Rewarding employment opportunities for newcomers

Prabhjot Kaur (Shyna) found a meaningful career as a Development Support Worker.

By Roxanna Spruyt, Brian Dunne and Ron Coristine

COVID-19 has spotlighted an urgent demand for Personal Support Workers (PSWs) and Development Services Workers (DSWs), spurring investment into home and community care by the Ontario government as well as an increase in applications to personal support worker training programs.

More than ever, this increased demand is leading to job opportunities for Canadians, especially among newcomers and immigrants for whom caring for others is often a strong component of their community. While the pandemic has created a focus on long-term care homes and seniors’ residences, an often overlooked yet rewarding opportunity for job seekers is working as a PSW, DSW or intervenor with individuals who have diverse abilities, to help them integrate and thrive within their communities.

This type of role wasn’t something 22-year old Prabhjot Kaur (Shyna) was familiar with back in India, where she had been working in a position equivalent to a pharmacy technician. It wasn’t until she immigrated to Canada in 2018 as an international student when, upon taking her International English Language Testing System (IELTS), she considered studying as a DSW. She enrolled in the Developmental Services Worker program at St. Clair College, and ended up doing her placement at Community Living Chatham-Kent (CLC-K), a non-profit organization that enriches the lives of people who have diverse abilities by providing quality services, and meaningful and inclusive opportunities.

CLC-K, PHSS and DeafBlind Ontario Services are three of the leading community-based organizations in Ontario. They are equally dedicated to fostering inclusion and celebrating diversity, both among the people they support and employees, by providing life-changing support and training.

It was through her placement that Shyna developed one-on-one relationships with the individuals she supports and became excited about working for CLC-K, and credits her teachers, colleagues and mentors for helping her succeed in her journey.

“My first school semester was initially challenging because the language barrier made it difficult to communicate so I was afraid to speak,” she admits. “But my teachers really helped me in each and every way – sharing their knowledge and assisting with assignments – and the course work helped develop my communication skills which has given me a lot more confidence.”

Some of the course work included subjects that helped them delve into their own personalities, so that they could better understand, communicate with and change behaviours in others. In addition to good communication skills, Shyna says flexibility and problem solving are necessary but, for her, learning patience was the most valuable of all.

The ongoing education and skills learned through in-depth, on-the-job training are big draws for students and other people interested in working in this field. Shyna now works with CLC-K part time as a Direct Support Professional helping those she supports with all aspects of daily living, including behaviour support, personal care and activities for greater independence, citizenship and social living. She has made a new life for herself while at the same time helping others, something she finds very rewarding. And when you feel satisfied with and appreciated in your work, she says, you become even more dedicated.

“Caring for someone with special needs is a different experience that has changed me a lot,” she adds. “Your focus turns from yourself to someone else and to making sure you are advocating for their choices, since none of them can speak without your help.”

Making an impact is also important for Donnie Antony, who was born and raised in India. Donnie had already completed a diploma in nursing and a postgraduate diploma in nursing management before moving to Canada in 2013, where a friend told him about the role of DSW. In his second year of studies at Fanshawe College, he joined PHSS on a part-time basis and then became a Care Coordinator at one of their London locations, providing assistance to people with severe physical, developmental and/or multiple disabilities. It was here that he learned he preferred the more person-centred community setting over hospitals, where he could build relationships with those he supports and more directly help them achieve their goals and dreams in life.

Donnie Antony blends nursing skills with leadership to make a greater impact on people’s lives. This photograph was taken pre-COVID, hence the absence of masks.

“PHSS provided plenty of ongoing education, along with opportunities to grow, but also I really aligned with their values and mission of supporting others in a way where they are seen as valued members of society,” Donnie says. “I knew I wanted to be able to do the work we are doing on a larger scale, making it possible for everyone in the community to live independently.”

Finding passion and purpose, Donnie became a Senior Coordinator in 2018. He now manages several locations and blends his nursing skills with leadership to make a greater impact on people’s lives. He intends to stay within the DSW field while continuing to further his career through leadership and management courses.

As for Shyna, she is focused on becoming full-time until she gets her permanent residency and wants to continue her studies with a Masters of Autism at the University of Windsor.

A career in disability services is like no other, with opportunities to have a profound impact on someone’s life.

Here are some tips if you’re considering finding work in community-based support roles:

• Leverage your network. Many positions are found through word-of-mouth referral, often from people already working in the field. Start with your current colleagues, friends or even clients – you never know who may know someone or have a connection to an organization that’s of interest. Consider joining associations such as the Ontario Association on Developmental Disabilities.

• Get an educational edge. There are more than a dozen Ontario Colleges offering full and part-time program certificates for PSWs, DSWs and intervenors, and entry-level programs require an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent. These programs feature valuable placement opportunities, and many of the instructors or even other students are a great source for information and networking.

• Ask about training opportunities. Look for employers who invest in their employees through extensive training, mentoring and other professional development opportunities throughout all levels of the organization. For example, given their unique needs, DeafBlind Ontario Services developed the TOUCH program, specialized training to strengthen the competencies of their intervenors.

• Consider the culture. If you’re looking for a new challenge and want to help people, or you’re eager to make a change, a career in disability services may be the right path for you. Look for organizations that offer a collaborative culture, supportive environment, open communication, and commitment to your personal and professional development.

• Roxanna Spruyt is the CEO of DeafBlind Ontario Services; Brian Dunne is President and Chief Executive Officer of PHSS and Ron Coristine is Executive Director of Community Living Chatham-Kent. DeafBlind Ontario Services, PHSS and CLC-K have formed an integrative partnership to jointly advocate for and continue to provide high quality, client-centered and integrated community-based support to individuals who have highly specialized and unique needs across Ontario.