The Annapolis Valley, Part 2

Hello, it's Suz (as if you might have been expecting someone else?).

Continuing along on the adventures in Annapolis Valley, on Tuesday May 18th we had a day of vocational visits. Bill Travis, my host, is the Executive Director of a company called Peopleworx, a non-profit employment organisation doing very similar work to what I do back home.



The day was amazing. I took nearly a whole notebook full of notes, as I attended meetings, interviewed Employment Counsellors and other staff and training members, and toured multiple facilities.

Everything I learned that day will have to go into a separate report, or I'd have to post pages of informtion here. Suffice to say, the whole day was brilliant and extremely educational and informative.

Here's a general run-down of my itinerary for the day:

• 8:30am - Attended staff meeting at Peopleworx and learned a lot about a pilot program they are initiating regarding employers in the community and regulating their HR strategies.
• 10am - Visited the local Salvation Army Kentville Corps where I was able to interview Major Ross Grandy for over an hour about poverty in the area and their work running a food bank in Kentville. I was also taken on a tour of the facilities.
• 11:30am - Visited the "Career Resource Centre" of Kings County, where I was taken on a tour by the manager, Mr Phil Long.
• 12pm - Attended a meeting with the Eastern Kings Chamber of Commerce, and heard a presentation by their guest speaker Brian Rose, Vice President of the Halifax Chamber of Commerce, titled "The Management Challenge of a Shrinking and Aging Labour Market" (very interesting!!)
• Also met with Mr Darren Sequueira who is the Development Officer at the Community Business Development Corporation (A similar program to Australia's NEIS - New Enterprise Incentive Scheme).
• 2pm - Returned to the Community Development Centre where I was able to sit-in on a training class for unemployed people and observe how it compared to the trining programs my company runs back home.
• 3:30pm - Met with Employment and Career Counsellor, Mr Patrick Brush, and "picked his brains" about everything and anything. I learned a great deal from him, and he ven took me on a tour of several near-by specialist employment facilities such as the Canadian Mental Health Association, Community Inc (employment services for persons with disabilities) and the Employment Support Transition Centre (for redundant workers en masse as a result of recent plant closures). At each of these places I had the opportunity to interview the staff there.
• 5:30pm - Toured the Annapolis Valley Work Centre with the Manager, Vickie Petrie, where I learned about practical training available to unemployed persons and what facilities were available to them at this site.

OH MY GOODNESS!! Can you see why my brain was full?! That was only one day, and the amount of information I packed into that one day was phenomenal. It was like my "ultimate" vocational visit, the whole purpose of why we're here in the first place! May it continue!!

That evening we were hosted by Rotarian Don Wells at his spectacular home over-looking the valley. Don had in the foyer of his home a tall carved Canadian Mounty, which we all took turns posing with for kicks:



The next morning on Wednesday May 19th, we started the morning early with a 7am breakfast meeting at the New Minas Sunrise Club. Here, somebody provided me with the loan of a french horn, and I was able to lead the club in the hearty rendition of "Oh Canada" and "Advance Australia Fair"!

The team with New Minas Sunrise President, Mr Adam Smith:


For the rest of the day, we were divided in our activities. Cate, Colin and David embarked on an ambitious hike to 'Cape Split' where they saw lots of wildlife and were treated to an amazing view at their destination.







Shannon and I opted for a less-exertive day, so we visited the very beautiful Acadian historical site at Grand Pre, had a cafe lunch and a bit of an afternoon snooze!

Grand Pre:


Shannon and I also came across some old railway tracks and Grand Pre, and had a bit of photography fun!









That evening we went to a "Pot Luck" dinner at the incredible mansion of Rotarians Joe and Susan Ueffing. We gave a really fun presentation that night, which was attended by members of several clubs including Kentville, Wolfville, and some old frinds from Halifax!

The Ueffing's home:


We were royally farewelled from the clubs that night, after a fantastic couple of days in the Valley. We were presented with fine gifts including pins, banners, flags and Nova Scotian wine. The president of Kentville Club, Rev. Dr. Randy Croszman, even inducted us into an old Nova Scotian fellowship tradition: The Nova Scotia Order of Good Cheer!! We shook on it, and have certificates to prove it, so it's official!

Me with Randy, the president of Kentville Club. The patient man who drove us round in a mini-van for 3 days, tolerated our behaviour, acted as official photographer, entertained with amusing anecdotes and made our trip to Annapolis Valley all the more memorable!


Goodbye Annapolis Valley! Next stop...Truro!

Suz