Parkland Residential and Vocational Services Inc provide care to those with intellectual disabilities. From in-house activities to going out and about in the community, PRVSI has always been there and will remain there for those that need it.
However; the last two and a half years have been extremely tough on the not-for-profit. Many businesses are dealing with staffing shortages and PRVSI is no different.
Darrin Clinton says they are looking for upwards of 12 new employees to provide care.
"I'm starting to worry about the morale of my staff," said Clinton. "They are putting in so many extra hours and our agency is so grateful for everything they do. With that said, I'm worried about them also getting burnt out."
As a result of their significant staffing shortage, PRVSI has had to cut back on services. They have a summer GAP program where they plan trips throughout the summer although they had to cancel that during the pandemic. Darrin is hoping they can get back to their trips now; however, without more staff coming on board, that likely won't be the case.
"We had funding from the government for three college or university students that would usually do this," said Clinton. "No one applied so that isn't running right now."
Clinton says they are now trying to plan some day trips throughout the rest of July, August and some of September. While taking care of those with intellectual disabilities is maybe something you never saw yourself doing, Clinton says it is very worth it and satisfying.
"The trust they put in you, they don't care if you're male or female," said Clinton. "They look at you and respect you for being you, just like they expect. It's an overwhelming sensation to know you're helping someone and that's the case here"
If you are interested in applying to PRVSI, you need your grade 12, an adult abuse check and a criminal record check. You can email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you are interested.
