Testimonials

Jamie's Story

Jamie: Hello, I’m Jamie Hart, I’m 31, I have a disability called fedetachsia.
I came to R.Work Group about 6 months ago to work with Bonnie and her staff on getting me a job.

Text: Jamie’s Story – R. Work Group Jamie: I was 16 years old in Manitoba when I first got diagnosed with this. My doctor said I would be in a wheelchair in 10 years and it has been 15 now and I’m still walking around. Text: What Has R. Work Group Been Helping You With? Jamie: We went over all of my work skills, did a couple courses, put me through my GED course, I am waiting to write my exams in it in September. It gave me time to really get my keys of knowledge and my experience out in the open. Text: Before R. Work Group, What Was Difficult About Finding a Job? Jamie: My concerns were how people would look at me when I’m walking around with my walker, but R. Work Group broke down and showed me that everyone has equal opportunities in life. Bonnie: That makes a big difference, doesn’t it. Jamie: Yep. Text: What Are You Looking Forward To Now? Jamie: I am looking forward to getting a job, to help my girlfriend out more around the house, look after my 18-month old stepson more, be able to give him more. Bonnie: That’s part of your motivation for returning to work? Jamie: That’s all my motivation is just that little 18-month old. Text: What Kind of Job Do You See Yourself In? Jamie: I would like to see myself in cashier job, greeting job or stocking shelves. Doing things I know I can do but never had a chance to do. My GED program, a teacher got me up to gauge 4 classes in math. Bonnie: So you’re becoming a math expert? Jamie: I guess so, if you want to say that. I’ve been learning English, Social Studies, Mathematics, Science, everything you need to get your grade 12 I’ve been learning in 2 months. The scooter really opened up opportunities for me. Coming to R. Work Group to work with Bonnie and her great staff and it is going to get me to work and back and I take my dog for a walk with it. Text: Why Should People Come to R. Work Group? Jamie: I would encourage other people to come to R. Work Group because Bonnie and her great staff of women are friendly, kind, and come with a smile and leave with a smile.

Rocky's Story

Rocky: “Well when I first came to R. Work Group here, I had been out of work for about 2.5 years.”

Work Experiences

“The hardest part would be feeling like anyone who had given me a job before was doing me a favor. It always seemed like I was the first one to be let go if it slowed down or if there was some reason to cut back. I was always the first one to go it seemed like to me. My employers tried to put a good spin on it and all that but it was frustrating for me. I wanted to work. I want to work. That's what it seemed like to me and it was frustrating.”

Bonnie: “Can you tell a little bit about the nature of your disability and some of the challenges you face in the workplace?”

Working With a Disability

Rocky: “My disability is cerebral palsy. Basically, it affects my legs and I can’t stand for long periods of time, like a minute would be pushing it. And walking is, well, I can get from A to B but it's very difficult. Sometimes, I try not to let it bother me, but sometimes, people are uncomfortable with my disability. I’m trying to educate people and, you know, there’s nothing wrong with my mind and trying to prove that I guess to employers and to other people has been a lifelong challenge.”

Working with R. Work Group

Rocky: “One of the first things I think you helped me do was getting my resume written up. Actually looking at my life and the things I’ve done, it helped me see that I have done some things that I can be encouraged about and there are possibilities out there. It felt like I was just being employed in, I call them “dead end jobs” but not really a career and that frustrated me too because I knew I could do a lot better than I was doing as far as work goes but again to convince an employer that I can do that was an obstacle.

The most important thing I think that this whole process has helped me do is put myself out there into the world more than I ever have before and just to challenge myself more.”

Future Plans

Rocky: “Well right now I’m working at Walmart. I’m planning to work at that over the summer here 2 or 3 months and then the plan is to move on to the library tech program at SAIT.”

Career Changes and Returning to School

Rocky: “Basically I wondered if I could do it, I wasn’t very confident about my ability to go back to school. Yes, I’ve got a Bachelor’s degree but it has been a long time and I haven’t used it. Bonnie asked me if I’d be willing to take a psychological assessment test. The results of the test just blew me out of the water basically. It did clarify that it is possible and I can do it. It gives me a hope and a future that I haven’t had before. Saying yes I do have something to contribute and I can make the world a better place.”

R. Work Group

Rocky: “R. Work Group has helped me first of all, most importantly by showing me my own potential, making me aware of it, and practically they have helped me by helping me to write my resume and get my work history on paper and being able to express that in a confident way. Then, they have also helped me practically by setting up actual job interviews and my going to those job interviews, though I’ve failed a few times, has helped me to get myself out there and to express myself. I know that they’ll be able to help you too, really to discover your own potential and what it is that you can do to make the world a better place, and we’re not supposed to live life alone, we need help, everybody needs help whether they want to admit it or not and just with me and my disability I just have to admit it a little quicker than most. R. Work Group is going to be a great support to your job hunt, finding a career and job skills and even interpersonal skills. I just appreciate R. Work Group a lot for what they have done for me and I’m sure they can do it for you too.”

CARMEN'S Story

Text: How R. Work Group Helps: Carmen’s Story

Carmen: “I decided it was time to accept my disability and maybe go through R. Work Group to get a new job.”

Text: Before R. Work Group

Carmen: “I had my own business for 6 years and before that I had it in Edmonton so I was working pretty much for myself, so now I’m going out into the public and actually having them accept my hearing impairment and my service dog.”

Text: Working With R. Work Group

Carmen: “They helped me tremendously by helping me with my resume, having classes and computer work for the interviews. They helped me also with my confidence and self-esteem to get me back on my feet.”

Text: Career Counselling

Carmen: “Cindi and I met twice a week. We went through the safety program, we went through the interview program on the computer. We also contacted some people, we contacted DHT and had an article in the paper about finding a job when you have a disability or impaired hearing and about having a job also.”

Nicoleas: “Do you recommend that other people access R. Work Group’s Services?”

Carmen: “Definitely.”

Nicoleas: “So what do you think was one of the more difficult aspects of returning to work for you?”

Carmen: “For myself it wasn’t just my hearing being impaired, it was having a service dog. A lot of people didn’t want to have a dog in their office, or else they didn’t understand why I would have a service dog with me.”

Nicoleas: “So how did R. Work Group help you with that?”

Carmen: “They told me about how they can’t discriminate over having a service dog, however a lot of people don’t understand it so they didn’t say it was because of the dog but I would think that’s what it was.”

Text: Disabilities in the Workplace

Nicoleas: “Do you find it’s hard to educate people about disabilities?”

Carmen: “Yes, it’s going to be an on-going thing and I’m more open to it now. Now that I have a job and I see how much they- I mean everybody wants to say hi to diva (service dog) and things like that- so yeah, we’re well accepted where I’m at right now.”

Text: After Working with R. Work Group

Carmen: “I have more confidence, more self esteem, I could go out again and meet people and- cold calls, after while the cold calls when you’re rejected you feel like ‘they don’t like me, I’m not gonna go anymore”but they (R. Work Group) were always very good to me and gave me the confidence I needed to do it.”

Nicoleas: “So are you working now?”

Carmen: “Yes I am, I’m working for FASS, which is a Fetal Alcohol support group, and they accepted the dog no problem. I’m gonna be in networks with people with disabilities, with all kinds of conditions. So, they are also inquiring about getting service dogs for the Fetal Alcohol people.”

Text: “Is R. Work Group Right for You?”

Carmen: “You should consider R. Work Group when you have a disability definitely, because they help you along, they help you with your resume and everything you need, and they are there for support if you have a problem with anything, they’re there for you.