Rebecca Blaevoet, Job Seeker

Saint John, NB

I learned of the existence of CCRW this summer, (2024) from an incredibly resourceful woman at CNIB, (National Institute for the Blind). I had contacted CNIB because I needed to get from rural NB to Truro NS for a required course. The tuition alone was $420, plus the travel, and three nights' accommodation, let alone taxi fare from the hotel to the college. It was fairly steep. This lady at CNIB put me in touch with a CCRW support person (St. John, NB), who responded immediately to my enquiry. We had about ten days to pull everything together: course registration, hotel booking at the height of the summer tourist season, the college had to send me the textbook in PDF format and figure out how to support me when I took the exam. There was a lot to organize, but CCRW's staff was right on it, extremely responsive and proactive. She booked the bus, booked the hotel, paid the college, and kept me in the loop with everything. I felt empowered and valued, even though this agency really had swooped in, picked me up and carried me to where I needed to be. It was one of the most *valuing* experiences I have ever had as a vision-impaired Canadian and I truly appreciate CCRW's commitment to moving job-seekers with a disability toward their end goals. Believe me, if I succeed in opening my fromagerie, (the course in Truro was a bulk tank milk grading course, it was this little blind woman and ten truckers), I will sign up with CCRW to support a job-seeker as my assistant, or as a staffer in some other capacity. Thank you for your assistance in making this crazy goal a reality.