Canadian HR Reporter

www.hrreporter.com 7 A fter more than 10 years in business, Creative Options Regina (COR) clearly knows what it's about when it comes to supporting people. Founded in partnership with the Ministry of Social Services, the organization addresses a gap that existed in the service delivery continuum where a growing number of people with an intellectual disability who also had a mental health diagnosis were struggling to access supportive services, says Michael Lavis, CEO. "We wanted to approach care from a different perspective or through a different lens and, in essence, put relationships at the core, at the centre of care- giving, and develop personalized services together with and for the people who we are serving, and their family and loved ones." If the caregiver or the employee is thriving and feeling supported, they'll provide the utmost care to the people seeking services, he says. "It's really looking at caregiving from a more holistic lens, and recognizing the importance of mind, body and spirit." To that end, the organization provides several wellness offerings that include: massage therapy, academic bursaries (twice per year), flexible schedules, custom-created healthy recipe challenges, Facebook Live performances, yoga, lip-sync challenges, financial literacy lunch-and-learns, and fitness discounts. On the lighter side, COR also provides employees with healthy activities such as a private skate at a local stadium or tubing in the snow. "When I think about psychological health and safety and the importance of mental health, particularly in the work that we do — because being a caregiver is an emotionally demanding job — it's important for us to take care of our employees and know that they're feeling supported and nurtured, and provide them with the tools so that they can be successful," says Lavis. "We really took the time to listen and learn what's important to people... and carved out a strategy that was addressing areas that are relevant and important to the day-to-day lives of both the people that we're serving, but also those employees." COR also boosted its employee recognition efforts by partnering with local business 22Fresh Apparel to create custom-branded clothing to recognize employee referrals. "We are a charitable organization, we are a nonprofit, and yet, often, we're the recipients of so much community generosity, I think it's important for us to be able to support local businesses and contribute and engage and give back to the community as well, and finding ways to partner with local businesses that align with our vision and our values," he says. "It's something that people actually want and… are grateful to receive." To further its efforts to nurture a more inclusive community, COR partnered with the University of Regina's Campus For All program to launch an inclu- sive employment initiative, 4to40, to partner with employers that embrace diversity and are looking to hire people with intellectual disabilities. Other part- ners include Farm Credit Canada, SaskTel, the Public Service Commission and the City of Regina "We recognized as an organization that there are many people that we support that are wanting to work and are wanting jobs because... there's a lot of meaning and pride in the work that we do each and every day. And it's no different for someone who experiences a disability, it brings that sense of fulfill- ment and meaning and purpose in their life," says Lavis. "Ultimately, it's real work for real pay. It's not volunteer, it's not charitable." CREATIVE OPTIONS REGINA Email: michael@creativeoptionsregina.ca Phone: (306) 546.4441 ext.222 Website: www.creativeoptionsregina.ca

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