Summer Street project provides retail store, training for clients

NEW GLASGOW – When it comes time to give away clothes that are no longer worn, consider making that donation really count.

Summer Street’s clients celebrate individual successes during annual Awards Night

“The Awards Night is a very special evening,” said Bob Bennett, Executive Director. “Hosted by the Client Council, awards for personal achievements, years of service, and special awards in memory of departed clients are presented.”

“Our spectrum of services provides a range of opportunities which we customize as much as possible to accommodate individual preferences,” said Dorothy Doyle, Director Program and Services.

Kendall Snell, a recipient said “I really enjoy the awards night as it makes me feel good, and I like being appreciated for the work that I do at Summer Street and within the community. The best part of the night is getting my award and participating in the Fashion Show.”

Summer Street is in the business of creating opportunities for people with intellectual disability and works with 175 clients, delivering 110,000 hours annually of education, training and support. The spectrum of services offered include: vocational training, personal development, literacy, employment services and wellness services.

“Summer Street is a person-centered organization and it is reflected in everything we do,” said John Potter, President.

Mike Townsend, Executive Director for DirectioNS closed the evening with the following comment “ Summer Street is known as a place where everyone does important work and people care about each other.”

New Beginnings – A Summer Street Social Enteprise

New Beginnings is a gently used clothing store under the Summer Street. This video was created by second year Nova Scotia Community College students in the Marketing program. It explains the donation process and the process of clothing going from donation to New Beginnings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsDIrlLVfDM

Being inclusive when it comes to workforce participation

The oneNS Coalition is moving forward on the work of the Nova Scotia Commission on Building Our New Economy and the vision set out in the “Now or Never”, also known as the Ivany Report.

 

Each month the coalition facilitates conversations on various topics related to the economy, and in February the focus was on workforce participation. Workforce participation measures those who are interested in working, but for some reason can’t. Aging baby boomers, responsibilities like child care or aging parents, having the right education or going back to school to get it, foreign credential issues, technology, and low rates of new job creation, difficulty getting work experience, discrimination, and discouragement… are only some of the factors that affect it. 

 

Summer Street was asked to make a presentation, which brought a whole other  level of awareness to the discussion. Summer Street creates opportunities for persons with intellectual disability to gain independence, employment, and pride. Bob Bennett emphasized Summer Street’s client-centred approach. “We need to connect our clients to the workforce, to the extent to which they want to be connected, and based on their passion and gifts.” Bob reinforced the idea that nothing can happen without partnerships. “It takes a community to help us realize the goals of our supportive employment program.” 

 

One way that businesses, institutions and governments can bolster workforce participation of those with intellectual disability is to create purchasing policies that support Summer Street’s social enterprises and that of its partner agencies across the province.

The bottom line is that workforce participation is an indicator of the vitality of the economy. And these organizations make important contributions to the local economy.

Summer Street has gone to the dogs

Summer Street has started making all natural homemade dog treats, and CTV news dropped by to get the scoop.

Thank you CTV and Dan MacIntosh for covering this story and helping us promote our latest social enterprise!

Check out the full story here >>

Graduates celebrate success through Summer Street Works program

Congratulations to all recent graduates of the Summer Street Works Program. This past Friday participants celebrated the completion of this very successful program, which helps youth with disabilities overcome barriers to employment. Summer Street Works is part of the Government of Canada’s Youth Employment Strategy.
Through teambuilding activities and workshops, participants developed life and job skills such as effective communication and computer knowledge. They also benefited from work experience through job placements in various businesses within our community.
A big shoutout to all graduates, instructor Courtney Cameron as well as all participating businesses within Pictou County.
Thank you!

New Beginnings…. Clothes with Character. Gifts with Heart

OPENING SOON!! “New Beginnings”….Clothes with Character. Gifts with Heart.

Do you have favorite clothes you haven’t worn for ages but just can’t part with?… Give them a New Beginning! Summer Street is opening an exclusive, new-to -you clothing store this spring. Your donations of well cared for clothing are greatly appreciated. In addition, we will also be offering unique gift items made by persons with disabilities from Summer Street and simiilar organinizations accross the province.

