Burnell enjoys his work at Tim Hortons, especially greeting customers
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Flowercart offers three programs to its clientele: 

  1. Prevocational (also known as Developmental Services Area)
  2. Vocational 
  3. Community Employment  (including Partners in Employment Outreach, Hodge Podge Arts and Crafts Studio, Transition-to-Work, Literacy, Supported Employment at Michelin)

Prevocational program

The Developmental Services Area of Flowercart is a prevocational program.

Prevocational programs are established to identify and address the needs, and promote the abilities, of adults considered to have an intellectual disability and who might also have a secondary disabling characteristic.

The program focuses on:

  • developing individual potential
  • assisting individuals to have more meaningful participation in their community
  • individual challenges that need to be addressed before particating in a traditional vocational or community employment program can occur.

In order to achieve these goals the program focuses on the development of competencies in many areas that may include, but are not limited to:

  • Life skills, including self help skills
  • Social skills
  • Functional academics
  • Communication
  • Community access
  • Self awareness and self esteem
  • Workplace relationships
  • Work skills
  • Leisure activity participation, within the context of a vocational service
  • Work serves as one of the media for the prevocational experience
There are 4 employees and 20 participants in the Developmental Services Area.

Vocational program

The vocational program of Flowercart serves those individuals considered intellectually disabled who require vocational skill training. Vocational skill training includes training in job performance skills as well as the work-related attitudes, habits and interpersonal skills necessary for success at work. A vocational program participant may or may not have the goal of competitive employment.

Each vocational department serves a small group of people with a defined amount of vocational instructors: therefore, a person working in the departments must:

  • be able to work alone and as part of a group without constant or 1 to 1 supervision
  • have the understanding of and ability to access community resources, e.g., corner store, transportation, or have the support(s) in place to facilitate access to community resources.

The vocational departments provide valued work and training opportunities through on-site business activities in order to assist each participant to achieve the job performance skills, as well as the work-related attitudes, habits and interpersonal skills required to be successful in any work setting.

The two vocational departments are:

  1. Baker's Choice Fine Foods
  2. Used Clothing / Woodworking Department

There are 7 employees and 33 participants in the vocational program.


Community Employment program

Community Employment Services exist to:

  • establish and maintain clients in jobs in the community which fulfill the clients’ realistic employment goals
  • maintain or increase the success of clients in community jobs
  • help clients acquire or enhance generic work skills, job-specific skills and employment maintenance skills
  • increase employability of clients
  • provide paid employment for clients
  • provide or facilitate work experience and training opportunities for clients

Community Employment Services serve adults considered intellectually disabled who:

  • demonstrate a desire to work at a job in the community;
  • show promise of being able to succeed at competitive employment (ability, desire, availability, and adaptability to work); and
  • benefit from employment, employment-related work opportunities and/or employment–related training

Flowercart’s Community Employment Services include a number of tailor-made projects including:

  1. Partners in Employment Outreach
  2. Hodge Podge Arts and Crafts Studio
  3. Transition-to-Work
  4. Flowercart’s Literacy Program

1. Partners in Employment Outreach (PIE) is an employment agency that provides specialized employment-related services and supports to job seekers who found school difficult and may have required a modified program. Job seekers working with Partners in Employment Outreach have a wide range of abilities and limitations, and services are designed to meet their specific needs. Job seekers attend a number of sessions with PIE to: define their skills, abilities, limitations and supports; choose realistic employment goals; seek realistic training opportunities; enhance their job search skills; and ultimately to obtain and maintain suitable jobs. We also partner with employers and community agencies to develop training and employment opportunities for our clients. PIE is funded by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada.

2. Hodge Podge Arts and Crafts Studio develops business opportunities for adults considered intellectually disabled that wish to make and market arts or crafts. It also provides employment in a collaborative work environment for clients. Hodge Podge Arts and Crafts Studio produces a range of different sizes of Hodge Podge blankets (Lap Quilts, Couch Throws, Twins, Doubles, and Queens) made from 8" x 8" squares of material. We also make pillow shams, pet beds, and stadium blankets. Our Hodge Podge blankets were inspired by the traditional quilts found in the old family homesteads of Nova Scotia.

3. Transition-to-Work (TTW) is funded by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada. The goal of the project is to assist selected youth participants to overcome barriers to employment. Project staff assess the needs of participants and identify any employment-related barriers. Working with a counsellor, each participant determines an occupational goal and action plan. Participants receive a stipend while participating in in-class workshops and training. To further develop work-related skills, participants are matched with community-minded employers for time-limited work experience placements. For this work, participants receive an hourly wage that is paid by HRSDC. Job Coaches are provided (at no expense to the employer) to assist the client, train on the job and give additional support or training as needed. The end goal is for project staff to establish participants in jobs in the community that meet the participants’ realistic employment goals, or to refer them to further appropriate training.

4. Our Adult Literacy project is especially designed for adults considered intellectually disabled. Following and modifying the Nova Scotia Community College Adult Learning Program curriculum, the program offers a practical approach to learning fundamental reading, writing and math skills. Learners work with money, budgeting and banking as well. The literacy level of the majority of our learners is below the entry requirements for most other literacy programs available in Kings County. By providing specialized instructors, a supportive environment, shorter class periods, and a low instructor/learner ratio, we ensure that the learners in our program receive the one-on-one instruction that they need to be successful. Flowercart offers literacy classes for approximately half of the year.

The CES employees are the Coordinator, an Administrative Assistant, two Supportive Co-workers (one full-time, one part-time), the Hodge Podge Production Assistant, the Michelin Contract Administrator, plus the teams from PIE and TTW, and the Literacy instructor.

Partners in Employment Outreach’s employees are the Employment Counsellor, 2 Assistants to the Employment Counsellor and a Job Developer for clients with a physical disability.

Transition-to-Work employees are the Counsellor and the Assistant Counsellor.

There is 1 Literacy instructor employed for approximately half of the year.

In 2007 the combined total of clients served by CES program was over 150.

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