As a division of Community Living Kawartha Lakes, Jobs 'R' Us is a small business offering a variety of products and services in the City of Kawartha Lakes area. These services include collating, folding, stuffing, sealing, labelling, packaging, woodworking and assembly along with our primary business - wine bottle washing and recycling.
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Quick facts about Jobs 'R' Us
- Jobs 'R' Us is a division of Community Living Kawartha Lakes. Jobs 'R' Us provides training and employment opportunities for adults with intellectual challenges living in the City of Kawartha Lakes.
- Jobs 'R' Us provides a variety of small business services to the community. These include both contract services and voluntary services. Such services include collating, folding, envelope stuffing and sealing, assembly, packaging and woodworking. Jobs 'R' Us also participates in a fundraising partnership program with the local Humane Society which involves the recycling of tin and aluminium containers.
- Our primary business initiative is a Wine Bottle Recycling Business, which has been in operation for close to five years. This business is operated by individuals supported by Community Living Kawartha Lakes and Job Coaches / Support Staff.
- Wine bottles are collected throughout the City of Kawartha Lakes and Durham Region as a result of strong partnerships built with the City of Kawartha Lakes Waste Management and Recycling Department, as well as many local businesses.
- Wine bottles are soaked for label removal and pre-rinsing, cleaned thoroughly, dried and packaged for resale in the community at a significant cost savings. Customers are referred to our business as a result of further partnerships with local wine making retailers.
- Jobs 'R' Us has recently upgraded its equipment, training and employee base in an attempt to improve the quality of the product being sold and to meet the demand from local consumers. This business expansion and skill development was made possible through a generous grant provided by Community Futures Development Corporation and Industry Canada in 2005.
- This recent expansion and growth of this initiative has provided an opportunity for the business to become a sustainable and viable business in the City of Kawartha Lakes.
- Although the concept of wine bottle recycling is not a new one, the introduction of the initiative is new to this particular area. A need was recognized and Jobs 'R' Us is working hard to meet that need. Through this process it has unveiled and presented Community Living Kawartha Lakes as a strong and willing partner in promoting socio-economic development within the City of Kawartha Lakes. Enviro-friendly "green" product usage is a priority with Jobs 'R' Us as a priority business practice.
- Jobs 'R' Us received an Innovation Award from Community Future Development Corporation in 2005 in the service category.
Our community partnerships
City of Kawartha Lakes
Over the past five years Jobs 'R' Us - a division of Community Living Kawartha Lakes - has had the opportunity to develop short-term employment partnerships with the City of Kawartha Lakes (at the Lindsay and Fenelon Falls Landfill sites), A job coach and work crew of four to six Jobs 'R' Us employees assisted with Litter Control around the ditches and roadways, clean up of the new Pilot Compost Kitchen Pad, and the carrying out of Recycle and Waste Audits. This employment not only created meaningful, competitively paid work for our employees but also offered an opportunity for education, skills building, friendship and business partnership for all parties involved.
During the beginning of our partnership, some of the City staff - although friendly - kept very much to themselves and were very quiet. However as they observed our work qualities and began to know us through conversation, they opened up. Several of the City of Kawartha Lakes Staff workers commented on our superb work ethics and told us we were, "…the hardest workers they had ever seen." They told us that they learned as much through the partnership as did the workers from Jobs 'R' Us.
Since 2001, the City of Kawartha Lakes has also supported our Re-Use, Recycle Wine Bottle Business initiative. We began this waste 
diversion initiative with a pilot project on a few recycle pick-up routes within Lindsay and Bobcaygeon, collecting empty wine bottles. Once the bottles are collected, Jobs 'R' Us wash and clean the bottles to be resold to local residents who make and bottle their own wine. This service reduces the quantity of glass products being sent to the local waste sites while also providing a quality service to residents of our community. In 2005 we won an Innovative Small Business Award from Community Futures Development Board for our work on the Re-Use, Recycle Wine Bottle Business initiative.
In previous years, Community Living Kawartha Lakes has also provided assistance with the City's Leaf Composting Project.
We express our sincere thanks to the City of Kawartha Lakes for the experiences and opportunities they have provided. We look forward to any future community partnerships and employment opportunities that may arise.
Industry Canada & Community Futures Development Corporation
Jobs 'R' Us has recently upgraded its equipment, training and employee base in an attempt to improve the quality of the product being sold and to meet the demand from local consumers. This business expansion and skill development was made possible through a generous grant provided by Community Futures Development Corporation and Industry Canada this past year. Jobs 'R' Us received an Innovation Award from Community Future Development Corporation in 2005 in the service category.
Technology Alliance Group (TAG)
We have been successful in receiving Ontario Trillium Foundation funding for a joint research project with our partners, the Technology Alliance Group (TAG), to explore a safe and environmentally sensitive way to dispose of computers and other electronic devices.
Victoria County Humane Society
Jobs 'R' Us participates in a fundraising partnership program with the local Humane Society. We raise funds by collecting and recycling tin and aluminium containers.
