GO Group
PAFC’s social enterprise initiative, GO Group, provides paid, goal-oriented employment opportunities for autistic youth and adults.
Improving Employment Equity By Hiring Youth And Young Adults
GO Group is a multi-venture social enterprise that offers temporary supportive employment opportunities within PAFN’s hub to youth and young adults who want to and are realistically able to work in the food, custodial, or landscaping industries. The initiative helps them train for jobs in the community, build employable skills and tangible work experience.
How We Do It
GO Group is implemented in 3 steps to ensure the best program results and experience. GO Group is goal oriented with experiential training, all which is used for future employment opportunities and prospects.
Goal Oriented
GO stands for goal oriented in that all GO Group employment is temporary and transitional (approximately 6 months); the focus is on acquiring relevant vocational skills and tangible work experience such that individuals are better qualified for community employment in the respective industry.
Experiential Training
Specific workplace readiness and vocational skills goals are defined at the onset of employment. The skill acquisition progress is regularly tracked to ensure individuals’ learning is well-supported. As individuals reach each skill goal, PAFN will validate and issue digital badges, a new way of showcasing skill competency.
Transition to Future Employment
Individuals who are job ready can use digital badges to highlight their skill set. Additional transition supports to future employment are available through our Adult Programs Team. We work collaboratively with career practitioners and key contacts in individuals’ support networks towards the common goal of gaining employment after GO Group.
Why we do it
During the development phase, PAFN learned that BC communities need more services for young adults with ASD who are transitioning into the workforce or trying to make a leap from day programs to community employment.
Only 1/4 persons with ASD or intellectual disabilities are gainfully employed, and yet there are few solutions addressing the disconnect in current pre-employment and placement services that often leave individuals with unmarketable training and experiences. GO Group seeks to address this gap by focusing on developing real, paid, supported employment opportunities in a sustainable enterprise model.
A multi-venture social enterprise
Currently, the GO Group hires through the following ventures that meet the sustainable business functions within the Hub: GO Café, GO Custodial, and GO Landscaping. GO Group is being piloted at the Hub with an aim to expand to satellite sites.
GO Group’s Theory of Change
GO Group offers 1) real experience, 2) relevant skills, and 3) mentorship to youth and young adults with ASD or related disabilities so that they are qualified for inclusive employment opportunities.
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