Horizons Pre-Employment Program
Horizons provides pre-employment services for women who face barriers to employment related to past experiences of abuse or trauma. Phone or drop-in and talk one-to-one with staff to decide if Horizons is right for you!
Is Horizons Pre-Employment Right for You?
Horizons Pre-Employment program supports clients in creating meaningful relationships, and success in the community and the workplace. This is done through providing participants with the tools to connect/reconnect, build on strengths, and gain new ways of coping. The program offers a safe and supportive environment for women to explore options, develop goals and create a plan to successfully move forward.
Our Pre-employment program has been successful for women entering or returning to the work force, as well as connecting with many of the supports within Cowichan Women Against Violence Society. Horizons is a good fit for women experiencing low self-esteem and isolation, as well as clients on Income Assistance, Band Social Assistance, Disability or Employment Insurance.
Women connect individually with a Case Worker who will support them as they work toward their individual employment goals. Women may start exclusively with this individual support until they feel ready for the group work. Women can make a self-referral, but we also welcome referrals from other agencies in our community.
We encourage clients to participate in a series of group workshops for personal development and life skills, as well as self-directed online employability workshops. As with most programs, attendance is key to growth and personal improvement. At Horizons, women have the opportunity to learn about themselves while exploring how life experiences may have created barriers to their personal growth and work options.
TO BOOK AN APPOINTMENT, CALL 250-748-7000, EXT. 113
How Does Horizons Pre-Employment Program Explore Employment?
At Horizons, women have the opportunity to learn about themselves while exploring how life experiences may have created barriers to their personal growth and work options. Participants will discover strengths, interests, and skills through a series of personal development and employment related workshops.
Horizons provides a sequence of approximately 30 workshops covering topics that include self esteem building, communications skills, recognizing the impacts of abuse and trauma, as well as recognizing strengths and aspirations.
Workshops also focus on creating job search skills, success in the workplace, and keeping your job.
All workshops focus on creating healthy and meaningful relationships and becoming active and successful members in the community and workplace.
What we cover:
Personal Development
• Self Esteem
• Creating Balance
• Boundaries
• Problem Solving
• Resolving Conflict
• Stress Management
• Communication
• Self-Care
Employment Related Skills
• Keeping a Job
• Resume Writing
• Interviewing Skills
• Assertiveness Training
• Time Management
• Goal Setting
• Networking
• Completing Applications
• Learning Styles
• And much more
Women also work individually with a Case Worker who supports them as they work toward their individual employment goals. Some women start exclusively with this individual support until they feel ready for the group work.
Horizons has a continuous intake process. Women can start at any time. What are you waiting for? Call 250-748-7000 today to find out more.
Identifying Clients Appropriate to Refer to Horizons
Horizons Pre-Employment for women takes self-referrals and we welcome referrals from other agencies in the community. Horizons is right for women
• who prefer female centred space to explore employment directions
• who would like to engage in personal growth and self development
• who would like to clarify and identify their strengths, capacities and level of confidence
• who express that they have had challenges in staying connected to the workplace, especially when these challenges are connected to problems with relationships
• who identify they would like to be supported in a positive environment in their employment explorations
• who identify a need for counselling
When you are wondering whether Horizons is the appropriate pre-employment program for a woman consider this:
• 50% of women identify at least one experience of physical or sexual abuse/violence in their lifetime
• Aboriginal females are twice as likely at females in other populations to have been assaulted.
Women with a history of abuse/violence in their personal relationships may not identify – in fact are unlikely to identify – that barriers to employment, independence or connections to community are related to their past experiences. In exploring the issue, focus on barriers, not trauma and look for these signs that violence might be a barrier:
• A broken work history or long periods out of the work force
• A sense of powerlessness over the direction of their own future
• Uncertainty about their own capacities and strengths
• Experience challenges within workplace relationships
• Is uncomfortable or feels unsafe with people who have authority
Open ended questions are ways to get the information you might need to support a referral to Horizons Pre-Employment Program for Women. Good questions might include:
• Tell me about your work history?
• What challenges have you had in keeping employed?
• Have you had personal challenges that have gotten in the way of working?
• Under what conditions would you be likely to share about your personal experience?
The Horizons Pre-Employment Program is part of the Employment Program of British Columbia and is funded by the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia.
