Next Tuesday, December 3, 2019, representatives from the LEHC and Family Services Thames Valley will host an information session for those interested in learning about the upcoming changes to ODSP in Ontario. See below for the details!
This will be highly valuable for those currently applying for, living on, or appealing ODSP. The LEHC also offers no-cost advocacy services to provide legal support to those within the ODSP system.
Join us at the Beacock Library from 6:30-8:30 p.m. (Doors at 6).
Are you a low-income senior citizen in London ON and area?
Dentists are expensive. Retirement’s getting harder and harder by the day. If you need basic dental care, are a senior citizen living alone ($19300 max income) or a couple ($32300) the Ministry of Health and Long-term Care and Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility will cover your basic dental costs if you are not already covered!
You can read the Ministry news release here and find out how to access this coverage here
If you need assistance applying online, contact or visit the LEHC!
Visit the LEHC in downtown London to meet with company representatives and decision-makers from Saputo Foods in St. Mary’s.
No way to get to St. Mary’s? Ask about the Regional Ride-Share Program and Other Carpooling Options.
Today, Canada Remembers. The World Remembers.
Whatever your philosophical or moral beliefs, the historical fact is that many Canadian men and women sacrificed their lives for victory in the First World War. Today, we celebrate the armistice that marked the end of the bloodiest and biggest war in history at the time, but we also mourn. We mourn for the faceless soldiers that gave everything so we could live freely today. Today is about more than a symbol or a poem, or an evidence-based history; it is about sentiment. The sentiment to gratefully remember the brave individuals that made the ultimate sacrifice, the sentiment to respect and honour all of the fallen, this is what today is truly about. We do not need to limit this sort of gratitude to one day a year, either. Still, there are injured, disabled, or ill veterans that do not have access to the basics. There are families of veterans that continue to go without. Whatever it is that you do today to honour these courageous souls, take a minute to reflect on all that there is to be grateful for, and the miraculous beauty of this world.
“In Flanders Fields
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders Fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders Fields.” – John McCrae
Rest in Peace, now and forever.
Are you interested in shorter-term, blended training options? Would you like to hone your soft skills, or be better than you already are?
Sample Courses:
Cover Letters, Resumes, Interviews, Networking, Digital Literacy, Leadership Skills, and so much more!
Look no further! Contact the LEHC today and we’ll hook you up with lots of great courses at no cost!
Today, the wonderful Employables team of the London Employment Help Centre rocked to the top of One London Place to raise funds for local community supports and poverty reduction initiatives. Thank you to all the donors, the other teams, United Way Elgin Middlesex, Scotiabank, the sponsors, and the community at large for making this a success! Together, we can work to reduce poverty and support productive livelihoods for the unseen, marginalized individuals of society. Most of all, this goes out to you, those with lived experience in poverty and disadvantage. Thank you!
From left: Tricia Dalton, Edward Pugliese, Emma Ferguson, Geoff Hume, Tammy Brooks, Elena Shkolnikov, Rob Spencer
@unitedwayemca
9 Climbers
24 Donations
$840 raised (and counting), surpassing the $500 team goal by at least 168%!
We’ll see you next year!
From the London Employment Help Centre, have a happy and safe Halloween!
Power Up London is a networking group dedicated to supporting London’s entrepreneurs and communities. This time around, mental health and well being were the topics of the day. We all suffer, have suffered, or know someone that has suffered from mental illness. This is a particularly tricky topic to broach in the workplace. Supervisors and Managers could perceive weakness or incompetence, coworkers could start to doubt you. This only makes things worse. People generally do not want to discuss these things in public with others. That’s a big part of the challenge here: by keeping all of these emotions and sentiments inside, one will only make it harder to seek the help and support she/he/they need(s).
Three courageous survivors of mental illness shared their stories of struggle, suffering, defeat, perseverance, resiliency, and victory. Mental illness is real; recovery is possible. Speak out. Start these courageous conversations. Reach out. There are a number of great supports in the London area for mental health and wellness. Contact the LEHC today to learn more and find out where to get the help you are looking for. No judgements. Only hope. Thank you to the event’s organizers and the speakers, and we hope to see you out at the next Power Up London event. Stay tuned!
Last week, between October 22 and 24, 2019, there was a magical conference. It was at the foot of the colourful canopy at Blue Mountain. Over 300 delegates discussed the future of work and workforce development. The conference was full of insight, positive energy, strategy, and, everybody’s favourite, labour market information! Three keynote speakers enthralled an audience of employment sector professionals from all over Ontario and Canada, engaging with things like the rising importance of the soft skill, the principle of addressing the disadvantage not the disadvantaged, and how to integrate data-driven results for meaningful social change.
Though the focus was youth, the theory and action illustrated at the conference applies to any demographic–especially a workforce with four generations. Things in Human Resources need to change as does the active job search for the talent.
The breakout sessions were incredibly useful as much of this was centred around frontline workers. Everything from closing pathway gaps to future skills, and from meaningful cultural collaboration and partnership to recognizing and battling unconscious bias, was on the table. Embrace without judgment seemed to be one unspoken consensus among delegates.
Despite increasing technological advancement with things like automation and artificial intelligence, it is projected that Canada’s economy will add 2.4 million jobs in the next decade. Like anything, there is so much opportunity for positive change. But, also like anything, it is hard to engage individual stakeholders in matters that affect society as a whole. With wider collaboration between and among employment agencies, school boards, communities, workforce development boards, economic planning councils, businesses, and other regional partnerships, it is possible to improve the outlook of workforce development in Ontario and beyond.
Well, you’re not alone. Many companies may find it challenging to have substantial corporate policies tackling these important issues. Sometimes, the conversations can just be plain old awkward but they don’t have to be! Honesty and authenticity go a long way in facilitating these courageous conversations. Check out the first Rainbow Optimist Club in the world, which addresses the marginalization of rural LGBT2Q+ individuals, and areas for change to support all.
(The Genderbread Person – A convenient, though somewhat controversial, infographic explaining the differences in sex and gender identity).
Today, a group of like-minded professionals in the employment sector had the opportunity to share ideas about equity and inclusion in the workforce, particularly surrounding LGBT2Q+ identity and representation. There were many excellent pointers from our region’s very own pioneer for gay rights, Martin Withenshaw, of the Local Economic Planning Council (LEPC). Thank you for the informative and insightful presentation and to all who shared their ideas around the table at Pathways Skill Development in London ON.
There are a growing number of resources around these issues and politics, which will only increase with time. These are the issues of the future. Get a head start now. Give us a shout at the LEHC and we can help to make appropriate referrals and provide information and insight in establishing safer and more positive and productive spaces. It can be as simple as displaying a pride flag in your offices, or making sure to address groups without using words like “guys,” and switching instead to something like “folks,” or “people,” or “everyone.”