Employment Preparation Centre works for Me!
They say what goes around, comes around – and it couldn’t be more true at Society for Manitobans with Disabilities (SMD), where investing in people leads to people investing in SMD. Just ask John Tanner, whose relationship with SMD spans more than 30 years as a consumer and a volunteer.
John has a rare genetic disability called arthrogryposis multiplex, which affected the development of his hands and feet. He uses an electric wheelchair supplied to him by SMD Wheelchair Services in 1999. It’s just one of the SMD services John has accessed over the years.
“I came to SMD for preschool in the early 1970s for physio and occupational therapy,” he says. “Later on I took an evaluation at the SMD Employment Preparation Centre to figure out what interested me most in a job.”
The Employment Preparation Centre (EPC) provides employment assessment, training and support to individuals with disabilities. The EPC assists SMD consumers like John to identify their goals and obtain and maintain employment.
Through EPC, John completed a Vocational Assessment Program to identify occupations that would suit his interests, skills and abilities. The assessment evaluates an individual’s interests, learning aptitudes, manual dexterity, perceptual ability, physical abilities and employment potential.
For John, the assessment led him to volunteer with SMD Foundation, a position he has held for twelve years and counting. He volunteers three afternoons a week for SMD Foundation, assisting staff with fundraising activities including special events, lotteries and direct mail campaigns. John proudly tells anyone who asks, “This is my job.”
“John is a real go-getter and a very nice person to work with and talk to,” says Armando Versace, Marketing Manager at SMD Foundation. “If anything needs to be done, he’s right there for you.”
Tiffany Monkman, Resource Coordinator for SMD says that a volunteer like John is an invaluable asset to the organization. “He’s reliable and dependable and someone you can count on. Those are important qualities in a volunteer.”
John originally decided to volunteer at SMD because of his long relationship with the organization. He has stayed because he enjoys the atmosphere and his coworkers. “Since I started here, I’ve met people that I’ve become very goods friends with. I feel like part of the group. Knowing that I can help makes me feel good too.”
Over the years, John has received many volunteer awards for his commitment and hard work. “John has put in over 5,000 hours as a volunteer at SMD and shows no sign of slowing down,” says Tiffany.