Careers
Coming Full Circle
Linda still remembers riding her bike down a certain street in Abbotsford, past a lovely house surrounded by evergreen trees. There was a gentleman in a wheelchair sitting outside in the garden. Linda thought, ‘this is the nicest house on this street.’
What she didn’t know in that moment was that the home was owned by Communitas Supportive Care Society and that she would start her career with Communitas as a support worker in that home in the summer of 2011.
One of her colleagues, Svitlana, also began her career with Communitas at the same home in 2008. She remembers working together with Linda and the people they served in that home all those years ago.
Both women still work for Communitas and while their paths parted, they are now coming full circle, back to the same property but with a twist: the home that was once there is no longer. Instead, two brand new homes have replaced it and Linda and Svitlana will each be working in one of those homes. But we’ll get to that in a minute; what is first and foremost on the minds of Linda and Svitlana are the people they’ve served.
Bob, Beverly, Audrey, and Judith were living in the home when Linda joined Svitlana on staff. All but Judith had come to Communitas from Woodlands, an institution for people with disabilities. Their experiences at Woodlands shaped who they would become. Bob and Beverly, in particular, actively advocated for others living with disabilities. Audrey was blind and non-verbal but she loved going to the pool and floating in the water. Judith is remembered as having a great sense of humour. All of the people living in the home made an impact on Linda and Svitlana.
“Bob was the gentleman I’d seen when I first cycled by the home that day. He was so funny and smart,” Linda remembers. “He was famous for raising funds for children through the Variety Club telethon. He was a champion for people living with disabilities.”
Svitlana remembers how Beverly greeted her at the beginning of every shift.
“Even though Bev was mostly non-verbal she had no problem communicating,” Svitlana says. “I remember her telling me all the gossip of the day and then swearing me to secrecy. She was so funny.”
Svitlana worked at the home until the services there came to an end. She then went on to work at Matthew’s House, another home facilitated by Communitas. Linda has worked in several Communitas homes. Today, the people living at Matthew’s House and the people living in the home where Linda works, have all moved into two brand new homes built on the property where Bob, Beverly, Audrey, and Judith first lived.
That house was no longer a suitable home for people living with disabilities and so, last year, Communitas took on the project of building these new homes. Since the original home was built across two separate lots, building two houses on two independent lots was possible. Communitas was able to build homes specifically designed for the people who live there today.
As they reflect on their experiences, it is clear that Linda and Svitlana have deep, fond memories of the people they’ve served. Linda’s varied experiences has allowed her to work with a variety of people including children, youth, adults, and elders. Svitlana has also worked with elders and is now working with young adults. While the experiences are different, they are also the same.
“All the people I have served love to be active in their communities, those activities are just different,” says Svitlana, adding that this reflects the person-centred nature of Communitas.
Svitlana loves to make people happy and to help people do the things they enjoy. One of Svitlana’s skills is cutting hair and doing makeovers. She says it is often a transformative experience for the people she serves, giving them joy and confidence.
“I love to see how that transformation can make people so happy,” she says.
Linda says that while she has served people with a variety of disabilities, she has come to see disability as a gift and that each person has value. The people she serves accept life’s challenges with grace and it has made Linda re-evaluate how she views challenges in her own life. Each person has taught her something about herself.
“I think the biggest thing I’ve learned is how to listen, to be really present,” Linda says. “You learn patience on a whole different level and you begin to see what really matters.”
And though the two homes are brand new, the street is still the same, the views from the windows have not changed much. Svitlana remembers the original home as being cozy and warm and having a certain charm but she also loves the way the new homes are so well built and have everything that people need.
Linda agrees. She’s grateful for the way these new houses will continue to allow the people who live there to live an abundant life. They are also closer to where Linda lives, so she’ll be back on her bike, riding to work.
“And I still think this is the nicest house on the street,” she says with a smile.
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