July 24, 2024 Leave a Comment

Celebrating Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month 2023

April 2^nd was World Autism Awareness Day, marking the beginning of Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month which JVS Toronto proudly celebrates.

Job seekers with ASD face a number of challenges when looking for meaningful employment ranging from difficulties in social settings and sensory issues to a lack of employers who understand and are willing to work with them to ensure mutual success in the workplace. These factors, and others, restrict an individual’s ability to find and maintain employment. And with the employment rate for individuals with ASD aged 20-64 years at only 33% in 2017, there is a great need for proper support.

These individuals demonstrate motivation and capabilities to work, but a common theme JVS Toronto has observed in our experience working with this population is a lack of available support to help them achieve their employment goals.

Why is this kind of support important?

For individuals with ASD, finding meaningful work can provide numerous benefits to leading a more fulfilling life:

Individuals with ASD are at a higher risk of social isolation, which can lead to negative mental health outcomes. Employment can help individuals with ASD develop a sense of belonging and connection to others, reducing the risk of social isolation.
Employment provides them with the chance to interact with others in a structured environment, improve social skills and learn how to communicate effectively with co-workers and supervisors.
Increased independence and self-sufficiency can help them gain a sense of purpose and meaning in life, and give them the opportunity to contribute to society.
Employment provides individuals with ASD with financial stability, which can lead to improved quality of life. It can help them become more self-sufficient and reduce their reliance on government programs and social services.

Our mission

Since JVS Toronto opened its doors in 1947, we have strived to empower individuals from all walks of life in the Greater Toronto Area to maximize their employment potential. In line with this goal, JVS Toronto has been delivering the ASD Job Readiness Project since 2010 for individuals with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis that are seeking employment.

JVS Toronto understands how accessibility, communication and social difficulties interfere with the ability of individuals with disabilities to find and retain work. Incorporating extensive job retention strategies and increased employer involvement in programming helps address the more intensive needs of these clients.

What is the ASD Job Readiness Program?

The ASD Job Readiness Project is a 6-month program which serves young adults between 18-30 years of age who have little or no experience in the labour market. Through one-on-one employment counselling, specialized workshops and on-the-job coaching, our highly specialized employment experts help them prepare for, secure and retain employment.

Through the ASD Job Readiness Project, participants develop communication skills, teamwork, literacy and numeracy, computer skills and self-advocacy, among other critical skills. Our participants have shared feeling much more confident about succeeding in their employment goals after completing the program. They are able to develop a better understanding of their marketable skills and abilities in relation to the current labour market.

Last year, JVS Toronto served 173 individuals through specialized employment and inclusion programs for people with a variety of disabilities. Learn more about these services and the ASD Job Readiness Project today.

January 18, 2016 Leave a Comment

Thoughts on the impact of Syrian refugee resettlement on the local job market

As Syrian refugees started arriving in Canada in significant numbers in late December last year, a reader of this blog posed an interesting question about the impact of the influx on the Toronto job market. Anyone who is on social media might have noticed, as I have recently, that these concerns are coming up often in response to news articles about refugees. Sometimes the questions or comments are genuine and curious, and other times they are expressed in angry and even racist tones. Putting aside the irrational fears and anger that cannot be allayed no matter what, concerns that such newcomers might increase competition for jobs and resources are reasonable issues to consider. However, based on my experience working with refugees and my research, I have concluded that this is a largely unsubstantiated concern.

Right now, given the complexity of the issue, there is so much that we really do not know well yet and will probably not be able to project accurately, for a while:

We don’t know exactly how many refugees are arriving in each region of the country and how it may impact each region differently
We don’t know where they will settle – in which cities and towns in each region
We don’t know the skills, education and professions the refugees will be bringing
We are unsure about their English language skills and how much ESL schooling they might need

What do we know?

We do know that the refugees will be settling widely across Canada, with only a couple of thousand anticipated in Toronto. So, with an existing 225,000 Torontonians currently unemployed, the addition of what are probably less than one percent should not have too jarring an impact on competition for local jobs.

We also know that immigrants (keeping in mind that despite arriving as refugees, people will be leaving the airport with their Permanent Residency in hand) tend to do well, with most finding work. The data does show, however, that unemployment levels are a little higher for newcomers in their first five years. Anecdotally, my experience with helping immigrants find work has been that they are often more willing to take lower paid jobs, in an attempt to gain any kind of local experience.

We also know that Syrians are often well-educated, but most will need language training before they are able to compete in the job market, so any impact on the market will not be immediate.

