Employers
Why work with GVS?
We highly value job fit for both our clientele and employers. We will work with you to understand your needs and match them to a job seeker’s strengths.
Inclusive hiring is good for business! Extensive research has established including employees with disabilities helps businesses meet financial and social objectives.*
We have a deep pool of candidates looking for employment. Our program participants want to work and possess a wide variety of experiences and skills.
Financial hiring incentives: We often broker training placements and wage subsidy agreements which are free or subsidized for employers.
This looks like:
Brief meetings at your convenience to understand your business and hiring needs.
Support for both you and the employee in making sure job expectations are met.
Access to workplace education session from experts in the field of mental health and employment.
Kind words from Christie Watson
Managing Director of Rumble Productions Society
“Over the past 3 years it has been my pleasure to work with GVS. As a small arts organization, we are always seeking out creative ways to increase our capacity while building relationships with folks who can bring fresh perspectives through their unique lived experience. Working with GVS clients has helped us examine how our operations can be more accessible and welcoming to neurodiversity as well as leading to the creation of new initiatives and allowing us to give greater attention to certain areas of our operations, such as documentation and access. The wage subsidy process is simple and allowed us to bring on new staff at almost no cost and with limited administration. More importantly, GVS has provided an avenue for me to meet new people and build friendships with members of my community who I would not have otherwise met. Through GVS, my perspective has broadened and my understanding of how to create supportive working environments has increased. GVS staff if proactive and engaged and I always felt I was part of a team. I am thankful for the experiences and connections made through GVS and I look forward to developing this partnership further.”
“Living with a mental health disability, working with Gastown Vocational Services has been a game-changer in my life. The one-on-one and group working skills learned have been instrumental in my doing my job. I am remotely working from home with a supportive and generous employer doing work that employs all my skills. Thank you GVS Team!”
- Barbara Wong
Kind words from Katherine Wensley
Front Store Manager of Shoppers Drug Mart #2294
“Our location has partnered with Gastown Vocational Services for many years and we couldn’t be happier with the help given and received. We train the work experience placement for life in the workplace and assist them in achieving their goals, but we also get the chance to learn from them and hear new perspectives. A representative from GVS sets up regular meetings to discuss progress and feedback and, at the end of the program, the employee either leaves with a great reference or is often hired on at the placement (it’s happened here many times!). We encourage other employers to look into the program; help others out while also helping your business. We’re always excited by the potential when GVS lets us know someone would like to be placed at our store and we look forward to working with GVS for many more years!”
“Miscellany Finds is proud to be an affiliate of Gastown Vocational Services. Their social systems help people develop their own skills to help them procure their own economic independence. Some of the young women we train in our back to work program come through Gastown Vocational Services. It’s a very supportive collaboration that we’ve developed and we hope to continue our relationship.”
- Portia Sam, Program Manager of Miscellany Finds Thrift Store
