to40 is a unique grassroots project connecting people experiencing disability with employers who embrace a flexible 4 to 40 hour work week. The overall purpose of 4to40 is to achieve social and economic inclusion. 4to40 works with one person at a time by developing customized employment opportunities that enable individuals experiencing disability and other related barriers to make a contribution to the community. Behind every job created there is a story like this one written by a mother about her daughter, an alum of the University of Regina who was supported by Campus For All:
On Nicole’s full resume from Grade 10, she has 5 years of employability training,
2-1/2 years of volunteering and 15 job experience placements. Nicole has been doing something every year since grade 10 to somehow get a job – except November
2010 to September 2011 when after doing another employability training program
with big promises and no follow through, I hit a wall and gave up. She enrolled in Campus For All and the partnership with COR in 4to40 led to a job offer from Farm Credit Canada (her first long-term paying job at the age of 29). So, needless to say,
to everyone involved (it takes a village). How could I ever express how thankful
I am other than . . . THANK YOU VERY MUCH (with tears of joy).
Not only does 4to40 make a difference in individual lives, it generates macro level impacts for the betterment of our community. 4to40 is changing the culture around employment. For example, many organizations in Regina are developing and implementing diversity strategies, but they don’t know where to start, how to implement, or find a pool of available employees.
4to40 provides information and support to employers – essentially creating inclusion within diversity. When individuals experiencing intellectual disabilities are hired typical understandings of disability are disrupted and new possibilities for belonging and contributing are uncovered.
https://www.uregina.ca/student/accessibility/campus-for-all/
IGNITE ADULT LEARNING CORPORATION – CHARITY FOR 2018
Founded in 1990, Ignite Adult Learning Corporation uses a unique business model approach to build strength in marginalized young adults, to inspire their hopes and dreams, to empower them to live to their full potential as contributing members of society, and to be the catalyst that makes a real and lasting difference in our community.
Ignite Adult Learning Corporation (Ignite) has been in operation for 28 years. It was started in 1990 to assist at-risk, unemployable young adults become employable and independent. The three guiding principle of the organization has always been academic upgrading, employment skills and personal growth. Ignite applies business solution to social issues by requiring accountability and by providing both the opportunity and an incentive for participants to change the direction of their lives.
The program meets a societal need from a business perspective. Each year, 30 to 45 at risk young adults are hired by ignite as apprentices. Their job is to learn – seven and half hour a day, five days a week. These apprentices are given a wage/allowance which is deducted for lateness or absenteeism. Poor performance and chronic absenteeism are cause for dismissal from the program.
The target group includes young adults at risk male and female from all cultural traditions.
Who are the young adults at risk?
- youth who have not finished high school
- generally on social assistance
- from diverse cultural traditions
- on average many are of aboriginal population
- large population base of single parents
- unemployable for lack of skills
- live in an environment of extreme poverty
- deemed “at risk” as they can move into negative behavior very easily if they have not already
- fallen into the hands of the law for short periods of time.
Over the years, Ignite’s track record has remained incredibly strong, averaging a 75% program graduation rate. Of those who graduate, 70% move directly into the labor force for further postsecondary education. To date the number of marginalized young adults who have graduate from the program and become self-sufficient members of the community exceeds 800. The number of family and family members and friends who have been positively impacted by the graduates is much greater.
The feedbacks from both Federal and Provincial Minister upon visiting this facility are very positive in regards to the model that is being utilized by Ignite.
83% of the funds to finance this school are with Private Sector monies through fundraising.
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NORTH CENTRAL FAMILY CENTRE (NCFC)- CHARITY FOR 2017:
The North Central Family Centre (NCFC) is a registered non-profit, charitable organisation located at 2931 5th Ave. in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, serving Regina’s inner-city children, youth, adults, families, and elders. Founded in 2002, the Centre delivers a wide range of proven successful structured programs and activities. NCFC offers children, youth, families and elders, a place to participate in educational, sports and recreational, social and cultural activities. NCFC believes strongly in our community, delivering programs designed to improve the quality of life for all residents and is committed to the revitalisation of Regina’s North Central community.
NCFC has assisted over 1,500 children and youth since its inception in 2002. NCFC programming has provided youth and families with the requisite self-confidence, resources, and practical skills necessary for living meaningful, healthy, and productive lives, contributing to the vibrant and diverse needs of our great city. Eighty percent of our youth alumni are either in the workforce or pursuing post-secondary education.
http://northcentralfamilycentre.ca/
