One of the important resources in Medicine Hat is REDI Enterprises Society. We have all seen the brightly coloured offices on Allowance Ave SE with the aeroplane painted on the wall, signifying ‘take flight’.
I wonder how many remember what REDI stands for? Rehabilitation and Employment for Developing Independence.
This Society is based in Medicine Hat but serves surrounding communities including Brooks and Lethbridge.
On Monday 12 May, the members of the Rotary Club of Medicine Hat had the pleasure of welcoming guest speakers Almira Vujovic, Mark Risdon, and Robin Keenan to our noon meeting.
Almira heads up REDIworks, which is one of four service delivery areas, the others being REDIlives, REDIconnects and BIRS (Brain Injury Relearning).
Mark and Robin took the members on a journey of introduction into the heart of REDIworks.
In a nutshell, REDIworks focuses on inclusive employment – how diversity, equity and inclusion can be factored into the workplace through employing and supporting people with developmental disabilities. Mark shared a few statistics, including that one in five working aged Canadians live with a disability of some sort. He also pointed out that the employment rate of Canadians of working age, living with a developmental disability, is just 20% (StatsCan), leaving much room for increased uptake.
The ‘job developers’ in this REDI area of service describe their approach as ‘Supported Employment’, which means providing support to persons with developmental disabilities to find, obtain, and maintain a paying job in a mainstream workplace. While finding permanent part-time jobs is regarded as the ideal, the job developers seek out any configuration that works for the client and the employing body, which could be casual, seasonal, short-term or long-term employment. Job coaching is done to facilitate the fit.
Mark and Robin shared a few interesting examples of prominent business leaders in Canada who have employed persons with disabilities over the years, with very positive experiences and outcomes. One is Kevin Wagner, former Grocery Manager of 13th Ave Co-Op, currently at Co-Op Head Office; another is Mark Wafer, a former Tim Hortons restaurant owner.
Aside from the immense value to the persons with disability who get employed – the meaning in life and the increased feelings of self-worth and independence – the employing organization benefits in tangible ways, including that it is promoting DEI in the workplace and making a meaningful contribution to the quality of life in that geographical community.
A great service, a needed service, thank you REDIworks! May we all, in our spheres of influence, give Almira and her team of 20, the opportunities and kinds of support we are able.
