By Nicole Lemire
“I love helping individuals to reach their goals, and letting them know that I’m always here for them.”
Colleen works as a Habilitation Specialist at BCArc’s Center for Development and feels that she has found her dream job. For years she worked in the food service industry, but eventually felt like she wanted to try something new, so she began working with individuals with disabilities, discovering a passion for helping others. She previously provided care at a different agency, but eventually left and began working at BCArc four years ago.
“BCArc makes me feel appreciated,” she said. “Not just through raises and bonuses, but through little things, like a letter in the mail. During COVID, they always recognized the extra work that we all put in.”
When Colleen first began at BCArc, she worked at BCArc’s Crossroads Center for Enrichment, but volunteered to move to the Center for Development when they needed extra support. She now feels that CFD’s high energy environment is the perfect fit for her. A day in her life at CFD consists of greeting the individuals and spending time with them, helping them reach their goals, and taking part in their elective activities such as karaoke, trivia, story time, and more. If an individual seems down, she is always ready to support them and let them know that she’s there for them.
“My favorite memory so far has been my first time going to the Special Olympics,” she said. “I loved seeing how proud the individuals were of themselves when they won medals, and all of us were so proud of them too.”
Never one to back down from a challenge, Colleen will always volunteer to take on new tasks and learn new skills, such as one-on-ones or helping in the changing room. She doesn’t shy away from helping individuals who need more extensive help.
“This work is so rewarding,” she said. “All I can say is, don’t knock it until you try it.”
“When one of our new individuals first got here, he was always in attack mode,” she said. “But I stuck by him, and put in the work to help him however I could.”
Colleen’s willingness to always step up has led to her being named one of BCArc’s recent Employees of the Quarter, a recognition that was very meaningful to her.
“It was amazing to know that someone saw that I was going the extra mile.”
Outside of work, Colleen also provides private care for a woman who beat cancer and is in a wheelchair. She supports this woman and her family in their home by giving medication, cooking meals, washing her hair, and more. This passion for caregiving runs in the family — her son also works with individuals with disabilities at a different agency. Although their positions are very different, this has become something that they are able to bond over.
For anyone thinking of working in this field, Colleen says that although it can be difficult, the gratification that helping others gives her is always worth it.
“This work is so rewarding,” she said. “All I can say is, don’t knock it until you try it.”
