Debra Stockwell, Chantal Ippersiel and Stephan Geissler help people experiencing barriers to employment find fulfillment through steady work at Segue Career Options, located through the back door at 418 Main Street, Steinbach.
Each client visiting Segue Career Options in Steinbach is a new story.
It could be a woman held back by a physical disability, or a young man with a poor work history. They all need help, guidance in finding employment.
That transformation from first conversation to first day on the job is what Stephan Geissler relishes. He helps job-seekers overcome the obstacles preventing them from finding work.
"I enjoy seeing young people coming in, unaware of their barriers, and through the program they start to identify, self-assess and realize, ‘Wow, maybe I have a chip on my shoulder.’"
Nearly 100 people utilize Segue yearly, seeking a smooth transition from unemployment to earning a pay cheque on the regular.
There are two streams. What’s referred to as Segue proper is one-on-one training for people with mental or physical health barriers. After conducting a vocational assessment, Segue seeks the right job opportunity.
The STEP program is geared toward people aged 15 to 30, those who are job-ready but not fully trained. Maybe they’re inexperienced, lacking knowledge or had poor experiences in past jobs. A four week in-class component teaches various skills and then they venture into an eight week work experience, where they are connected with willing employers. The participants are paid for by the government and covered under Workers Compensation.
Although the two programs vary, they centre around mentoring, said program coordinator Chantal Ippersiel.
"It’s a unique opportunity to serve a portion of our community that tend to feel like they’re overlooked—we get the ones that didn’t finish high school or had rockier paths," she said. "They just need to go somewhere where they can learn, not be judged and expand on their skillset."
Director Debra Stockwell manages Segue in Steinbach, where it has operated on 418 Main Street since 2012, and in Winkler, where it has flourished since the 1980s.
Though each client differs in what brings them to Segue, they learn the same lessons.
"[Segue] gives them an opportunity to be themselves and by being themselves Stefan and Chantal are able to draw even more skills out of them," said Stockwell.
The list of businesses accepting Segue’s clients continues to grow. They include Steinbach Family Resource Centre, Rocco’s Pizzeria, Canadian Tire and Let’s Celebrate Rentals.
Segue hopes more businesses become aware of them and give their clients a shot. Stockwell is well-aware of the time involved in teaching new employees, but she hopes employers will consider lending a hand, and maybe train them into becoming the perfect employee.
"These are people in this community, whether they fall under Segue or whether they fall under STEP, that all want to be a part of our community," she said. "Here we can help them do that."
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