Mirjana is an active participant in her community. She volunteers and works part-time at NeighbourLink Summerland (opens in a new window), an organization that provides services to individuals and refers them to local resource groups.
Mirjana was born with albinism (opens in a new window), which has caused severe vision impairment and sensitivity to light. In 2016, she was looking for additional work, so she approached the Neil Squire Society for help.
Mirjana had been a client in the past and knew about the support available through the Working Together program. The Working Together program helps people with disabilities develop the skills they need to achieve their employment goals.
Mirjana’s goals were to “fit into a new office culture and increase the amount of hours I have been working.”
The program connected her to Maple Roch (opens in a new window), a local employer operating as a social enterprise. The business retails and wholesales maple syrup ethically harvested from New Brunswick.
Mirjana started working at Maple Roch in late 2016 with the help of a wage subsidy through Working Together. When the wage subsidy came to an end, Mirjana was hired to work full-time.
“Mirjana has been a very good fit for the company,” says Roch Fortin, owner of Maple Roch. He adds that Maple Roch greatly benefitted from the wage subsidy. “The financial assistance was crucial for a small business. By working together, we were able to increase Mirjana’s hours. Now she is an integral part of Maple Roch.”
With the help of the program, Mirjana was able to set up a work environment that met her needs. This included a large-screen monitor with adaptive technology and a desktop CCTV monitor to help her with information entry.
“The program helped Mirjana set up an office environment suited to her disability,” explains Fortin. “This made it possible for her to manage retail and wholesale sales. This left room for us to expand our business.”
As the Office Manager, Mirjana manages the retail space and the back office, along with managing sales in the store and with wholesalers. “Without the [Working Together] program, I am convinced I would not have had these opportunities,” she says.
Mirjana’s plans for the future are to “remain where I am and grow with the company. I also hope to encourage others with disabilities to consider the Working Together Program.”
Mirjana’s eagerness to always lend a hand hasn’t gone unnoticed. She won two awards at the Summerland Chamber of Commerce’s 80th Annual Business and Community Excellence Awards (opens in a new window): Excellence in Customer Service and Citizen/Volunteer of the Year. In addition, Maple Roch won Business of the Year at the same ceremony.
We wish Mirjana the very best as she continues to do stellar work at Maple Roch and in her community.
The Working Together with Employers and Enhancing Employability
program is funded by the Government of Canada’s
Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities