People
Bringing a Great Work Ethic and Attitude To The Job
It’s a rare, sunny day in January and Kyle is in his happy place. Mind you, he’d be just as happy if it was raining.
Kyle loves being outdoors. It’s one of the things that makes him love his work with CommCrew.
“CommCrew is my favourite thing,” Kyle says. “Landscaping is my thing. I don’t care if it’s raining or not, I just love being outdoors.”
CommCrew is a social enterprise of Communitas Supportive Care Society, offering landscape and property maintenance services in Abbotsford. CommCrew provides training* opportunities for people living with diverse abilities, preparing them for a potential career in the landscaping industry or other trades.
Kyle has been with Communitas for two years. In that time, he has connected to two of Communitas’ other enterprises including Janitorial services and the Vehicle Maintenance Program. In each area he has learned a new skill set; everything from cleaning bathrooms to detailing cars but landscaping is still his go-to.
One of the things that Kyle appreciates about CommCrew is the support he receives. Working with Aaron Bennie, the CommCrew Work Coach, makes a big difference.
“Aaron supports me by showing me how to use the equipment,” Kyle explains. “He does it first, shows me how it works, and I follow along until I’m confident enough to try it.”
The pace and patience with which the training happens helps Kyle to grow in his confidence, even when he is learning to use a new tool that might make him nervous. Aaron demonstrates first and then comes alongside Kyle as he’s trying out a new tool. This helps keep Kyle calm and focused. He has learned to use a variety of tools including lawn mowers, leaf blowers, weed trimmers, and hedge clippers.
“I like the leaf blower the best,” he says. “It’s fun to use. I like to blow the leaves into piles so that we can rake them up easily.”
It’s been nearly a year since Kyle joined CommCrew and Aaron says that he’s seen him grow in confidence. He says Kyle is a pleasure to work with.
“Kyle has both a great work ethic and a fantastic attitude,” Aaron says. “He’s always early for every shift and he’s willing to do whatever is asked of him. He’s a workhorse.”
As spring approaches and people turn again to their yards and gardens, Kyle hopes that he’ll be able to use his developing skills.
“I’d love to help people make their yards and gardens look great,” Kyle says.
*Work experiences like this are made possible through grant funding received from the Fraser Valley Realtors Charitable Foundation and from United Way BC’s Work Experience Opportunities Grant, which is funded by the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia.
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