Making Work Work

This is a foundation that identifies and builds on the innated gifts, talents and skills development of each person.

Discovery – Navigating a Path to Employment

New 1:1 spots available in May 2024 – Stay Tuned

From childhood through early adulthood, there are subtle clues and indicators of interests, skills and talents that later become transferable and help us to succeed in our social and work path.

As an essential step in navigating towards employment, DISCOVERY invests the time and focus that it takes to reveal these ‘gifts’. Through an intensive one to one person- inspired approach, we look at attributes, interests, roles and relationships, at home and in other social situations, that can often influence and increase networks and possibilities.

By focussing on the core interests and ‘gift’ of the person, we can be part of that integral first step to navigate someone towards work and volunteer experiences where the true essence of their skills can be utilized and where their contribution is needed and valued.

For more information please contact mmackenzie@montagesupport.ca

Person working at a restaurant as part of the Making Work Work program.

Discovery Is:

Information gathering form the participant’s perspective
Engaging family, friends, community connections, previous placements and networks
One to One observations at home and in the community to see how interests, activities and interactions play into potential work and/or volunteer experiences

An Ongoing Reference That Tracks:

Scope of possibilities
Informational interviews / Nose to KNOWS – speaking to those already in the job
What worked? What didn’t ? What next?
Record of jobs and tasks learned to build a case for hiring and future advancement

The Value in this Process Significantly Reduces

The need to start from scratch each time a job search is required or you need to provide information to a program
The repetition of jobs that do not reflect the innate skills of a person
Being identified as a person who is unemployable as a result of miss-matched work experiences

Discovery Increases

The likelihood of a job match that reflects interest and skills capacity
The difference between what they are good at and what they are good at, and likely to stick with
Motivation, Dependability and Reliability – The three key factors that employers look for
Job retention and happiness in choices

To Talk More About This Fee for Service

Please contact Michael Mackenzie at mmackenzie@montagesupport.ca,
416-606-6375.

Our View on ‘Volunteering’

A component of the Making Work Work initiative, is to develop formalized partnerships in the volunteer sector. Our intent is to create alliances that will connect adults with physical and developmental disabilities to events and organizations where they can offer their skills, time and talents while fulfilling their right to community engagement.

In the context of leading to employment, we partner with businesses where ‘existing’ volunteer roles can offer real-time experience and skills building, in a chosen field, that will benefit and leverage the person’s job search. We are adamant that people are not ‘placed’ in roles that are labeled as ‘volunteer’, where others doing the same work are being paid.

Montage was one of the lead agencies that increased volunteer opportunities at the PanAm and ParaPan games in 2015, and continues to be involved in Toronto events including: , Fan-Expo, Luminato, Harbourfront and TIFF.