David Johnston was interviewed by his local TV station
8/20/2015
Dawson Creek city council voted on Monday in favour of naming the month of
September ‘Disability Employment month’, to help men and women living with a disability find employment.
David Johnston already has it marked on his calendar. The Mile Zero City advocate said he’s excited to see council approve the idea.
“My passion is always to work with disability people,” Johnston said. Johnston works as an Employment Trainer.
He said he’s made it his goal to help people in the community living with a disability to find work and to help businesses understand the importance of hiring someone with a disability.
“I go around to businesses and educate them on how they can open their doors and hire disability people more.
I put a presentation (on) about passion (and) purpose and it’s all about how I was successful in employment and wasn’t successful,” he said.
Local advocates are happy to see an entire month dedicated to the cause and say people living with a disability have many valuable skills to bring to the workplace.
Johnston said a handful of local businesses, including Peavey Mart, have hired people with disabilities, but he wants to see more.
“I’d like to see doors open for disability people and give people the chance in the workforce.”
Johnston believes more businesses should train people on the job, instead of expecting a post-secondary education.
“I think that more diverse people would be successful in the workforce if they did on the job training rather than go back to school,” he said. “
We are part of the community and we want to be part of the community and people need to understand what diversability people can bring to the community.”
With September around the corner, Johnston hopes to give his presentation all over the Peace Region, hoping to encourage other businesses to follow suit.
“I give kudos to the businesses that have hired diversability people in Dawson Creek. I just feel that the doors could be open more.”
For more information on the presentation, contact David Johnston at 250-467-2177 or by email at davidj71@live.ca.
