Prevocational and Vocational programs

Prevocational program
The prevocational program focuses on:

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

The staff to participant ratio is 1 – 5.

Vocational program
Vocational program is made up of two departments:

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

The vocational program focuses on vocational skills training. These skills include job performance skills as well as work-related attitudes and habits. A vocational participant may or may not be striving towards integrated employment within the community. A participant in one of these departments must be able to work unsupervised for periods of time as well as within a group.

The staff to participant ratio is 1 – 8.

Where the program is located

Flowercart’s Head Office, 9412 Commercial St. New Minas, B4N 3E9

Hours of attendance

Hours are Monday through Friday 8:30 am – 3:15pm.
Open year round except for a one-week closure at Christmas

When do openings in the program occur

Openings in the two programs are unpredictable.

Who to contact about applying

Contact is Terry Taylor, Vocational Dept. Head - Human Services P: 681-0120, email: terrytaylor@flowercart.ca

How to contact

Terry will take application inquiries over the phone and arrange a visit and tour to determine next steps in the application process.

Other information

There is no cost to enrol in the programs.
Transportation is not provided.
A training stipend is paid to participants bi-weekly.

Supported Employment

What services are offered and to whom

Hiring of Michelin Contract Workers
Hiring of CES Contract Workers

Community Employment Services provides Supported Employment Services to:

• People whose needs are not met by admission to the vocational or prevocational programs and who benefit from Supported Employment work opportunities
• People who require time-limited one-to-one support at a competitive job
• People who require ongoing, periodic support in order to maintain employment
• Clients served by Community Employment Services travel in their community independently, or have the supports they require in order to travel in their community.

Where is program located

Community Employment Services offices are located at 8736 Commercial St., New Minas, NS B4N 3C5
Office hours are 9:00am – 5:00pm Monday to Friday. By appointment and by chance.
Employment may be at the Community Employment Services offices or at various community worksites

Hours of attendance

For work opportunities and work contracts, the hours of work for clients vary according to the terms of the work contract.
The amount of one-to-one support on the job is time-limited. It is usually measured in hours, days, or weeks – not months.
The ongoing periodic support for clients who are established in a job is not time-limited.

When do openings occur

Continuous intake

Who to contact about applying

Contact is Lisa Hammett Vaughan P: 681-2349 Email: lisahammettvaughan@flowercart.ca

How to contact

Telephone or email - Lisa will take application inquiries over the phone and arrange an interview to determine next steps in the application process

Other information

There is no cost to enroll in the programs.
A wage is earned when employed. There is no training stipend for participation.

Assessment and Training Services

What services are offered and to whom

Assessment Services to determine employability skills
Employment-related training such as Workplace Education or Consumer Education

Community Employment Services accepts clients for Assessment and Training, specifically:

• People whose needs are not met by admission to Flowercart’s vocational or prevocational programs and who benefit from employment-related training.
• People who need a short assessment to determine employability skills
• Clients served by Community Employment Services travel in their community independently, or have the supports they require in order to travel in their community.

Where is program located

Community Employment Services offices are located at 8736 Commercial St., New Minas, NS B4N 3C5
Office hours are 9:00am – 5:00pm Monday to Friday. By appointment and by chance.

Hours of attendance

The length of an assessment is usually measured in hours or days.
Employment-related training is periodic and is time-limited.

When do openings occur

Assessments can be arranged at any time
Training programs occur at various times throughout the year

Who to contact about applying

Contact is Lisa Hammett Vaughan P: 681-2349 Email: lisahammettvaughan@flowercart.ca

How to contact

Telephone or email - Lisa will take application inquiries over the phone and arrange an interview to determine next steps in the application process

Other information

There is usually no cost, or minimal cost, to enroll in training programs. Bursaries and other financial assistance can often be arranged for people who are unable to pay.
There is no training stipend for participation.

On-the-Job Support and Follow-along Support Services

What services are offered and to whom

One-to-one support on the job
Follow-along Services to those who are employed

Community Employment Services provides On-the-Job Support and Follow-along Support to:

• Clients who have secured a job
• People who require time-limited one-to-one support at a competitive job
• People who require ongoing background support in order to maintain employment

Where is program located

Community Employment Services offices are located at 8736 Commercial St., New Minas, NS B4N 3C5
Office hours are 9:00am – 5:00pm Monday to Friday. By appointment and by chance.

Hours of attendance

The amount of one-to-one support on the job is time-limited. It is usually measured in hours, days, or weeks – not months.
The ongoing (Follow-along) support for clients who are established in a job is not time-limited.

When do openings occur

Continuous intake

Who to contact about applying

Contact is Lisa Hammett Vaughan P: 681-2349 Email: lisahammettvaughan@flowercart.ca

How to contact

Telephone or email - Lisa will take application inquiries over the phone and arrange an interview to determine next steps in the application process

 Other information

There is no cost for these services.
Clients served by Community Employment Services travel in their community independently, or have the supports they require in order to travel in their community.

Hodge Podge Arts and Crafts Studio

What services are offered and to whom

Hodge Podge Arts and Crafts Studio is a supported work site for selected clients served by Flowercart’s Community Employment Services (CES). CES clients who become Hodge Podge crafters come to Hodge Podge to learn, to work, spend time together, supplement their income, and create marketable crafts or art.

