Champions Career Centre: Realising a Dream - Tim's Story Champions Career Centre: Did you miss our Employer Open House? Champions Career Centre: Join us for an Employer "Meet and Greet" with Home Instead Senior Care, May 29 Champions Career Centre: Meet three legged dog Able... and Susann! Champions Career Centre: Your chance to help - Support Team Champions in the Scotiabank Marathon

"Talkin' About My Generation" - YYC Talks on June 11

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

"Talkin' About My Generation" - Wednesday, June 11, 4-6pm.

This presentation takes a different and modern approach to how we think about generational diversity. This topic is becoming a big focus now as organizations are competing to attract and retain talent.
Click here for the full article 

We'll be talking about:
1. The four generations at work
2. Examine the four generations: their values, attitudes, and defining moments in their generational history.
3. Re-introduce Millennials and discuss what changes they are bringing to the workforce; and
4. Provide recommendation for motivating and managing Millennials in the workplace.

About the presenter:
YIORGOS BOUDOURIS  has served as a Youth Advisor for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as well as Youth Advisor for Parks Canada. Yiorgos is currently a Board Member with the Calgary Youth Justice Society. Yiorgos is passionate about issues relating to diversity, youth and intergenerational communication.


Look for more YYC Talks in the Fall 2014.


YYC Talks is a new series of information evenings that are open to all members of the Calgary community.
Inform: YYC Talks will explore topics that are relevant and important to the Calgary community.
Empower: Knowledge is power, YYC Talkers will gain insight and applicable knowledge
Succeed: YYC Talkers will be encouraged to share their knowledge to promote success in the community.

Light refreshments will be available. Space is limited.
For more information or to register over the phone please call Champions Career Centre 403.265.5374.
If you are attending and require any accommodations please call us 403.265.5374.




Realising a Dream - Tim's Story

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

While Tim was tidying up his office, he came across an article written about him 7 years ago when he was unemployed and looking for work.

“I thought, you know what? Those guys were awesome, I’d better give them a call to tell them what I’ve done,” he said.

So he picked up the phone and called Champions.

“Champions really helped me to feel good about myself.  Every time I went into the office I was unemployed and didn’t really feel comfortable about who I was. My morale was always down,” he said.

Speaking with Tim today, it’s evident that his morale is anywhere but down.  Tim is confident, and was excited to talk about his most recent success, starting a Calgary daycare with his wife from the ground up.  A project which began as a pipe-dream and through hard-work, smart decisions and a few detours too, became a reality.

Tim is legally blind and has 20/200 vision in one eye and 20-180 vision in the other.  His low vision means that he cannot drive and over his career he has self-accommodated, by always choosing jobs on the transit line and which don’t require visually demanding tasks.
Before coming to Champions, Tim did not disclose his disability, preferring to make adjustments for himself and only disclosing when absolutely necessary.

“[Not disclosing] was hard because sometimes I’d feel like an idiot, and I’d think that I couldn’t do things right. People would catch me once in a while and ask me what was wrong and I’d find ways to brush it off.”

After taking workshops with Champions, Tim learnt how to disclose and made the choice to talk about his disability right up front during the interview.  He says that this was the most positive thing he gained from Champions.

In the end, Champions helped Tim find a job at the Calgary Drop-In Centre’s Woodworking division, a position he held until he was laid off.  But all that time, Tim and his wife had other, bigger plans.

Their goal was to own and run their own business.  So over a few years, Tim and his wife took steps which gave them the skills and knowledge to make this a reality.  Tim completed business and entrepreneurial courses, finishing with distinction and his wife worked at various daycares, learning the ropes and gaining valuable experience.

When the time was right, they began working on their project and organised everything from gutting and re-building the inside of the daycare, to fundraising and government paperwork and permits.   Today they have been operating for over a year and have 17 staff and 68 children at the daycare.

“From day one, I was right in there, changing diapers, doing the paperwork, accounting and playing with the kids. I love the kids, I love business management, I love working hard and making a difference.” He says with enthusiasm.

His advice for other job seekers with disabilities?

“Surround yourself with positive people, not negative people who will bring you down. Work hard and prove you can do it,” he says.

This is also advice that he will pass onto his son who has microtia, which means that his outer ear is not properly formed and he has to wear a hearing aid.  Tim says, “He’s going to have his struggles, but my message to him is that you’re built this way for a reason, you don’t know what it is, but it’ll make you stronger. “




Did you miss our Employer Open House?

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Thanks to all the Employers who came to our Employer Open House. It was a great afternoon of fun Diverse-Ability Activities, some stellar rounds of Disability Jeopardy and friendly networking. 

Here's a short video which shows what we got up to that afternoon! Enjoy!

~The Champions Team






Join us for an Employer "Meet and Greet" with Home Instead Senior Care, May 29

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

PLEASE JOIN US FOR A “MEET AND GREET” with Home Instead Senior Care
Time and Date: Thursday May 29, 2014 at 1:00pm. (Please arrive at least 10 minutes early) 
Location: Champions Career Centre Suite 650, 839 5th Avenue SW

Please bring your resume!

Home Instead Senior Care is currently recruiting for CAREGivers.

CAREGivers Applicants must have:

• Genuine desire to assist seniors

• MUST have a vehicle & be able to transport clients

• Flexible schedule to meet the needs of our clients (No formal experience or training necessary)

We ask that you arrive for the session at least 10 minutes before the session begins to ensure we can start on-time.


Please RSVP if you are able to attend – 403-265-5374

Champions hosts regular “Meet and Greets” for the community to bring together job candidates and employers who are hiring. They are informal and open forums where Champions and community partner candidates are invited to meet and talk with hiring managers from Calgary businesses at the Champions office downtown.

For more details about this position on our job board please click here 

For more details about  Home Instead Senior Care please click here




Meet three legged dog Able... and Susann!

Tuesday, May 06, 2014

On June 1, Champions' Employment Readiness Facilitator Susann and her three-legged dog Able will be participating in the Scotiabank Marathon. Here's their story:

Donate to Susann and Able's campaign today.





Your chance to help - Support Team Champions in the Scotiabank Marathon

Tuesday, May 06, 2014

This is your chance to make a difference in the lives of Calgarians who live with disabilities.
In 2012, 1 in 8 Albertans reported having a disability.

Scotiabank MarathonOn June 1st, Champions Career Centre is participating in the Scotiabank Marathon Charity ChallengeA team of Staff, friends and family of Champions will be walking/running and raising money for Champions at this great community event.

Champions' clients are just like you, and they have some sort of barrier which makes finding employment more difficult; hearing loss, vision loss, chronic pain, anxiety, arthritis, learning difficulties etc.  

Your donation will change the lives of Calgarians and will help them to secure meaningful employment.

Help us create inclusive workplaces and strong communities. Thank you. 


Want to run or walk with us? Join "Team Champions"