December 2023
Connections and Support lead to Employment Success for Brent
Arriving in a new city with no support network can be challenging, but when Brent arrived in Thunder Bay, he had an edge. Despite being new to the city, he knew that support was available, and he wasted no time tapping into it. His previous experience with Employment Options in Kirkland Lake gave him insight into the network of employment and training support that is available across Ontario. Brent discovered that this support could be found in Thunder Bay at YES Employment Services.
From the moment Brent stepped into YES, he felt the warmth and support of the staff. The welcoming environment coupled with the generosity of time and assistance made him feel right at home. It was evident that Brent was not just seeking a job; he was determined to make a meaningful career move.
YES Career Development Practitioner, Briley Sandberg, recognized Brent’s dedication immediately. With a strong background in customer service, Brent aimed to expand his horizons beyond the retail sector. YES wasted no time in helping him polish his resume and providing referrals to community support. Brent spent every day in the Resource Area at YES, diligently following up on job leads and exploring new opportunities.
In less than three weeks, Brent had secured a position at the Prince Arthur Hotel, working at their Front Desk. YES not only played a pivotal role in connecting him with the job but also provided essential support like clothing and transportation assistance to ensure a smooth start.
Brent is thriving in his new role and is eager to share his success story. Grateful for the assistance he received, he is now a testament to the impact of community support. “A lot of people have helped me, and I look forward to making others aware of the support that is available,” Brent shared.
With YES’s help, Brent feels a sense of forward momentum and success in his life. His quick transition to employment showcases not only his commitment and work ethic, but also the effectiveness of the support system in Thunder Bay.
Congratulations to Brent! We hope his story will inspire others to seek the support they need to succeed in their own journeys.
YES programs and services are for adults and youth of all ages and skill levels. Call 807-623-0768 to schedule an appointment. Walk in to our office, or request an appointment.
Welcoming New Staff
We want to welcome Lisa King to our Career Development Practitioner team here at YES. She was generous enough to share a little bit about herself:
“My background is in Community Studies, where I worked the past 5 years and was a Program Manager at Shelter House. I also have experience working within mental health and addictions facilities and working with vulnerable populations. I have vast experience working with all age demographics doing care plans, assessments and teaching life skills, etc.
I have taken all that experience to be able to apply this to my current position at YES Employment by greeting clients and building a rapport with them to be able to get to know them and service them to the best of my abilities and also working along side the client to help make their career goals a success.”
We are so glad to have you aboard Lisa!
We want to welcome Sydnie Bryan to our Career Development Practitioner team here at YES. She was generous enough to share a little bit about herself:
I took the Social Service Work program at Confederation College and graduated back in 2019. After that, I moved back home to Kenora for a short amount of time, where I was a Playroom Teacher with Firefly. In 2020, I was out of work due to Covid-19 and that’s when I decided to move back here to Thunder Bay. Since then, I’ve worked many places, such as Our Kids Count, Children’s Centre Thunder Bay, Rural Roots Childrens Centre and now here at YES Employment!
Working at those places has given me a lot of experience working within different fields, with different age groups and within the different parts of the community. With this, I can take skills learned from one job and apply it to another, which is extremely helpful!
I am excited to continue working here at YES; helping clients and building relationships to assist them in learning to use their skills to the best of their abilities so they can become successful.
We are so glad to have you aboard Sydnie!
We want to welcome Caterina Tuori to our Youth Job Connection team here at YES. She was generous enough to share a little bit about herself.
Caterina graduated from Lakehead University with an Honour Bachelor of Social Work. Through this schooling and her work at Our Kids Count she developed an appreciation for community development work and working with individuals to build their skills. Here at YES as a Youth Worker Caterina is able to continue to assist individuals in building employment and life skills to assist in finding them the job they really want. When not at work Caterina enjoys connecting with friends and family, crocheting, crafting, and tending to house plants and animals. She looks forward to working alongside clients in the Youth Job Connection program to reach their employment goals.
So glad to have you aboard Caterina!
We want to welcome Janet Gilbart to our Career Development Practitioner team here at YES. She was generous enough to share a little bit about herself:
Janet’s most recent nursing experience included case management, a position that included assisting clients with setting up home care services, providing education and information on community resources. She also referred clients to various organizations and initiated Long Term Care and supportive housing applications. These transferrable skills will prove invaluable to the clients she will be assisting as they work toward their employment goals.
So glad to have you aboard Janet!