Affirmative Industry Association of Nova Scotia

Helping People Work

Beginning in 1985

• Vocational Rehabilitation

  The Utitility of Employment

• Towards Housing
• Towards Wellness
• Towards Integration

  Assumptions

• Create Employment
• Develop Sustainable Businesses
• Use External Funding
• The Need for Long Term Support

History

Mission

The Affirmative Industry Association of Nova Scotia exists to develop market oriented businesses which provide work opportunities for persons with chronic mental illnesses and/or challenges

Model

1. Operated like a business
2. Integrated workforce
3. Paid according to production
4. Use of model employees

Model of Supported Employment

1. A fundamental commitment to entrepreneurism
2. Professional business management
3. Normalized commercial setting and employer/employee relations
4. The utilization of model workers as operational role models
5. The utilization of an integrated and balanced work force

A Continuum of Service

1. Three lanes of employment services including:
   • Foundations to employment
   • Employability assistance
   • Employment maintenance and adjustment
2. What does each group do? Who does supported empluyment?
3. Mental Health consumers are part of a larger disability group which needs employment support
4. The organizations working on this continuum of service have accomplished:
   • The reduction of barriers to service
   • A common referral form
   • A common database
   • A system of how employment providers can use clinical support systems
5. Working together: The SOAR project

Current Activities

• Packaging raw materials
• Manufacturing
  • Dog Pillows
  • Dog Cookies
  • Cat Toys
  • Small Animal Shavings
• Retail Outlets
  • Sunday Penhorn Market
  • Oland Brewery Market
  • Alderney Landing 6 day a week store front
• Delivery Service
  • Delivery of Bulk Cat litter/feeds in the Metro area
• New initiatives
  • Wholesale expansion
  • Petstuff on the Go Electronic Commerce