Finally, and probably most impactful, the Federal, Provincial and Municipal governments are investing significant funds in services for this population. So, it is likely that there will be new jobs created. These might be in translation, ESL teaching, settlement, public health, housing and any other non-profit services in which various government levels and bodies are investing (those services can be found on the city of Toronto new website dedicated to help link Syrian newcomers to services). For example, enterprising job seekers who speak Arabic (especially Syrian dialects), and search for jobs online in which the language is required, might find interesting opportunities.

Overall, my sense of this is that the arrival of refugees will most likely bring net gains to the economy. Of course, we have to wait and see. There are sure to be challenges, but my and others’ sense is that this will not impact negatively on local competition for jobs.

April 20, 2015 Leave a Comment

Find Work in a sector you enjoy: Jobs in Sports

Do you love sports? Would you love to work in an environment with others who share your passion for hockey, soccer, basketball, track and field, horse racing or other sports?

The sports sector in Toronto is very large and most of those who work in it are not athletes or broadcasters. When I performed a search through jobs posted under the keyword “sports” on Simply Hired Canada, I found over 5000 varied jobs in the sector, including Sales & Marketing, Customer Service, Inside Sales, Staging, and Bookkeeping. If I put the word “hockey” into that search, almost 1000 jobs appeared bars, hockey leagues, sports arenas, fundraising and even banking, web development and construction.

In addition to looking for jobs on aggregators like SimplyHired or Indeed, there are a few specialized sports job boards, including the following:

The Sport Information Resource Centre (SIRC) is a well established Canadian not-for-profit organization, which provides a range of supports and information for people in the sports sector, including a listing of jobs with sports related employers .

SportsHiring.com, a division of Cosmos Sports, a sports marketing company, is a North American site which describes itself as providing “one of the industry’s most comprehensive sports job and internship listings“.

TeamWork Online is a North America wide service, who describe themselves as offering “ the most advanced and integrated suite of recruiting tools and industry networks“, including most large sport franchises.

Many of the sports franchises and related employers post jobs on their sites, such as:

The National Hockey League (NHL)
Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment (MLSE) — which includes The Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto FC, Raptors and Marlies
Stadiums such The Rogers Centre and The Air Canada Centre (ACC)

Bottom line:

Sometimes just being in an environment that you enjoy can make a bit difference. If you really want to work in the sports sector, you don’t need to be an athlete — identify your ideal employers and look for jobs with those companies that match your skills.

March 16, 2015 2 Comments

Ask the Employment Specialist: Tips for Success at a Job Fair

Dear Joanna,

I’m going to a JVS Toronto Job Fair next week. As a recent university graduate, I am looking for work as a customer service representative and/or sales position. It would be my first time attending a job fair. Please could you give me some suggestions as to how to prepare in advance to be successful at this event.

Signed: Job Fair First-timer (JFF)

Dear JFF,

Job fairs are a fantastic tool to build your professional network. You can meet employers in your field, secure job interviews and learn as much as you can about the local labour market (i.e. the job openings available, the workplace culture, and the sector). Sometimes, job seekers can even have an interview on the spot. Though it is unlikely that you will get an actual job offer at the job fair, you can make progress toward getting that job offer, if you do it properly.

So here’s how I would prepare for our job fair and any other career fair that you attend.

Before the Job Fair:

1. Gather information about employers.

Do a Google search and use social media (LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook) to dig a little deeper for information on employers that you’d like to work for. Look for current job opportunities posted on their site and consider applying to the positions you are interested in. You can bring a record of the application to share with the employer at the job fair.

2. Prepare your questions.

Recruiters will remember your conversation if they feel engaged. Show that you are interested in working for their company by asking about current opportunities, the company’s work culture, and other open-ended questions. You can also request tips for getting hired with the company, or discuss some recent positive news they’ve featured. Avoid asking about salary or benefits.

3. Be prepared to market yourself.

Prepare a personal statement — also known as an elevator pitch. This short introduction is a way to express your suitability for working at the company. Have an idea of different things to emphasize with different recruiters.

4. Prepare your resume(s).

Make sure your resume is up to date, including your LinkedIn profile. Prepare a cover letter to accompany the resume. If you know which companies you are targeting specifically, you can prepare different versions of your resume (and cover letter) to emphasize different skills.

At the Job Fair:

1. Dress and act professionally.

Even if there isn’t a dress code, take care with your appearance and make sure that you appear well-groomed. At the very least, dress business casual. While you may not need to be in a full suit, slacks and a button up shirt and tie (for men) can go a long way toward projecting a professional image.

