Accessful Video Transcription 3
Youth Summer Employment
Scene1: Exterior view of Mississauga City Centre. Time-lapse of people walking past the entrance to City Hall
Narrator says: Trying to find a job as a teen can be really tough. When you have a disability, it can feel even more challenging. Accessful’s in-school programming helps students with disabilities overcome this challenge. It was an amazing experience to watch them grow as young adults and experience success in their first summer job. Telling an employer about a disability is a deeply personal decision. Some disabilities are visible, but there are so many identified disabilities like ADHD, anxiety or hearing loss that we wouldn’t notice just by looking at the individual.
Scene 2: High school students assemble in a large meeting room.
Scene 3: High school students disembark a school bus.
Scene 4: Interior of a high school. A young woman, a male student and a middle-aged man in conversation walk together down a hallway.
Scene 5: A series of photographs of student participants
Scene 6: Exterior of David Suzuki High School in Brampton, Ontario
Scene 7: Close-up of a student names James
James: My name is James, and I’m 17 years old. The disability I have is cerebral palsy. Specifically it is hemiplegia meaning that one side is affected. In this case, my right arm and right leg.
Scene 8: Full screen titles that say: “What would you say to an employer about hiring youth with disabilities?”
James: One thing I would say to an employer is that we’re just like everyone else. We’re just like everyone else. Even if we have like mobility issues. That doesn’t mean that we’re not who we are at heart. That shouldn’t be the first thing that you see. We may need a few more accommodations, sure. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t do what we want to do.
Scene 9: Full screen titles that says: “When they start a job search, what do students with disabilities need to remember?”
Scene 10: Close-up of Sara Siddiqui, In school programming coach
Sara: That’s I guess one thing that we really tapped on is that just be confident in whatever approach you take. Yes, there is limitations or barriers that you’re facing, but at the same time you should focus on your accommodations and your abilities rather than the disability.
Scene 11: Exterior of city park. We see a large tree with children playing and then a close-up of Angel, a camp student leader. She helps a young child tie her shoelace. Angel is joined by Melissa, her supervisor. Angel and Melissa chat and laugh.
Angel: My name is Angel. I am 17.
Melissa: My name is Melissa. I work as the summer camp supervisor at Kidnetics.
Scene 12: Full screen titles that say: “What is Angel like as an employee?”
Melissa: Really great at taking initiative. She’s always smiling, always making jokes. She makes it really fun to work.
Scene 13: Full screen titles that say: “What would you say to other employers about hiring youth with disabilities?”
Melissa: It’s a really good opportunity not only for us but for them. We really love here at Kinetics giving students and young youth an opportunity to gain experience, find out what they like, things that they want to do in the future. It’s also a really great way to find new ways of thinking. We found that with all of the staff that we’ve hired, we’ve found new ways of doing things, new ways of thinking, new ways to approach situations, so they definitely give that to us as well.
Scene 14: Exterior of Cassie Campbell Community Centre in Brampton, Ontario.
Scene 15: Interior of the same building. Justin, a supervisor and Daniel, a student employee, sit at a table in conversation. We also see outdoor scenes of Daniel going about his duties.
Daniel: My name is Daniel. Basically I work operations and maintenance at Cassie Campbell Community Centre. I maintain the building outside and inside and make sure everything’s clean.
They answer a series of on-screen questions.
“What is Daniel like as an employee?”
Justin: I’ve seen a lot of growth since his first day here to now. He’s shown an interest in obtaining a position with us in the future, so that’s good to see that he actually enjoys the work and being here and he’s fit in well with our team.
“Was Accessful a good program for your organization?”
Justin: It’s been successful this summer and we’ll definitely be looking at doing it for the future. I’ve heard the same from other facilities as well. So it seems like a great program, and we’ve been happy.
Scene 16: Interior of a school gym where we see Japkirat. We also see her helping younger students at a computer. She answers a series of on-screen questions.
Japkirat: My name is Japkirat, and I’m 16 years old.
“What were your feeling about working this summer?”
I felt like, how would I get a summer job? Because with my learning disabilities, I thought that people would look at me differently and the chances of me getting a job would be very less.
“What skills did you learn to get a summer job?”
I learned how to make a resume and a cover letter. I learned the skills that I need, like I have to be confident, like some social skills that’s important to work. I learned that you have to be on time.
“Describe your summer job experience.”
I really love working with kids. Also, the Accessful team helped me. My teachers in the school, Ms. Chen especially.
Scene 17: Interior of a school gym where we see Isabella. We see a picture of her at school. We also see her supervising younger students as part of her summer job duties. She answers a series of on-screen questions.
Isabella: My name is Isabella, and I’m 16 years old.
“What were your thoughts about working this summer?”
I really thought I couldn’t, for the summer job because it was … I can’t really like speak to people that well or do quick math and deal with angry people if they didn’t get what they wanted and stuff. So that’s what I was like really worried about. But then when I realized that that’s how life is and I got people to support me, I was like maybe it wouldn’t be so bad and maybe I could do this.
“What helped you get a summer job?”
One thing that helped me was you guys. You guys helped me a lot for this because I never really thought I was going to get a summer job at all, but you guys helped me a lot to get this job and to put me on the right path on how to get it. Helped me with my resume. These other things that you guys do to help me with this.
“And how did your family react?”
Yeah, my family is really proud of me for getting a job. They’re like surprised and proud. They find it hilarious each time I say I’m going to work tomorrow.
Scene 18: Exterior of a school building. We see Stephan and his mother Maula standing together. We then see Stephan inside. He answers a series of on-screen questions. Later, three employers share impressions of Stephan. Finally, Maula, Stephan’s mother, talks about her son.
Stephan: My name is Stephan, and I am 16 years old.
“What were your feelings about working this summer?”
I was just thinking it might be hard because I was pretty much going through some tough stuff, so I wasn’t really sure about how I’d deal with working in a space with others. The anxiety was rising in me, so I wasn’t sure how I would do in a job.
“How’s the job going?”
I come in, I clock in. Then I basically just patrol around the gym, just walk around, watching the kids, making sure they’re not doing anything too crazy. That’s hard. It’s hard when they’re running around. You have to know where they are like 24⁄7. Well not 24/7, like eight hours a day.
“What is Stephan like as an employee?”
Brittany: It’s really endearing to see and watch the relationship that he’s built with his campers.
Brea: Stefan is so diligent, and he’s so hardworking. He is so keen and so attentive to his kids.
Lola: The kids love him. He has a presence about him that the kids run to him and go, “Stephan, Stephan, Stephan.”
“Tell us about Stephan.”
Maula: Had a lot of self doubt, and that’s one of the things I realized with youth such as my son, Stephan, that he struggles in identifying his strengths.
“What would you say to an employer about hiring youth with disabilities?”
Maula: What I would say, it’s an investment in our children and especially children who are vulnerable, who may have some challenges in life. They need to see that they can be successful and they have the skills and know how to be successful.
Scene 19: Exterior street. Stephan exits his mother’s car on his way to work.
Scene 20: Exterior Soccer park at twilight. The Accessful co-ordinator walks with his dog towards a treeline where, in the middle distance, we can see a net.
Man: I think ultimately there needs to be confidence and understanding both with the employee and the employer so that these students can have the same chances as everyone else. They’ll prove they’re worthy of that chance. We all want to feel we have something to contribute, that we have purpose. I think we help students find their voice so employers see them for who they are and what they can offer.
Scene 21: A Black & White portrait in of James, smiling.
James (Voice-Over): All we’re looking for is a level playing field.
Scene 22: The video ends with logos associated with: Accessful, The Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation and the Government of Ontario.