Maria-Luisa has been familiar with the Neil Squire Society since 2005. At that time, she received training and secured a Mortgage Broker position at the Royal Bank of Canada. After two years, however, she stopped working completely due to increasing fatigue and inflammation in her joints.
Maria-Luisa has rheumatoid arthritis (opens in a new window) and fibromyalgia (opens in a new window), which affect her mobility and her ability to work with her hands. Her pain and lack of mobility culminated to the point where she needed to undergo surgery for a full knee replacement in both her legs.
“I got to be in a wheelchair before my surgeries,” she says. “After [the operation], I worked on recovering my ability to walk and move around. I came back to Neil Squire looking for the possibility to go back to the workforce.”
Maria-Luisa joined the Solutions for Employment program, which helps people with disabilities and injuries find and maintain employment. Her goal was to “reinvent” herself in a new career that would meet her needs.
The team worked with Maria-Luisa to assess a range of career avenues, such as office work and counselling. Employment as an interpreter sounded like the perfect fit for her, and she was excited at the prospect of utilizing her fluency in two languages.
After extensive research of workplace environments and physical requirements, the team narrowed down on an interpreter position at the Canadian Border Services Agency (opens in a new window) (CBSA). In preparation, they evaluated the route from her home to work in terms of her transport needs. Her job developer also connected with the employer to navigate work tasks, mobility needs, and workplace accommodations.
Maria-Luisa was thrilled to secure the job, where she translates customs interviews word-for-word for CBSA officers. “I am active, working, and positive that this job could be long-term,” she says. “There is no stress. I enjoy my job so much.”
Maria-Luisa describes the Neil Squire Society as her “home” and expresses her happiness at having found support on her new journey. She adds: “I have to thank the staff at Neil Squire for all the help and support I’ve received. It’s been inspirational and motivational and has helped me to not give up.”