a opeater’ degree than in most
companics. “Vherefore, "our prime
concer was how the Work Station
members would interact with our
existing employees,” says Deborah

@:. Nexus’ Human Resources
ssistant.

So even after the workers were able
to perform their required tasks
competently, the Association's
trainer Mike Skellenger stayed on to
guide them through leisure time
interactions with their peers.

Now the employees have overcome
their initial shyness, and are readily
participating in company-sponsored
events and outings with their co-
workers.

Deborah Letain says that her
company really appreciated the total
support and guidance it received
from the Association. "They made
us understand that we were not to
fecl guilty if the candidates didn't
work out for any reason. And the
candidates, as well as everyone else
in the company, know that if
they're here, it's because they're
oe" — not for any other reason."

 

 

THE EMPLOYEES

 

 

Jay Holiner and Doug Green work
regular 8-hour shifts at Nexus
Engineering, preparing parts for
placement on the circuit boards of
the company's — industry-leading
products. They like the added free-
dom their regular junior assembly-
man salaries give them.

Jay and Doug both enjoy the
friendly atmosphere at Nexus.

“They showed me how to get
organized," says Jay. "Il go on
Nexus parties, and they're starting
ski ips soon. I'd like to do cross-
country skiing.” *

“They celebrate everybody's birth-
day," adds Doug," and there's lots

eo“ around."

l’ven though it takes Doug an hour
by bus to get to work from the
Vancouver co-op apartment he

Jay Holmer, Nexus employee.

shares with his wife, he thinks it's
worth it.

And Jay sums up the team's
positive attitude. "There's always
new things to learn," he says,
smiling at the challenge. Ha

 

 

THE ASSOCIATION

 

   

 

The Nexus Work Station is the
second sponsored by the North
Shore Association for the Mentally
Handicapped in a program that
specifically targets the electronics
industry as a fertile field for Work
Station growth.

"We decided when we went into the
Work Stations program that we
would try to zero in on a skilled
area more than on areas in which it
might be easier for mentally
handicapped people to get jobs,"
explains Bob Waycott, Director of
Vocational Services for the
Association.

"We were looking for long-term
employment opportunities that gave
employees a chance for advance-

ment, a decent salary and a better
life."

The Association's first Work
Station, at Sheffield Technology,
placed two individuals directly from
a sheltered workshop and trained
them entirely on-the-job over a six

month — period.
College venture into” electronics
assembly training for mentally
handicapped adults gave — the
Association the edge it was looking
for when approaching Nexus.

The Douglas

"We knew that to really break down
the barriers we had to deal with
people who could do the program
the most good," says Waycott.
“Nexus is the leader in this province
in a very high-profile field, and we
really wanted to work with them."

“Our approach to Work Stations
may differ slightly from that of
otherassociations," Waycotttcontin-
ues. "Not only are we willing to
cross municipal boundaries to
secure jobs in the electronics field
for mentally handicapped workers,
but we will place the people best
qualified for the Work Stations
openings we obtain, wherever they
live in the Lower Mainland."

The North Shore Association
intends to retain its flexible
approach to the Work Stations con-
cept, and to continue to reach out to
other agencies for the assisatnce that
might make the difference between
an individual Work Station's suc-
cess or failure.

"We're interested in linking up
resources to make sure that the
individual worker gets the best
possible support and opportunities
as he's moving along," states Bob
Waycolt.

 

"Work Stations in Industry"
is a project funded by
Employment and Immigration
Canada,
and co-ordinated by
British Columbians for
Mentally Handicapped People

More information on this Work
Station may be obtained from:

The North Shore Association
for the Mentally Handicapped
1645 Lonsdale Avenue
North Vancouver, B.C.
Canada, V7J 2J5
Phone: (604) 984-9321

 

 

 

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