PROGRAM OUTLINE
PHASE 1:
Employment Skills Training (6 weeks): Monday to Friday 8:30am-4:00pm
This is a 6-week IN CLASS development and training session.
During this phase, trainees will participate in workshops and individual counselling that promotes personal and professional growth.
The 4 pillars of the program are: Accountability, Self-Awareness, Communication and Life Skills.
Accountability:
Personal accountability is not a trait that people are born with. It is a way of living that is learned and is not easy to change. This as a core value of this process and we commit to walking beside you.
Some of the ways trainees will learn to be personally accountable are:
- Taking ownership of situations that you are involved in – good or bad
- Not blaming others if things go wrong and doing your best to make things right
- Ensuring you are at work every day and on time
- Completing tasks and assignments on time
Self-Awareness:
Self-awareness plays a critical role in how we understand ourselves and how we relate to other people.
Some of the ways trainees will learn to become self-aware are:
- Developing skills to align your thoughts, emotions and actions with your personal values
- Objectively evaluating and improving your ability to manage your emotions
- Understanding how others see you
Communication:
Have you ever noticed that sometimes when you say one thing the other person hears something else? This can result in misunderstandings, frustration, and even conflict. Effective communication is a learned skill. Learning good communication skills helps us to avoid problems in our personal and professional lives.
Some of the ways trainees will learn to develop communication skills are:
- Paying attention to non-verbal body language
- Keeping stress in check during tough conversations
- Developing assertive communication techniques
- Becoming an active listener
Life Skills:
Some of the workshops covered are:
- Boundaries
- Budgeting
- Skill Identification
- Resume and cover letter writing
- Basic Microsoft Office training
Certification Training:
- Health and Safety
- First Aid/CPR
- Safe Food Handling
- Smart Serve (optional)
PHASE 2:
Internal Job Placement (10 weeks): Monday to Friday 8am-3:30pm
Ray of Hope Community Centre: In this position, trainees will work in a commercial kitchen environment helping to prepare the meals in large quantities for our Community Centre guests. Trainees will be part of a team that will:
- wash, dice, shred, cube, de-bone/de-skin food products (fruit, veg, bread, meat, dairy)
- re-package, label and store food appropriately
- un-package and sort dry/ fresh/ frozen goods as needed
- portion fruit and yogurt
- sanitize work spaces and wash dishes
- inventory control
- serve guests coffee, breakfast and lunch
PHASE 3:
External Job Placement (10 weeks): Schedule determined by Employer
External placements vary depending on the Employer’s needs. Flexibility is required. You may be asked to work days, afternoons, evenings and/or weekends.
Our goal is to provide trainees with a meaningful external job placement that aligns with their current skills, education, experience and interests. Most placements will be entry level positions.
NEW: We have developed a new hybrid model that provides opportunities to move directly from phase 1 to phase 3. This means that the external work placement would then be 20 weeks long. The contract remains 26 weeks long.
Trainees receive:
- A team of people walking beside you to encourage, challenge and support you
- Weekly one-on-one life coaching
- A bus pass or reimbursement for mileage up to $90/month
- Breakfast and lunch during Phase 1
- Support with childcare costs (if needed)
- Work uniforms, shoes and clothing for interviews