Community Work Program

 

Mission Statement: 

At True Experience, our mission is to help adults challenged by psychiatric disorders, with a primary focus on schizophrenia, attain a fulfilling and independent lifestyle within the community by providing vocational (Community Work Program), residential (Supportive Housing) and social programs.

 

Vision Statement:

True Experience aspires to maintain a positive community profile with expanded and enhanced services supported by a solid and stable resource base. (for Dunnville, Haldimand & Norfolk counties)

 

Goals(at True Experience, Dunnville):

  • To provide ongoing, year round, diversified employment opportunities
  • To provide realistic vocational training, skills development and employment opportunities for adult persons with serious and persistent mental illness, through "hands-on" experience
  • To encourage, facilitate and provide support to adults with serious and persistent mental illness who wish to pursue employment in the private sector (community at large), or who wish to pursue self-employment initiatives
  • To encourage and support outreach and public education activites in order to further the goals and objectives of the program participants and the program (agency)
  • To reduce the stigma of mental illness through our Community Work Program activities in the community

 

We Serve:

True Experience primarily serves clients from the Haldimand and Norfolk geographic area, as well as the other areas under the jurisdiction of the Local Health Integration Network #4, which includes Hamilton, Niagara, Brant and part of Halton.

Our clients are adults with severe and persistent mental illness who require specialized programs in Supportive Housing and Vocational Training and Skills Development.

Both the Supportive Housing and Community Work Program are open to clients who are 17 to 65 years of age with a history/diagnosis of a chronic mental illness.  Program participation is voluntary.

 

Community Work Program

The True Experience Community Work Program in its 26th year of operation, is a client centred program focusing on vocational training, skills development as well as employment, and is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long Term Care.

There are no fees or charges to participate in the program. There is no waiting list.

 

Program Activities

The True Experience Community Work Program provides vocational training skills development and employment through the following activities:

  • Spring and Fall Property Cleanups
  • Seasonal Lawn Maintenance
  • Seasonal Snow Removal
  • Janitorial Contracts
  • Piecework, Packaging, Sub-Assembly
  • Woodworking

 

Existing Client Services

The True Experience Community Work Program provides:

  • A self-sufficient, sustainable work program/environment
  • A safe and healthy supervised work setting
  • Individualized schedules for work/training/skills development for each participant
  • Diversity of employment possibilities dependent on client choice, interest and ability
  • Support to participants who wish to secure private sector employment
  • Non-institutionalized program – “Reality Based”
  • Assistance to participant in preparing for potential employment in the private sector
  • Access to computers to learn keyboarding, resume writing, internet browsing
  • Assistance and support to the participant in attaining his/her optimum level of functioning
  • Support for filling out O.D.S.P. Earnings Report Forms
  • Encouragement to increase work/skills training/hours of participation

 

Intake & Eligibility Criteria

  • 17 years of age and over, with a diagnosis of mental illness
  • Demonstrated means of income, i.e. Ontario Disability Support Program Canada Pension Plan (Disability), Ontario Works, Children’s Aid Society support
  • Self-referral
  • Referrals from other Mental Health agencies, Clergy, Family Doctor, Family members, Hospitals, other community resources
  • Completion of “Application for Service” form and “Consent of Disclosure” form
  • Interview with Work Program Staff
  • Legally able to work in Canada
  • Voluntary participation in program

 

Benefits for the Client/Participant

  • Individualized program, i.e. hours of work per day/week
  • Increase in skills development, vocational training and employment related activities
  • Opportunity to increase income
  • Participants are paid prevailing Provincial Minimum Wage
  • Participants receive semi-annual incentive bonuses based on individual hours of participation in work/employment activities
  • Socialization with peers
  • Staff support
  • Community integration/re-integration
  • Increased sense of belonging to the greater community
  • Reduction of stigma associated with mental illness
  • Realistic work/employment focus, i.e. expectations
  • Increased sense of self esteem and accomplishment
  • Participation in a “highly thought of” program by the community leads to Social Inclusion

 

Client/Participant Responsibilities

  • Willingness to voluntarily participate in the Community Work Program and meaningful activities
  • Desire to acquire new skills and enhance present skills levels
  • Fully participate in their recovery and well-being which includes following medical/psychiatrist prescribed medication regimen, as an essential component in reducing re-hospitalizations and psychiatric episodes
  • Being socially and personally responsible and accountable