An intentional sense of comfort greets guests who enter a Schlegel Village; Main Street hums with activity as residents and team members go about their daily business. That sense of comfort has now been extended to potential team members who are invited to walk into a Village in their neighbourhood, resumes in hand, to sit with leaders who are looking for the right people to add to the Village family.
Walk in Wednesdays was trialled in a few villages early in 2018 with great success, offering prospective team members an informal opportunity to connect with team leaders, get a feel for the village atmosphere and showcase their talents and skills. For the month of May, the initiative has expanded to all villages, and all people who are looking for new opportunities are encouraged to explore the possibilities.
Stefan Milivojevic walked onto Main Street in the Village at
St. Clair in Windsor on a recent random Wednesday.
Stefan Milivojevic walked onto Main Street in the Village at St. Clair in Windsor on a recent random Wednesday. His girlfriend had seen a post through social media and encouraged him to visit St. Clair, and he was already familiar with Schlegel Villages through a friend who works at neighbouring Aspen Lake, so he was curious enough to take a chance. His background is in human kinetics but past experience led him to support for seniors in community settings, and he was open to any opportunity at St. Clair.
He says he always loved chatting with the seniors he worked with before while getting to know a little of their past and their life stories. That natural ability for conversation was perhaps what endeared Stefan to recreation director Hannah Renaud, who after meeting him that Wednesday offered him a part time position as a recreation team member. He’s eagerly awaiting his first shift, while learning through orientation about the philosophy that guides the Schlegel family and the organization they founded. He’s most excited, he says, at the prospect of getting to know the new neighbours in The Village, as the residents at St. Clair are known.
“We can no longer rely on a job posting and pray and hope that good people find us,” says Renee Hannes, director of People Strategy with Schlegel Villages. “We need to go out and find them.”
She points out that the labour market in the health and long-term care field is extremely tight, and the competition for team members that offer the perfect combination of compassion, dedication and skill is fierce. Schlegel Villages must therefore be creative in its pursuit of team members who will live the organization’s values and offer not simply one particular skill but a complement of traits and abilities to enhance the entire village team.
A recreation team member with a background in human kinetics, such as Stefan, is but one example of the type of person who could fit the future of Schlegel Villages; throughout the month of May, Walk in Wednesdays will open plenty more doors. Click here for information on a village in your area.
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