Faces of Elmwood – Kayla Haas

This week Faces of Elmwood features Kayla Haas, our ECRC Team

“I started working for ECRC after I completed their Elmwood Youth Employment Experience (E.Y.E.E) Program. Before I entered the E.Y.E.E program I was very unsure of myself. I had a 4-year gap in my work history due to being in school and raising my 2 children. All my previous jobs were seasonal, and I didn’t think I had very much experience in anything. I had been on assistance for quite some time and had no clue as to how to go about entering the workforce. The E.Y.E.E program was very beneficial to me as it helped me to discover who I am and what kinds of goals and values I had for my life. The only thing I knew about myself before enrolling was that I liked to help people, but I didn’t know of many jobs that would work with my schedule being a single parent.

During the second half of the program, I was placed here at Elmwood Community Resource Centre as an Administrative Assistant. During my 8 week placement, I learned many new skills and got to know my way around the centre. I found that I thoroughly enjoyed working in a resource centre, as it was exactly what I was looking for in a job. Thanks to my Executive Director who has a gentle heart and a keen eye for seeing the best in people, I was hired on permanently after the program ended as the Program Assistant, a job that I love and excel at. As Program Assistant, I help with all the programs we run, whether I’m sitting at the front desk attending to the drop-in, assisting the youth in the YEAR program, or helping at a community event, I’m always here to help! My role at ECRC allows me to help people in a variety of different ways, and each day is different. There are so many wonderful programs ECRC has to offer and I love helping people find the right program for them.

ECRC has made a great impact on my and my children’s lives. In the short time I’ve worked here they have embraced me as their own. I am privileged to wake up every day and go to a job that is willing to help guide me and be patient while I learn how to better serve the community I live in and love. Working in such a welcoming and inclusive environment has made it easy to overcome my fears of entering the workforce. I have finally found a place where I can do what I love the most and be home in time for my kids after school and daycare.

The best part of ECRC is watching how the centre grows with programming, and being able to find the right fit for people who are in need of different resources. Being able to address different needs with diverse programming and support groups throughout the neighbourhood makes my day.”