BEHCHOKO/RAE-EDZO
Devon Neadzo is the man for the job. The 16-year-old high school student spends three hours a day at the community’s Jimmy Erasmus Seniors Home where he does everything from fixing broken chairs to serving tea.
Devon Neadzo, a student at Chief Jimmy Bruneau Regional High School, spends part of his school day working at the Jimmy Erasmus Seniors Home in Behchoko. - photo courtesy of Jacqueline Stanbridge
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Staff members say he’s become an important member of the team.
“He’s doing really good, he visits with the elders and he does a lot of work,” said acting manager Julia Neadzo.
Neadzo is in the Life Skills program at Chief Jimmy Bruneau Regional High School. Students in the program spend part of their school day in the classroom learning about money management, literacy, how to build a resume and job applications, said Jacqueline Stanbridge, the school’s program support teacher.
Students also participate in classes with their schoolmates, such as science, shop and computer skills.
The rest of the day is spent doing a work placement with a business or organization in Behchoko.
“In the afternoons they’re doing basically a work experience co-op program,” Stanbridge said.
For Neadzo, that means spending three hours a day at the senior’s home where he helps serve tea and snacks to the elders and their visitors.
“I give tea to the old folks, to the seniors and the public,” he said.
Neadzo also does repairs and helps keep the home clean.
“I mop the floor,” he said.
He also runs Bingo games, is learning how to make a household grocery list and how to shop.
Julia said Neadzo is also starting to help answer the telephones and take messages.
Stanbridge said placing students in a work environment teaches them valuable job skills, such as the importance of showing up for work on time.
There are eight other students in the program and a bus takes them to their work placements each day.
Stanbridge said students understand making sure they are on time for the bus is a part of their job.
“I don’t remind them,” she said. “If they miss that bus, they don’t make it to work.”
Stanbridge said students have been taking that responsibility seriously.
“I have positive feedback from every single local business that has students working for them,” she said. “The kids love it.”
It also creates a partnership between students and local businesses, which can help increase employment prospects after high school.
“It’s about building capacity for them to be able to work and live in their community,” Stanbridge said. “It’s also giving businesses opportunities to see what skill levels the kids have.”
Stanbridge said in Neadzo’s case, it allows him to build on many of the skills he already has.
“Devon is a very strong young man, very physically strong,” she said. “He also has such great interpersonal skills.”
He also is great at taking direction, Stanbridge added.
“You give Devon a list of instructions and he is literally a well-oiled machine,” she said. “He knows what to do.”
Though he’s also developing new abilities, Julia said Neadzo is at his best when he is simply spending time with the elders.
“He communicates with the elders really well, he sits with them,” she said. “The elders like him. They talk to him and when they want something, they just wave at him and he’ll go over and help them out.”
Neadzo said he knows he is appreciated.
“They like me working here,” he said.