Speak and act professionally! Offer a firm handshake when you meet the recruiter and make appropriate eye contact. Silence your cell phone and don’t let it interfere with your conversation with employers.

2. Schedule a follow-up appointment, if you can.

At some job fairs, companies prefer making an appointment to speak with a representative following the event. This is an opportunity to have an in-depth conversation with the employer – something that is really difficult to do at larger events!

As one of our employment counsellors warns, “… if your sole purpose in attending a large job fair is to get quality time to discuss your application with a recruiter, you will probably be disappointed!”

Find out from the job fair organizer whether appointment slots are available, and arrange to meet recruiters during or after the event.

If you are making multiple appointments, make sure you schedule adequate time between your interviews so that you are not late to a meeting.

3. Gather business cards or contact details of employers.

Follow-up is key. After each conversation or meeting with a recruiter, take notes and ask for a business card. If this is not available, get the person’s name, company, job title, and email. Ask permission to connect with the recruiter on LinkedIn and find out whether you can send a follow-up email after the event.

Following these guidelines will guarantee that you stand out at any job fair, and increase the chances of getting hired after attending one.

Good luck with the job fair!

Joanna

P.S. Check our workshop calendar for upcoming job fairs in Toronto and York Region.

November 24, 2014 Leave a Comment

Ask the Employment Specialist: Make the Best of Your Mentorship

Dear Joanna

I have just arrived to Canada, leaving behind a successful career in my former country as an experienced software engineer. I’ve been referred to JVS’s TRIEC Mentoring Partnership program and have been matched with a mentor in my field at a large telecommunication company. I am very excited to meet my mentor and hopefully he will help to guide me in finding work in my field and to start building my career here.

Please can you provide me with some suggestions on how to be an effective mentee.

Signed: How To Be An Effective Mentee

Dear Mentee,

Welcome to Canada! It is great news that you have already been matched with a professional in your field who is working in the local labour market. I cannot think of a better way for you to learn all about the IT business here in Canada, the workplace culture, self-marketing , accreditation, training opportunities, improve your communication skills, and start building your professional network. Your mentor could be a professional contact for life!

Patricia Houghton, the Mentoring Partnership Mentoring Coach at JVS Toronto recommends the following strategies to maximize your relationship with your mentor so that you both can benefit:

1. Make a time commitment.

In your first meeting, speak with your mentor about their preferred times and locations for meetings and means of communication. You should decide on the logistics of the relationship to avoid lost time and momentum in the relationship. Use tools like Outlook to book your mentoring meeting schedule in advance. It’s a great way to organize this professional relationship.

If you cannot meet in person, or have to cancel, then use the phone or emails to communication instead of the face-to-face. It does however help to have as much time in person as possible. And, if you have to cancel, try to do so in advance. Check in regularly with your mentor on your job search progress. This helps keep the mentor motivated and engaged as well as build trust.

2. Set and clarify your goals.

At the beginning, you will have an opportunity to set your mentoring goals in writing. Make sure you are both in agreement on the goals and actions. This is a business and professional relationship. It should be a contract. Each time you check in together, review the goals and their status. Make sure there is movement and that you both understand the goals and have implemented the advice and strategies that were recommended. It’s important that you are both satisfied with the relationship.

3. Take initiative.

The mentor can benefit from the wisdom of experience, skills and expertise that you bring to the table. Although you have a wealth of experience, be sure to keep humble and be open to always strive to learn, grow and improve. Taking initiative as much as possible is very impressive to any mentor. Share what you learn with your mentor especially if there is relevant information and knowledge that they might like to know. Use social media to follow the mentor’s company and profile on Twitter and LinkedIn, if they have one. Join their LinkedIn groups, as well.

4. Get to know the coaching resources.

There is an abundance of resources for mentees and on related topics, such as coaching, advising, consulting and mentoring. All of this is available through your mentor coach, the service agency partner, and the online Mentorship Handbook.

Check-in with your coach on a regular basis to discuss any specific relationship needs to help you achieve your goals. Your mentoring coach can help you identify and access this material and community resources to support the goals. For example, if you have business writing or pronunciation challenges, your coach can refer you to classes on these topics, as well as courses such as JVS Toronto’s occupational-specific Enhanced Language Training for Internationally Trained Individuals.

Best wishes on your new career path in your new country, Mentee. You’re off to a great start!