Clothing donations can be dropped of at:
Summer Street
72 Park Street
New Glasgow, N.S. between the hours of 8:30 am- 4:30pm
902 -755-1745

NS Power Good Neighbour Fund Helps Summer Street

Pictured above is Summer Street employee Eric Redmond (left) receiving a $1600.00 donation from NS Power employee Don Emery

Nova Scotia Power’s “Good Neighbour Fund” has supported Summer Street by matching team pledges from this year’s scramble. On June 21st the NS Power team collected $1600 in support of Summer Street. This total was matched by the fund for a total of $3200.00. Through the Good Neighbour Program, Nova Scotia Power and their employees work to create positive change in the province. The program supports and fosters community-based organizations across the region.

We would like to acknowledge the NS Power participants for the 19th Annual Summer Street Scramble (Don Emery, John Hale, Raymond MacLellan, Hartley MacDonald and Walter Curley) Thank you for your continued support to our organization!

Bennett pleased with direction of province for people with disabilities

Summer Street Photo Executive Director Bob Bennentt pictured with long time Summer Street Employee Margaret Chisholm

Story Published by The News – New Glasgow

Published on September 05, 2013

NEW GLASGOW – A recent announcement by the premier’s office has made Bob Bennett, executive director of Summer Street Industries in New Glasgow, very happy.Premier Darrell Dexter promised changes on Aug. 29 that allow people with disabilities, seniors and people with mental health issues to choose the services and support they need.“We’re particularly pleased to see the government moving in that direction,” Bennett said.Bennett is also president of Directions Council for Vocational Services Society, a not-for-profit organization representing 29 “person-centered” service providers in the province.

Summer Street Industries is one of those service providers.

They build services based on what an individual wants and needs, rather than tell them to fit into services already in place.

That can include teaching job skills, providing leisure activities and academic upgrading.

Dexter’s announcement outlined three immediate actions with this new community-focused approach. It includes developing new legislation to replace the Homes for Special Care Act, setting up a single entry point for programs and services and creating a demonstration project that allows families to work on their own community-based housing solutions.

This announcement comes after a consultation with Nova Scotians last spring as well as recommendations from the Joint Advisory Committee, a 19-member committee of government and community organizations including Directions.

Annual Wellness Day a Success for Summer Street Clients

Photo by Jonathan MacLean

Last Wednesday Summer Street held its annual Wellness Day. A day filled with many presenters and workshops focusing on different health related topics:
The New Glasgow Library, Adopt-a-Library program gave out free books to help get people started in Reading.

Hearing tests were provided, did you know it’s very important to get your hearing checked every 2 years, to make sure your hearing is tip top.

The Red Cross were on hand, talking about First Aid. All participants were able to make their own First Aid Kits. We were also reminded to get our WHMIS and CPR training as soon as we can.

The third Workshop was by people from the Pictou Country Centre for Sexual Health, who came in to talk about sexual health and personal hygiene as well. We learned that personal hygiene doesn’t just make you look or smell good, but it makes you feel good on the inside and the outside.

The fourth workshop was run by a lady who was talking about Depression. We learned all the symptoms of depression, and how we can take care of ourselves and learn how to get over depression.

The fifth and final workshop was run by a couple of ladies that came from Addiction services and VON (The Victorian Order of Nurses). Addiction services talked about what addictions can do to you, the different kinds of addictions, and how to deal with them, while VON came in and performed Blood pressure tests on all the clients. It’s very important to get your blood pressure tested every time you go see a doctor, to make sure you don’t have high or low blood sugar, so you can stay healthy.

That day, I learned so many things, and it inspired me a lot to help me get into shape, eating healthy, deal with depression and anxiety, learn how to cope with my sexuality and learn how to take care of myself physically with my own first aid Kit. Wellness Day was a complete success in my book.                                                                                                 Post by Jonathan MacLean