When Smitha initially joined the Neil Squire Society’s Working Together Program last October, she was hoping to simply find a part-time job to get her foot in the door in the working world.

With the help of the Working Together team, she exceeded those expectations in short order with a satisfying full-time position as a data clerk at a private immigration consultancy, just a 15-minute commute from where she lives.

“I still cannot believe that I have a full-time job, much less a paid job,” exclaims Smitha. “That’s a huge life change and I’m still adjusting to it!”

Smitha has partial hearing and vision loss. She uses hearing aids in both ears and is classified as legally blind, using a white cane to get around. With the aid of magnification and large text, she can use a computer and smartphone.

She initially came to the Neil Squire Society in 2016 as a volunteer for a variety of programs, including Computer Comfort, at the Burnaby, BC office.

In 2018, she decided to enrol in the Working Together Program and found the results life-changing.

“It completely transformed my outlook to job search,” she says. “Through this program, I also learned a lot about myself and what kind of job would best suit my personality, which was a big bonus!”

Smitha found that she has “always enjoyed working with people, on a one-to-one basis, particularly in person.”

Now with her job as a data entry (opens in a new window) clerk—which requires a lot of computer work—she’s happy to be learning new skills and continuing to grow as a professional.

“I would like to thank all those who helped and supported me through my job search, especially the staff at the Working Together program and everyone at the Computer Comfort Lab,” Smitha shares.

“I would not have made it without your help and support!”