Tell Us Your Story. What motivated you to start your business? Why are you passionate about what you do?

Having recovered from a drug addiction at the age of 35, I enrolled in a Human Service Worker college course and through that decided I wanted to own my own business. A couple of years later working for the Port Alberni Association for Community Living, I had an opportunity drop on my lap to do just that. I quit my job with a co-worker and we started a small business to facilitate a pilot program for Service Canada - The Job Coach/ Mentor program. After a year the pilot project was not to be renewed so my business partner sold me his share of the business (for a $1) and I looked for new opportunities to provide programs for unemployed individuals who wanted help and support to find and maintain employment. I have written successful proposals for Employment Programs and received funding from Service Canada, as well as the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction, and the Ministry of Post Secondary Education and Future Skills. Everyday I have an opportunity to help someone change their life through skill building, personal development, and employment opportunities. Many years ago, someone gave me an opportunity to change my life and I have only looked forward since then. I believe that everyone has the potential to live their best life, and sometimes they just need an opportunity and someone to believe in them. For 25 years, everyday I am grateful that I can come to my office and know that between my staff and myself we are making a difference for individuals and for our community. After operating our employment services for 15 years, I realized no matter how many skills and steps toward independence people took, employers didn't want to hire without current experience. So INEO opened it's first Training and Employment Enterprise - Recycle Matters where people get hands-on experience deconstructing mattresses for recycle and can transfer what they are learning in the classroom to a live work environment. This led to 4 other Training and Employment Enterprises where people practice their employability skills and get hands on experience in cashier, stocking shelves, processing inventory, customer service, recycling skills & knowledge, merchandising and more. What can be more exciting than watching people gain skills, confidence, and taking steps to a brighter future ?

Describe and demonstrate, including metrics, your community support. How do you support and uplift your community, and how do they show that support in return? Minimum 25 words, maximum 2500 characters.

In 25 years INEO helped thousands of people looking to achieve community and/or labour market attachment. On top of our day-to-day work, INEO spends hundreds of hours each year devoted to community well-being. I was President of the AV Chamber of Commerce for 3 years and continue to be an active Chamber member – contributing directly to our business community through 15 to 20 hours per month. I was President, Secretary, and Director on the Port Alberni Family Guidance Association Board for 19 years and I participate in the Women in Business. As volunteers are in demand, I encourage my staff to join Boards, committees, and participate in community events on company time. Healthy competition is good for business and partnerships are better. INEO partners to support viable community projects – Port Alberni Shelter Society Farm Project (3 years), Alberni Valley Salvation Army partners in our Re-Use Store, Canadian Mental Health Association Farm Project, Ucluelet First Nations Community Garden, Tseshaht First Nations (programs tailored to the Tseshaht people), the Alberni Clayoquot Regional District to operate a Recycle Depot for 3+ years, PA Friendship Centre, and Alberni Valley Employment Centre partnership to deliver the Employment Program of BC for 5 years. From 2019 to 2023, our Skills Training for Employment programs supported 275 people to be successful on their own terms. Outcomes include increased self-esteem & confidence, community attachment, Food Safe, First Aid, Serving-it-Right, and other short-term certificates required by employers, 96% of people complete the programs, 80% of those secured employment or returned to school, and at least 85% of those maintained employment or school attendance for at least 3 months. Our Recycle Matters project has saved 40,000 mattresses from a life in the landfill and trained 74 people in employability skills in 5 years. INEO staff volunteer weekly at the High School Breakfast program, we sponsor a Slo-pitch team - $800/season, donated $10,000 to our Hospice Society in 2 years, participate & raise money for the Coldest Night of the Year, and contribute to the Arrowsmith Rotary. Our community lifts us up through constant recognition, thank you cards, invitations to participate in events, committees, and continual requests for partnerships on projects. At our 25-year celebration community representatives, including our MLA, joined to share stories and accolades for the great work we do.

Why do you deserve to win the Business Impact award?

I deserve to win the Business Impact Award for 3 reasons: the impact INEO has made to date, INEO staff deserve the recognition, and our contribution will continue to have an impact because we are a winning business no matter what. INEO Employment Services is not only about empowering individuals to create a better life for themselves; it is also about creating a healthier community, socially, economically, and environmentally. It’s about corporate social responsibility. Our Re-Use Store, Mattress Recycling Facility, Rustic Woodworks project, and the contract to operate to the Recycle Depot all contribute greatly to the environmental well-being of our community, create employment for 10 to 12 people, provide skill building opportunities for 100+ people over a 3-year period, and support a circular economy. If you ask my grandchildren what my favourite thing is, they might tell you “Her favourite thing is recycling”, and while that is extremely important to me, my absolute favourite thing is witnessing the growth of people, ‘the small steps in achieving goals and creating a better life”. INEO also practices, ethical business – shopping local as much as possible, working with local services, hiring local, and maintaining up-to-date policies and guidelines. Our community contribution includes supporting a variety of non-profit organizations, committees and projects – allowing staff to spend time with projects that are important to their ideals and values, and ensuring our business and enterprises work hard at being sustainable. The INEO staff over the past 25 years have contributed to the success of the business, their own success, the success of our participants and the well-being of our community. Each staff person puts their best foot forward through the ups and downs, the good and the bad of government funded programs, social enterprise startups, and business changes. Every person has taught me, learned from me, and given of themselves to others. Every staff member past and present deserve to be acknowledged for their great work. Continued impact is important. After the funding for our Peer Employment Program - a program designed to support people who are homeless or at risk of being homeless to build employability skills and contribute to community projects – our participants and our community partners really felt the loss of that program. With the $5,000 I would purchase tools and equipment to help our Peer Employment become self-sustaining.

Tell Us About Your Culture. How are you creating a sustainable and healthy workplace where everyone feels welcome? Provide examples of leadership you show in interactions with clients, vendors, contractors, staff and others.

Inclusion and diversity are buzz words for many, but they are deep rooted values for me. From the time I was 3 years of age, I have looked out for people who were struggling and took action against those who were bullies. When I was 3.5 years of age, I tripped a boy who was teasing my older brother; when I was 10, I pushed a neighbor boy off a cement wall because he called my sister “a retard”; and when I was 35 I stopped my car on a dark busy road and intervened where 2 men were beating on a single man. It is my nature to treat every person with dignity and respect and not tolerate disrespectful language or behaviour in our workplace. In 2021, I facilitated a Workplace Cultural Values Assessment with 11 staff members and the top 10 values reported in our current culture were: 1) Coaching & Mentoring, 2) Caring, Inclusiveness, Professionalism (tied), 3) Accountability, Adaptability, Balance, Compassion, Continuous Learning, Encouragement, Environmental Responsibility (tied). My staff are INEO’s greatest asset and understanding and acknowledging their values is important. Where most employers work diligently to keep good staff, I continuously encourage staff to learn on the job, take additional training, and move on when they are ready to move onto bigger, better, or just different challenges/responsibilities. Because they are my priority, I have an open-door policy and take time to meet with staff members and participants as needed. I encourage staff to visit my office if something is wrong, posing a challenge, or they just want to seek advice or support; I also encourage them to bring a possible solution. I encourage problem solving through coaching, hoping to find solutions together and never to dictate what is right or wrong. Creative thinking is important and we work in the grey as nothing is black and white in my world. I would never ask someone to do something that I am not willing to do myself. I role model respect and integrity and treat clients, government liaisons, community partners, visitors, and staff all the same. I ask for feedback from others and ask permission to provide feedback when it is unsolicited. I meet with every cohort that my staff facilitates and encourage clients to reach out when they want. I encourage staff to join committees, community events, and learn about community agencies to support them to help others.