12
weeks of hands-on learning
13
hours a week
2
weeks of prep before day one
Tailored
to each participant
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
An employment crash course, built for real life.
The Employability Program offers employment crash courses for people who struggle to find or keep work, and for people who want to build their skills but face challenges moving into the workplace, including developmental disabilities and mental health challenges.
Participants build the skills, confidence and experience to succeed at work and reach their goals.
Skills
Confidence
Opportunity
HOW THE PROGRAM BUILDS
Twelve weeks that build on each other.
Every cohort starts with comfort and belonging, then climbs toward workplace skills, certifications and real-world practice. The program can be lengthened when a participant or partner asks for it.
BEFORE DAY ONE
Prep
We meet each participant, learn their goals and set the cohort's theme.
STAGE 1
Settle in
Building comfort, reducing anxiety and learning emotional regulation as a group.
STAGE 2
Workplace skills
Communication, workplace expectations, teamwork and time management.
STAGE 3
Get certified
First Aid, WHMIS and hands-on skill building.
STAGE 4
Steady under pressure
Stress management, financial literacy and Food Handler certification.
STAGE 5
Ready to go
Resumes, interview practice and real-world workplace exposure.
WHAT SETS US APART
Built around the person, not the program.
The 12-week structure stays the same. What happens inside it is shaped by the people in the room.
EXAMPLE COHORT THEMES
Mental health & employment
Work placement
Work-ready foundations
Back to work
Get hired
Themed cohorts
Each cohort is built around a theme, chosen after we meet the people interested in joining.
Tailored to each person
Content is fitted to every participant and adjusted throughout the program as their needs change.
Emotional regulation, built in
Employment preparation and emotional regulation are taught together, because keeping a job takes both.
Clinically informed
Access to clinical recommendations and other tools makes this an engaging alternative to a standard job-readiness course.
WHAT PARTICIPANTS LEAVE WITH
Proof you're ready for work.
CERTIFICATION
Emergency / Basic First Aid
A certificate of completion
from Yarmouth Life Skills
Job search tools
and hands-on workplace experience
CERTIFICATION
WHMIS
Professional references
to bring to employers
Coping and regulation strategies
for the workday
CERTIFICATION
Food Handler
A resume
and practice with real interview questions
A connection
to Southwest Employment Services and ESIA for next steps
RESULTS SO FAR
18
graduates
2
cohorts completed
2
now working full-time
WHO IT'S FOR
For people of all walks of life, with all kinds of challenges.
Whether you have never worked, have struggled to keep a job, or want to build your skills before taking the next step, there is a seat for you. Seats can be funded in a few ways.
EMPLOYMENT SUPPORT AND INCOME ASSISTANCE
Full cohorts funded through ESIA
ESIA funds entire cohorts through the Ability Works Program. Themed groups can be designed with our partners at ESIA and Southwest Employment Services.
DISABILITY SUPPORT PROGRAM
Individual seats through DSP
Individuals with an individualized contract through the Disability Support Program can have their seat paid.
Paying another way? Members of the public can purchase a seat privately, and other funding sources are welcome. Ask us what fits.
If hands-on, out-of-the-boardroom learning is how you learn best, the Employability Program at Yarmouth Life Skills might be for you.
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH
Employment Support and Income Assistance (ESIA) • Southwest Employment Services