Larissa Prepares for a Future in Childcare

August 6, 2014

Employ-Ability participant, LarissaLarissa, who has fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (new window) (FASD), earned her Grade 12 Diploma and a First Nation Early Childhood Education certificate, and she’s currently looking for full time employment. She worked at a La Ronge, Saskatchewan (new window) daycare under a short term contract, and happily worked and made crafts with the children. “I had so much fun,” she says of that experience.

She heard about the Neil Squires Society’s Employ-Ability Program from her step mother and she thought it was a good idea to join this class in order to meet new people and develop her skills to find and maintain a job. “As an individual with FASD it is hard to remember things that you are supposed to. I also find that if I am sitting to long I get restless,” shares Larissa.

The Employ-Ability Program helped her improve her self-confidence and self-esteem. “By doing the personality assessments I learned a lot about myself and career types that would be suited for me. The exercises that benefited me the most is the cover letter and interviews skills,” she shares. Those exercises have already helped Larissa with one job interview and she says, “I can continue working on those skills until I have full time employment in a career.” The program taught Larissa how to independently do a job search and prepare her resume. Most importantly though, “I now know the direction I want to go for my future career.”

After completing the Employ-Ability Program, Larissa will be going to Saskatoon (new window) to attend the Way To Work (new window) program to continue preparing for the employment.

Best of luck to you, Larissa!