Life is a Journey: Checking in with Frances

At LiveWorkPlay we do not offer any site-based programs. In other words, it’s not a place you come to. It’s about helping you go places!

This can be confusing or even scary for people with intellectual disabilities and their family members, who are unsure what this might mean for their daily life. They might be looking for support from LiveWorkPlay after high school, or after leaving a day program or other site-based situation that offered a daily “place to go.” If that’s not what the future holds, then what will take its place?

Where will I go? What will I do? Who will be there with me?

The answers to those questions are individual to each person, but in general, the answer is the same as it is for any other person, whether they have a disability or not: volunteerism, employment, clubs, courses, classes, teams, hobbies, and a variety of relationships with other individuals and groups. The difference for members of LiveWorkPlay is that they might need more or different support than some other citizens need.

But that doesn’t mean can’t or shouldn’t.

It often means that people, groups, or organizations in the community might need help learning how to welcome, include, and value them. Frances Laube has always been clear about her interest in paid employment, but at the same time she was open to volunteering alongside other volunteers, and the Ottawa Children’s Treatment Centre (OCTC) has proven a wonderful fit – not only because (as a former beneficiary of OCTC services) Frances wanted to contribute, but also because OCTC knows how to provide an inclusive and welcoming environment for their volunteers.

This has included matching Frances with a colleague, a relationship that has helped both Frances and Zofia make an important contribution to the OCTC team. You can read more about this from a story in the OCTC volunteer newsletter, which is quoted below.

“Through their volunteer work, their collaboration, and their interaction with OCTC staff, both Frances and Zofia have increased their confidence and self-esteem – traits that are as essential in finding employment as the skills and relationships that they have developed.”

Frances is continuing to volunteer with OCTC but has added a new twist to her daily life: a part-time position with the Commissioner for Complaints for Telecommunications Services (CCTS) that builds on her skills and experience performing clerical duties with Volunteer Resources at OCTC. Congratulations Frances, and congratulations to OCTC and CCTS, you’ve recruited a talented individual to your respective volunteer and staff teams!