Inclusivity, mental health focuses of upcoming Salmon Arm job fair

Connections, resources and inspiration await those seeking work, as well as employers and employees, at a job fair planned for Salmon Arm.

The WorkBC Shuswap Inclusive Seminar & Job Fair will take place Tuesday, April 18, at the Prestige Harbourfront Resort. The event brings guest speakers, information sessions, opportunities for networking, personal and professional development and more. The theme of the event is Inclusive Hiring and Retention.

"We have filled the afternoon with amazing information sessions with various presenters and agencies who will speak to the different funding and services available that can help job seekers, community services, and employers navigate the world of work when someone has a disability – whether it's physical, mental or a psychological disability," reads a WorkBC media release.

Having seen an increase in mental health strains in the workplace, not only for workers but employers as well – anxiety, stress, depression and substance abuse, affecting people's ability to work and operate a business, WorkBC has arranged for two keynote speakers who will be presenting at the April 18 event, Victoria Maxwell and Salmon Arm'sJustin Brien. Maxwell, a recognized international keynote speaker, uses her unique sense of humour and storytelling of recovery from mental illness to help raise awareness, combat stigma and help make difficult conversations surrounding mental health more comfortable. An inspirational speaker, mental health advocate and professional executive coach, Brien, who was diagnosed with clinical depression, social and general anxiety, speaks to his journey of fighting through the path of loneliness and darkness to eventually find his 'why' to live and muster up the courage to ask for help.

Several information sessions will also be offered at the event. They include one on WorkBC Assistive Technology, which will highlight resources available to employers for staff needing accommodations or having physical disabilities. Other sessions include: Navigating disability disclosure and accommodation discussions with employers; Entrepreneurs with Disabilities: Pre-Accelerator Program; Funding Inclusive Work Experience Opportunities while Saving Costs to your Business: WorkBC Wage Subsidy Program; Employer supports with Shuswap Association for Community Living; and Funding Diversification in your Business: Open Door Group Opportunities Fund Program.

Numerous Salmon Arm/Shuswap employers looking to fill various positions will be at the fair, which starts at 9:30 a.m. with a welcome by Secwépemc knowledge-keeper Louis Thomas, and runs to 3 p.m.

The fair is free to the public, but those wishing to attend are asked to register in advance on eventbrite.ca. Employers wishing to book a table can do so by emailing info-salmonarm@workbc.ca.

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