Job Seeker – posAbilities Employment Service

WHO WE ARE

At posAbilities Employment Service, we help people who identify as neurodiverse, autistic, or who have an intellectual or developmental disability find and keep meaningful, paid work.

We’ll work with you to match your skills and interests with job opportunities that are the right fit. Once you’re hired, we’ll support you with on-the-job training to help you succeed.

Even after you’ve settled into your new role, we’ll stay in touch to make sure you’re feeling confident—and that your employer is providing the support you need to thrive.

How do I begin?

To access our services, you must be:

Living in the Lower Mainland
Referred by a Facilitator at Community Living BC (CLBC)

If you’re not yet connected to CLBC, you can contact them here:

Phone: 604-664-0101

Toll free: 1-877-660-2522 Email: CLBCInfo@gov.bc.ca

Already with CLBC? Talk to your Facilitator about a referral to posAbilities Employment Service.

If you’re not eligible for support through CLBC, there may be other ways to access our services — including paying privately. Contact us to learn more.

Do I need to bring anything to the first meeting?

No. The first meeting is an informal conversation to find out more about you and how we can support you with employment. Anyone who supports you is welcome to join.

What comes next?

Once the first meeting is complete, an Employment Specialist will be assigned to you — this means you’re officially moving forward with the service! They’ll be your main point of contact and will work with you to develop a plan based on your goals.

Over the next few months, you and your Employment Specialist will meet regularly to begin a process called Discovery. This includes exploring your:

Interests and skills
Strengths and goals
Work preferences and possibilities

You might also attend our Employment Job Club to connect with others who are working or job-seeking. Together, you’ll learn about:

What employers expect
Life and job skills that help you succeed
Social skills in the workplace
Job interviews — questions, answers, and practice

You’ll also develop your own personalized employment plan — and we’ll update it as things change.

Your responsibilities

While working with us, you agree to:

Show up on time for appointments
Let us know if you’re sick or need to reschedule
Be involved in your job search
Be open to learning and trying new things
Be respectful and honest

Finding and applying for jobs

Once you and your Employment Specialist feel ready, you’ll start identifying potential employers and opportunities. Be open — sometimes you’ll discover something new you enjoy!

We’ll also support you with job interviews and help you prepare in a way that works best for you.

What if this service is not a fit for me?

There are many ways to get support to find a job. If we don’t think posAbilities Employment Service is the right support for you, we will explain why and suggest other options.

Your Facilitator at CLBC will also be able to tell you about other types of employment support that might be available to you.

If you don’t agree with our decision, you can:

Speak with the Employment Service Manager — you’re welcome to bring a caregiver or family member to this meeting.
If you still disagree with the decision, you can appeal by contacting our Program Director:
(604) 299-400 or sending a letter to:
posAbilities
#240 – 4664 Lougheed Highway
Burnaby, BC V5C 5T5

You will receive a response within 10 working days.

TRAINING

First Aid

Learn essential life-saving skills in a supportive, hands-on environment. This two-day First Aid & CPR/AED course is designed for learners of all abilities and includes small class sizes, personalized support, and experienced instructors. Participants will engage in practical skill-building and receive certification upon successful completion.

Digital Literacy

The classes will cover the following topics:

Searching for information online
Using different browsers
Identifying safe websites
Email basics
Online safety
Online banking

JOB CLUB

Are you neurodiverse and want to be prepared for finding employment now or in the future?

We offer a Job Club for youth and adults. You can attend online through Zoom or in person at our New Westminster or Vancouver offices.

Join if you would like to:

Build your confidence and leadership skills
Be supported to learn the skills required for paid employment
Build a social circle of new friends and have fun while learning

FAQ

We welcome everyone’s interest, although we specialize in working with people with intellectual or developmental disabilities, and people with autism.

In line with studies showing the importance of focusing on employment early, we offer services to youth. Please contact us to discuss your options for services.

If that is your goal, then yes. Anyone who wants to find real work has the right to pursue it, and our role is to find a sustainable match between you and an employer. If we think there are things you can do to improve your chances, we will talk to you about that and help you get connected to other resources that can assist.

We support everyone through a Discovery process to help them decide what kind of employment will suit them.

Discovery will help us create “themes” for your job search, which will point your Employment Specialist in the right direction.

If you collect PWD you are still allowed to earn money, and the government has made it easier for people to do so. We will provide you with up to date information about how to report your income, and any other information you need to ensure you understand what is required.

Once you have secured a job, our trained staff will assist you to learn how to transit safely to work and back. It’s a good idea to get comfortable using transit in community before you find a job, so you are ready to learn the route to work when the time comes.

We are able to assist with certification in all of these areas. We can assist individuals to study and take the certification online, or we can support you to register for in-person sessions.

Through our Discovery process, we help you to identify the areas you would like to work in. We then approach employers in those fields via phone, email or most often, in person. Building relationships with companies who value diversity helps us to find sustainable, successful placements.

The choice is yours. Disclosure in regard to a disability is a personal decision.

Yes. Our team of Employment Specialists have extensive experience supporting job seekers with autism.

Although we have established a broad ranging network with businesses across all sectors of the labour market, our team is constantly seeking new relationships with employers who value diversity in their workforce.

We do not have set hours. Staff will be in and out of the office during the weekdays. If you call and no one answers, please leave a voice mail message. Staff will be checking in on a regular basis and will return your call as soon as possible.

Our services are primarily funded through Community Living British Columbia (CLBC). When a person is referred to us from CLBC, there is no cost for our service. However, some job seekers may not be eligible for a referral this way. For those individuals, we are able to offer some or all of our services on a fee for services basis. Please contact us directly to discuss this in more detail.

As we are funded through Community Living British Columbia (CLBC), you must live in the Lower Mainland and have a Facilitator refer you to our employment service. You can contact CLBC here:
Phone: 604-664-0101
Toll free: 1-877-660-2522
Email: CLBCInfo@gov.bc.ca

Employers can contact you directly, but if you prefer them to speak with your Employment Specialist first, this can be arranged. If you didn’t get the job, don’t worry. We will keep looking until we find the right job for you!

If your job description changes or you are having some difficulty, give your Employment Specialist a call. They will come and spend some more time with you at the jobsite.

The first step is that you know how to get to the job site. Your Employment Specialist or your family can help you with this.

There’s a lot to learn in the first weeks of a new job. Your Employment Specialist can be there to help you get comfortable and complete your training. This is called Job Coaching. However, not everyone wants their Employment Specialist at work with them. There are other ways we can support you if you prefer.

As you learn your new job and become more confident, your Employment Specialist will start to visit you less often. We will make sure you know the people you work with so you can ask for help if you need it. These are called Natural Supports. You can still contact your Employment Specialist if you need to.

After you have been at your job for a while and there are no problems, we will not come to the job site anymore. It is a sign that you are doing a good job on your own and that your job placement is a success!

We hope this won’t happen, but if it does, follow the steps below. You will not be in trouble for speaking up about your concerns.

First, speak with the person you are having the problem with.
If you are not comfortable doing that, you can speak with or write a letter expressing your concerns to the posAbilities Employment Service Manager.
If the problem is still not resolved, you can make an appointment to speak to the Program Director. They can be reached by calling the posAbilities head office at (604) 299-4001. The Program Director will reply to your concerns within 10 working days.

You may also want to speak to your family/caregiver/advocate and ask for their advice or assistance.