Skills, Esteem & Employment Development (SEED) Program

Are you living with mental illness and facing barriers to seeking employment? The Kettle Society’s SEED program supports individuals who may have barriers to traditional employment.

We help program participants acquire the practical skills and confidence needed to transition from unemployment to meaningful paid supported employment. We hold no expectation that participants move beyond their first placement unless they set that goal for themselves. Our goal is to help people enter the workforce and build new skills.

SEED program at a glance:

• Positions are permanent depending on participants’ goals

• Shifts are between 1-10 hours per week

• Applicants must have lived experience with mental illness

• Shifts are flexible

• Support is provided wherever needed

Types of SEED Positions

Janitorial & seasonal yardwork

Are you detail oriented and enjoy working with your hands? A position on our janitorial team might be the right fit for you.

Workers on our janitorial team help keep the Kettle sites safe, clean, and enjoyable for everyone. Our Fresh Start Project, part of our SEED Program, provides work cleaning shared spaces in our office and our community services buildings, as well as tenant suites in Kettle housing buildings.

Kitchen

Do you enjoy food preparation? A position at one of our on-site kitchens might be the job for you.

Food is essential; we need it to stay alive, but food also brings us together. The Kettle kitchen staff take pride in their work, and folks love the food served!

Customer service

Do you like interacting with others? You might be the right fit for our Kettle Tuck Shops.

At the drop-in and Taylor Manor, SEED workers operate two tuck shops. The tuck shops sell snacks, instant meals, beverages, and single hygiene items like razors, deodorant, shampoo, and toilet paper. The tuck shops provide affordable and low-barrier access to items that you may not find in grocery stores. There are few stores near Taylor Manor, making the tuck shop a significant part of everyday life for the 56 residents.

Neighbourhood street cleaning

Do you enjoy working outdoors and contributing to your community? Join our Clean Team!

In partnership with the Commercial Drive Business Improvement Association and the City of Vancouver, SEED workers clean up the streets of the Commercial Drive neighbourhood. Each year, the Clean Team collects over 2,500 bags of garbage from the streets and removes unsafe items from the streets, such as needles or other hazardous materials.

Program facilitation

Do you have a special talent for art or music that you’d like to share with others in a group setting?

As part of our dedication to psychosocial rehabilitation, we offer programs in art, music, and singing. Each of these programs is led by a peer worker from our SEED program.