Pick-up sites
The following organizations and businesses assist us by serving as pick-up sites for our Wine Bottle Business initiative:
Promotion & publicity
The following organizations and businesses assist us by promoting our Wine Bottle Business:
Employers
Visit our Community Employers page to see the individuals and businesses currently supporting Jobs 'R' Us and other Community Living Kawartha Lakes programs.
Information for employers
Jobs 'R' Us also helps individuals to find and keep volunteer and work placements in the community. Jobs 'R' Us team members provide assistance with job search skills, placement options and job coaching. The job coach, titled "Job Coaching Defined…", which follows] works along with employment agencies, educational services, and private, public and community employers to ensure that the placement is successful. Community volunteers and other employees at the job sites are also encouraged to act as supports.
Work opportunities are provided on a one-to-one basis, in enclaves and in 'mobile crews' (for example, working on a cleaning contract). Individuals who are ready for employment are supported to take on full and part-time positions in the community, receiving IL support based on their level of need.
Visit our Community Employers page to see the individuals and businesses currently supporting Jobs 'R' Us and other Community Living Kawartha Lakes programs.
Did you know?
Employees with disabilities are:
RELIABLE - 86% have average or above average attendance records.
PRODUCTIVE - 90% rate average or above average in performance ratings.
SAFE -97% rate average or above average in terms of safety on the job.
LOWER TURNOVER - Workers who have a disability are 5 times more likely than others to stay on the job.
"Job Coaching Defined..."
A Job Coach is responsible for providing hands-on coaching and / or teaching of a new job or a job that has been altered and requires re-training.
Job coaching involves hands-on support to employees in an employment placement. Job coaching is intended to assist an employee to attain a level of productivity that matches that of other workers as well as to help the employee deal with work-related and performance issues.
Job Coaches are familiar with employment related barriers and accommodations, learning styles and instruction strategies, and possess excellent communication skills. These skills are essential to providing skilled and efficient support to those learning a new job or learning new skills in an existing job. As well, consistency in job coaching is key to an employee's success in the job and the mastering new skills.
In job coaching, the Job Coach provides the employee with:
- Orientation to the work environment (including machinery, etc.).
- Identification of any / all job accommodation needs.
- Orientation to the responsibilities / duties of the new or altered job position.
- Demonstration of specific work tasks.
- Attention is paid to:
- Proper work habits (punctuality, attendance, safety, responsibility, etc.)
- Work performance (specific job skills, accuracy and quality of work, volume or quantity of work, comprehension of written, oral or visual instructions, etc.)
- Work attitude (response to supervision and co-workers, motivation and initiative, etc.)
- Resolution of job crisis situations, if any.
Prior to beginning a job placement or training, the Job Coach completes a Task Analysis Form that is individualized for each employee. Once the placement has started, it is often necessary to make changes or revisions to the Task Analysis based on individual needs.
Often support and / or accommodation tools (i.e. check lists, pictorial guides, etc.) need to be developed according to an individual's needs. The development of these tools is the responsibility of the Job Coach, in consultation with the employer, and is done in a timely fashion during the training process.
Fading or gradual reduction of the job coaching is determined in consultation with the employee, the employer and the Job Coach. A general guideline for the fading out of job coaching supports is usually not to reduce the level of support by more than 20% per week. For example:
- Week 1 100%= 10 hours / week job coaching supports.
- Week 2 80% =8 hours / week job coaching supports
- Week 3 60% = 6 hours / week job coaching supports
- And so on...
(Some individuals learn new or altered job duties faster and master the skills required quicker, whereas others may take longer and more repetition is needed to master the job skills required to be successful in the job. Therefore, this is a guideline only and is considered flexible and altered on an individual basis.)
Once initial intensive job coaching is complete and fading has begun, the Job Coach completes an Employee Performance Appraisal Form for each employee at least once per week to track the progress of the individual employee and identify any issues that may require extra training.
Immediately following gradual fading of job coaching supports, job checks are done regularly with each employee to ensure that skills continue to develop and tasks are being completed properly and in a timely manner. Job checks also offer the opportunity to expediently address any areas of concern.
When all parties are comfortable with the progress of a specific employee, their level of mastery with the job skills and the performance overall, it is then appropriate to discontinue job coaching to that specific employee. Monitoring and maintenance supports can then be offered to the employee and employer.
Special announcements
Jobs 'R' Us is in need of your help!
Jobs 'R' Us provides a variety of small business services to the community. One of these is our wine bottle recycling business. Employees from Community Living Kawartha Lakes clean the recycled bottles and re-sell them back to community members for the making of their own wine and craft activities.
In February 2007 the government began providing to people a refund for their used bottles and glass products if they returned to the Beer Store. This change has significantly affected our business. However, YOU can help.
For our business to continue to provide a quality service to our community members and employment for those with disabilities; we would like to ask that you give us your recycled wine bottles rather than returning them to the Beer Store. We can provide you with drop off locations and / or arrange a pick-up service.
If you would like to donate your bottles or have any questions, please feel free to contact us at Jobs 'R' Us 340-0146.
Thank you for your support!