SUPPORT AT THE STUDIO
CES employees maintain the studio work environment. There is a production assistant at the studio Tuesday from 9 until 3:30 and Thursday from 1 until 3:30. The Production Assistant directly assists clients with their work.
Crafters who come to the studio at other times and days are able to do their work independently, knowing that other employees are nearby if they need a question answered, or need help troubleshooting with equipment.
When required we make a plan with a crafter for time when a Community Employment Services employee will work with him/her one-to-one so a new skill can be learned. This one-to-one support is for a limited number of hours.
Clients served by Community Employment Services travel in their community independently, or have the supports they require in order to travel in their community.

Where is studio located

Hodge Podge Arts and Crafts Studio is located in the Community Employment Services offices at 8736 Commercial St., New Minas, NS B4N 3C5

Hours of operation

The studio is open to crafters from 9 until 4, Monday to Friday.

When do openings in the studio occur

Continuous intake
Maximum of 10 crafters.

Who to contact about applying

Contact is Lisa Hammett Vaughan P: 681-2349 Email: lisahammettvaughan@flowercart.ca

How to contact

Lisa will take application inquiries over the phone and arrange an interview to determine next steps in the application process

Other information

There is no cost to enroll. 
Studio crafters earn the profits from the crafts they create. Craft labour is calculated at minimum wage or better. Sometimes it takes a long time for a craft item to be sold, so sometimes a crafter has to wait a long time to be paid for their work.
Crafters are paid their earnings on a bi-weekly schedule.

Transition-to-work

What services are offered and to who

Transition-to-work participants have employment as a realistic goal. Employability skill development occurs through workshops (in-class instruction), project activities and work experience placements with community employers. Participants are introduced to work experience when they are ready for this step in moving to employment.

An applicant must meet the following criteria to be accepted into the project:

• Multiple barriers to employment
• Intellectual or learning disability
• Between 15 and 30 years of age
• Out of school
• Canadian Citizen
• Not on Employment Insurance
• Legally entitled to work in Canada

Transition-to-work serves a maximum of 13 people.
Transition-to-Work is staffed by two people - a Counsellor and an Assistant.

Where is project located

8740 Commercial St., Site 4, New Minas, NS B4N 3C5
Work experience placements occur in Kings County and surrounding area.

Hours of attendance

Hours of operation are Monday – Thursday 8:30 – 3:30 and Friday 8:30 – 12:00.
The hours in attendance for a work experience placement are negotiated with the host employer.

When do openings in the program occur

Continuous intake - when there is an opening in the Transition-to-Work project Employment Counsellors who serve appropriate candidates are informed.

Application is by referral only

Applicants must be referred by an Employment Counsellor that is funded by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada. However, Transition-to-Work employees will direct interested, appropriate candidates to a referring Employment Counsellor if they do not have one. To contact the project employees, call 902-681-0824 or email jenninewilson@flowercart.ca

Other information

The maximum length of enrollment is 52 weeks.
Time at work experience placements is paid at minimum wage, with mandatory deductions.
Time spent on project activities and workshops (in-class instruction) is paid at minimum wage. The maximum amount of time that a participant can spend on project activities and workshops during enrollment is 720 hrs., approximately 24 weeks.

Literacy

What services are offered and to whom

Level I and Level II literacy upgrading provided by a qualified teacher
Learners who require literacy upgrading at Level I and Level II

Where is service located

The literacy classroom is located at 8740 Commercial St., Site 5, New Minas, NS B4N 3C5

Hours of attendance

Literacy is usually offered in the fall, winter, and spring, for a total of approximately half of the year.
Classes are held on week-days (not weekends).
Typically classes are scheduled for small groups of learners 4 – 6 people). Groups usually meet 3 times per week for 2 hours per class. For example, one group might meet Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Schedules can be arranged to accommodate learners who hold jobs.
Learners are expected to attend all classes.

When do openings occur

Applicants are assessed and class groups are established before the program begins for the year - in the fall. Sometimes an opening occurs in the middle of the year.

Who to contact about applying

Contact is Lisa Hammett Vaughan P: 681-2349 Email: lisahammettvaughan@flowercart.ca

How to apply

Lisa will take application inquiries over the phone and arrange an interview to determine next steps in the application process

Other information

There is no cost to enroll.
Literacy program learners travel in their community independently, or have the supports they require in order to travel in their community.
There is no training stipend paid to learners.

Partners In Employment Outreach

Program Criteria
Applicants to the program:

• live in Kings County
• are currently job-ready
• are unemployed (work less than 20 hours)
• have transportation
• have a phone (or someone who will take and deliver messages)
• are able to benefit from our services

Client Services
Services to clients include:

• employment counseling and case management
• information and assessment gathering career exploration and decision making
• referrals to training and other services in the community
• job search training, referrals to jobs and job search support
• job placement (matching job candidates with employers)
• initial on-the-job orientation, training and support (with assistance from Flowercart’s Community Employment Services)
• employment maintenance

Where the program is located

8740 Commercial St., Site 3, New Minas, NS B4N 3C5

Hours of operation

Hours of operation Monday to Friday, 8:30am – 5:00pm. Appointments are recommended. Drop-in by chance.

When openings occur

There is a continuous intake.

Who to contact to apply

Contact Janet Wack, Employment Counsellor
Phone: 681-2619 Email: janetwack@flowercart.ca

How to contact

Will take application inquiries over the phone and arrange an interview to determine next steps in the application process

Referring agencies

If referring from another agency, please send your referral form and any related assessment information to Janet. F: 681-2688

Other information

Services are provided at no cost.
Transportation is not provided.
There is no stipend or other form of payment to clients.
Job seekers with a Caseworker at the Department of Community Services should contact their Caseworker for a referral.