PARC’s Employment Program is committed to providing employment supports to PARC members, including training opportunities and appropriate referrals as required.
One of the main focuses for PARC’s Employment Program is having Employment Facilitators available to provide supports for PARC member employees and peers. PARC’s employment program understands that members who re-enter the job market whether it is a peer leadership position or a general labour job all need support especially when facing issues that present challenges to maintaining employment. One of the ways Employment Facilitators can identify areas of support, set goals and expectations, as well as provide crisis intervention for member employees is through the completion of an OCAN assessment and Pirouette data base. Areas where support is needed may include: budgeting finances, education aspirations, employment goals, food accessibility, health concerns, housing issues, etc. Employment Facilitators follow-up with appropriate work plan such as mapping out a plan of action to address given issue, providing a referral to an external agency as required, regular check-ins and mentorship sessions with the member employee.
Training opportunities provided at PARC help people to begin to re-engage and it creates opportunity for meaningful activity that may lead to employment or may lead to skill development that supports recovery in general. PARC’s Employment Program is creating pathways for members seeking to re-enter the work force by providing experiential training opportunities through PARC’s pre-employment programs and professional training classes provided by THTC offered at our site. The Employment Program Facilitator acts as an entry for placement in PARC pre-employment programs including, PARC Volunteer Program and the Co-Op Cred Program, along with being a host training site for partner agencies as needed. PARC also connects members to paid employment through our Member Employment Program and referrals to social enterprises such as Silver Brush.
PARC members seeking employment opportunities or training may not always find the opportunity here at PARC. PARC continues to seek and develop partnerships to increase the opportunities for members and to comply current employment resources offered by other agencies. Activities include current job board postings focusing on peer employment, connecting members with paid opportunities through studies/research and other casual opportunities. PARC also partners with agencies working on peer leadership initiatives including, The Gerstein Centre (FRESH Program), Rittenhouse Transformative Justice Program, Working for Change and TESS.
PARC members can speak to an Employment Facilitator Monday – Friday, during PARC’s Drop-in hours.
