For several months, a CHSLD and a high school in Montreal have been working hand in hand to offer professional internships to young autistic people. And the results go beyond expectations, to the point where we want to expand the program.
“When he finished his first day of training with us, Rostharo said it was the best day of his life. Our little hearts all melted,” says Myriam Grondin, head of the hygiene and sanitation department at the CHSLD Benjamin-Victor-Rousselot, in eastern Montreal, with a big smile.
The 17-year-old is busy in the laundry room, filling the carts with towels, sheets and clean towels that he will take upstairs. By popular demand, he takes a break, puts on his hat and does some Michael Jackson-inspired dance moves. It’s his trademark. Although he is shy when it comes time to speak, dancing comes naturally to him.
His internship supervisor, Carlos Mariona, encourages him. “He is becoming more and more independent,” he notes. At the beginning, he was closed off, but he opens up more and more, he gets out of control. » Rostharo is “very observant and attentive”, adds laundry worker Sylvie Hébert. Working with him is “just the fun “.
In the kitchen, at the other end of the corridor, Ghiles becomes all smiles when he finds Chantal Pelland at her workstation. Sometimes he prepares snacks for residents. Today, he puts away the glasses that come out of the dishwasher. “You’re coming too good, the dishwasher doesn’t supply it!” » Chantal teases.
They have been working together for several weeks now, two days a week. And their complicity is obvious. Chantal only has good words for her young intern. “We work well together. He has a good attitude, a good memory, he’s a little marvel. A real gem! »
Beyond prejudices
Everyone agrees that the internship program which welcomes young autistic people from Marguerite-De Lajemmerais secondary school is a real success. And the employees are particularly proud to participate.
But it was necessary to “demystify autism” in order to overcome certain apprehensions, recognizes Myriam Grondin. “At the beginning, when I talked to the teams about it, people had a natural reluctance, they said to themselves that it would make them more work. They wondered how they would react with the residents. »
At the beginning, when I talked to the teams about it, people had a natural reluctance, they said to themselves that it would make them more work. They wondered how they would react with the residents.
Internship supervisor Carlos Mariona believes that “it’s demanding”, but so “rewarding”. He believes that this type of pairing can help deconstruct prejudices to allow real integration of autistic people into society and the workplace. “We must promote autistic people, encourage them to develop and ensure that society stops stigmatizing them,” he argues.
Big challenges
To test the new collaboration and allow everyone to get to know each other, the management of the CHSLD and the internship managers of the Marguerite-De Lajemmerais school chose to put the trainees in the laundry room and in the kitchen, environments which do not do not require much contact with residents and which operate according to a well-oiled and reassuring routine for young people.
“It may seem trivial, but these are big challenges for the students,” says the teacher responsible for the internships, Pascale Cordeau. They are used, at school, to being in a protected environment, with always the same routines. These are often students who have little initiative. In their schooling, we always told them: at that time, you do that. So there is really a big gap between school and the workplace. »
Over the weeks, Mme Cordeau has seen the relationship between students and employees transform. “I observe the employees, how they were a little uncomfortable at the beginning, and now they are happy, they talk to them and laugh. They get to know them. And I see my students flourishing, it’s very beautiful. »
Rhostaro and Ghiles both say they love their internship environment. If they cannot find the words to express in more depth the importance of these internships in their lives to the representative of the Dutytheir smile demonstrates successful integration.
Let the beginning
For those in charge of the CHSLD, “everything is super positive”. They even note a certain enthusiasm for welcoming interns in other departments.
They are already in discussions to welcome a first intern into the leisure team. Young autistic people at the school already do this as volunteers for bingo and indoor gardening. And the result is remarkable, according to the manager responsible for the CHSLD, Joanie Doucet. “Intergenerational contact, residents love it! When they see young people, their eyes light up. And it’s beautiful to see the exchanges. And this link, for me, is super important. »
With a labor shortage wreaking havoc in all environments, the integration of autistic trainees can become an asset for everyone, believes Mme Doucet. “These are the workers we are going to need tomorrow,” she assures us. For me, this is just the beginning. I dare to hope that each year, we will welcome interns in the hygiene-sanitation and food services teams, but also in terms of care that we could develop further. »