Building Opportunities with Business

Customer Service with a Smile: Maggie’s Story 

Maggie was referred to Building Opportunities with Business through PACT Employment Services, a Coastal Mental Health employment agency.  She participated in BOB’s Customer Service BusinessLinks , a customized program designed to connect job seekers with employers, where she met an employer from RONA.

Army and Navy has SOLE! 

Army & Navy has been holding their Legendary Shoe Sale for decades and it has become enmeshed in the history of the DTES community. Shoppers queue outside of the store for hours before the doors open and by the time it’s finished, over 100 000 pairs of shoes have walked out the door.

Rob's story : United we Can 

When Rob was referred to BOB by Hope Bridge Services, he had just begun to follow a new path in his life including overcoming addiction. He had finished his recovery program and was looking for employment opportunities in order to give his life a fresh start.

Steve's Story 

When the oil rig he was working on in Saskatoon, Alberta ran out in 2000, Steve Kish moved to Vancouver in search of a fresh beginning.

Armez's Story 

Armez was referred by newCHAPTER2 to participate in a BOB Industry Night. This event featured upcoming opportunities for Promoters to distribute the 24hr paper with local employer, Nasco.  Armez said that he “liked the format because of the interaction between applicants and interviewers.” He said the participants represented “an interesting slice of life”.

Building a Future: Jose Rosales’ Story 

After going in to the community agency, newCHAPTER2, Jose Rosales was referred to BOB’s CORE program.  CORE (which stands for Construction Orientation to Retain Employment) is a program that instructs students in pre-employment skills (e.g. basic math and communication) and give them hands on training with construction tools.

Getting to the Next Step: Ivan's Story  By Krystle Yeung

Watching Ivan* and Ramesh Lad chat about everything from Bruce Springsteen to the drawings Ivan creates in his spare time, one gets the feeling of seeing two friends shooting the breeze. It may come as a surprise that the first time they met was only a few months ago when Ivan was referred by the Burnaby Mental Health Team to Ramesh who is the Employment Support Coordinator at BOB.

Frank's Story 

Frank completed the Business Links Customer Service training program at BOB in September of 2007. He was offered employment through Rona, one of the Business Links sponsors, and has been employed and receiving Post Employment Support for almost 5 months! Here is his story in his own words:

From Rugs to Roses: Mary Jameson's Story  By Krystle Yeung

By all accounts, Mary Jameson's statement is a modest understatement. In 1998, a close loved one passed away, and in the turbulent aftermath, Mary lost her job as a manager at a casino and her health deteriorated. A divorce and familial pressures brought her to a near breaking point. "I felt like the rug was pulled out from right underneath my feet."