Employment Works! at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. Human Resources Department.

Transcription

1 Employment Works! at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. Human Resources Department.

2 History of Employment Works! Located within Human Resources Department. Began April, 2004 as CAMH s Client Employment Program. One Coordinator to assist people to access full and part time jobs within CAMH. Provide support and assistance re employment gaps, the actual competition itself, resume writing, skills development and educational opportunities. Discuss issues related to disclosure.

3 History of Employment Works! Notion of becoming a model employer. CAMH needed to walk the talk. Development of an Employment Works working group, multi stakeholders, including private sector, gov t representatives, Employment supports service workers, former clients, clinical staff. An attempt to better address social determinants of health, CAMH continues to better address the needs of our clients, a home, a job and a friend.

4 Resources One coordinator, access to Human Resources Information System. Access to CAMH Vocational Programs-staff and clients. Access to Alternative Businesses (those staffed and managed by people with personal lived experience of mental health and/or addiction challenges). Access to HR Consultants. Access to unions. Chaired the CAMH Employee Wellness Committee.

5 Access to Employers. Developed poster campaign involving employees photos from CAMH, helped to ensure buy in. Changed name from Client Employment to Employment Works! Developed training re mental health in the workplace for Directors, Supervisors and Managers. Conducted outreach within the community ensuring a wide range of skills, education, work experience.

6 People resources Over 500 resumes collected Range of experience, from no employment experience through to professional career types, nurses, journalists, pharmacists, social workers, researchers etc. Do not need to be a CAMH client, lived experience suffices. Confidentiality is ensured.

7 Access to Employers. Called upon to present to employers issues related to mental health in the workplace. Many presentations to Ontario Public Service, Direct Energy, Diversity conferences, Ministries such as Correctional Services, Ontario Disability Support Program, Emergency Management Services, Federated Press, Conference Board of Canada. Assists in reduction of stigma and discrimination. Training delivered to CAMH Managers.

8 Unions CAMH has two collective agreements, Ontario Nursing Association and Ontario Public Service Employees Union. Developed a protocol with OPSEU, waive the responsibility to post internally for short term contracts-short term not yet defined. Candidates must be selected from my resumes. Special initiatives include placing people into non union positions, ie Human Resources reception and filing, hired 28 canvassers to survey all CAMH s in and out patients. Attend and present at monthly new employee orientation sessions.

9 Outreach Activities Maintain close connections with c/s communities. Continue to develop relationships with service providers, employers, educational and skills dev. Services. Annually attend and present to the Augmented Education Programs at George Brown College, Assistant Cook Extended Training Program and the Construction Craft Worker program. Feed ideas to George Brown re additional programs. Working with redevelopment to ensure emp. Opportunities.

10 Supporting people through the process. Meet with people one on one. Review resumes, discuss CAMH as an employer. Determine how to address employment gaps if any. If appropriate refer to outside resources, re employment supports. Add name to coordinators distribution list. Inform of additional web sites etc. for job searches. Host sessions on job seeking, resume writing, etiquettes of job search.

11 Supporting people. If part of protocol, introduce to managers, orient to CAMH. Assist in discussing any financial implications re private insurance, CPP, ODSP, etc. Walk to site where interview will take place, advise on interview process here at CAMH, advise re acquiring mock interviews. Advise on issues related to accommodations.

12 Successes 160 People hired, mostly contracts. 25 people now into full time positions. Greater numbers found employment in community. Unusual Suspects( employee support group) continues to grow. Participated on study of impact of organizational culture on those with mental health and/or addiction challenges. Facilitate Unusual Suspects (US) an employee affinity group. Development of Peer Support at CAMH-12 positions created.

13 Successes Over 500 addresses on distribution list. Over 160 people hired in five years. Sixteen full time through EW s. Peer Support Program expansion at CAMH. Unusual Suspects Growing. Higher degree of disclosure among managers. Development of Rotman Venture Capital Fund.

14 Challenges Consistent raising of educational and experiential standards in job posting. Level of discriminatory attitudes in the workplace. Unionized environment, most jobs go internally. Limited areas for entry level positions. Ensuring redevelopment meets their commitment. Issues re disclosure, employment gaps.

15 Contact Information Diana Capponi Employment Works Coordinator Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Telephone: ext. 2403

16 THANK YOU

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