Daryn is Indigenous and lives in Regina, Saskatchewan. He joined our Creative Employment Options program looking for a part-time job at a warehouse or bottle depot.
Twenty years ago, he was injured in a workplace accident, breaking his left leg, tibia, and femur. After the accident, he started experiencing depression. He spends most of his time sitting and standing and is unable to lift heavy items like he used to.
While in the Creative Employment Options program, Daryn learned how to format his resume and cover letter documents and how to tailor each to a specific job posting of interest. He also learned about first impressions at interviews and the importance of being on time, well-dressed, and welcoming.
Due to the stressful nature of job searching, Daryn reviewed methods of maintaining positivity, such as enjoying hobbies and positive thinking. He was also part of a discussion surrounding disclosing disabilities to employers and taught how to disclose, when to disclose, and why you might disclose.
Taking action to make himself more employable, Daryn successfully completed a forklift certification course and began applying to numerous warehouse and labour positions.
After putting in some hard work interviewing with a number of companies, it all paid off for Daryn when he was offered a warehouse worker role with the . Daryn is now responsible for operating a forklift to move products and has just recently begun delivering orders for the company.
鈥淸I] enjoy having a consistent work schedule in a welcoming and busy environment that also supports [my] financial needs,鈥 he shares.
Daryn loves his job, and hopes to stay with the Regina Food Bank for many years to come.
November is Indigenous Disability Awareness Month (IDAM). Indigenous peoples of Canada experience a disability rate significantly higher than that of the general population. IDAM brings awareness of these barriers and the issues that Indigenous peoples living with disabilities and their families face every day.
