INTRODUCTION

I have recently finished my Masters Degree in Social/Sociology at University of British Columbia while completing a Social Service Work Certification Program, at Langara College in Vancouver BC. Since moving back to Toronto, I have taken my past skills & degrees along with a Job Development Certification Program at JVS/George Brown College to round out my education for the work force.

I have 16 years work experience in Human Resources and Public Relations, along with the same amount of years in Computer software use and Internet web page building. The past few years I have been developing web pages along with some internet consulting to help those less fortunate, obtain an Internet presence. I have also been helping agencies and individual people to network their resources together, enabling them to be more proficient in helping others.

I am presently an Employment Counsellor / Job Developer / Job Coach at the Ability Learning Network, helping people find their dream jobs.

I feel that I am an asset to anyone that I work with and I am a self-motivate individual, who possess exceptional people skills and organizational characteristics. I am not apprehensive of accepting new challenges, so as to progress myself further along in my career. I also enjoy feedback form others along with giving my own opinions on various techniques to getting the job done, and to help those around me progress to their maximum potentials.

CAREER OBJECTIVES

To continually expand my knowledge of how to help others through advocacy, counselling, teaching and mentoring. This can be done in all work environments from a human resources office within a major business, to a community centre or even within a government agency where public and employee relations are the key to success.

I have no aspirations of becoming rich or wealthy just the desire to maintain a comfortable and stable life while helping others to do the same.

I want to reach my own maximum potential of helping, while guiding others to reach their own maximum potentials. I believe that everyone has the ability to do better in life and my goal is to help them find their own paths to their own goals and to aspire to their fullest possible potentials.

SKILLS AND CAPABILITIES

Employment Counselling / Job Developing / Job Coaching

·                     Interviewed clients to obtain their employment history, educational

                     background and career goals

·                     Assisted clients to develop a job readiness through specific skills and

                      job search strategies

·                     Administered various skill and personality test and then interpreted

                      them so as to help design a job strategy system unique to each

                     individual

·                     Assisted in helping the clients to collect labour market information

                     regarding employment openings and the entry skills needed for the

                     positions, and how they may go about acquiring the skills

·                     Instructed the clients on how to prepare cover letters and resumes,

                     while preparing them for their job interviews

·                     I would even help those already employed on how the market looked

                     for changing career paths and how they may advance their careers

                      within their given field of work, or how to use already acquired skills to

                     transfer over into other job markets

·                     In Job Developing I help people find their perfect job and how to

                     transfer their skills over

·                     When Job Coaching I help individuals return to the work force after

                      long periods of unemployment and work with them till they can adjust

                      to the their new employment

Human Resources

·                     Planned, organized and directed daily operations, while establishing

                     and implementing policies and procedures to the workplace

·                     Coordinated and reviewed all projects and programs while overseeing

                      the classifications and ratings of all occupations

·                     Planned, developed and implemented recruitment strategies while

                      managing the training of new employees

·                     Analyzed employee data and oversaw preparation of reports for the

                      senior management along with being able to answer their questions

                      and complaints with employee

·                     Through mediation I was able to organize and facilitate all functions

                     within the business and keep an open dialogue between employer and

                     employee

Interpersonal

·                     Effective interviewer and negotiator with staff job creation

·                     Strong ability to solving internal problems

·                     Active at getting organizations involved with each other to maintain a

                      positive work environment

·                     Ability to interact and help focus personal in a positive and prosperous

                      direction for the good of all involved

·                     I enjoy working with people and look forward to being an asset and role

                     model to others around myself

Public Services & Educational Abilities

·                     Created self-esteem programs for the Transgendered

·                     Pre-employment programs to prepare individuals for school or training

                      positions

·                     HIV / AIDS discussion groups to discuss new advancements along with

                      individual health issues and treatment programs

·                     Baking classes and nutritional cooking techniques for those involved

                      in high-risk activities and HIV+ individuals

·                     Educational public displays, discussions and teaching techniques on

                      how to get yourself and your agency known to the public, through

                      networking

·                     Setting up & writing proposals for fund raising events and volunteer

                      work with youth groups, gay / bi / lesbian / Transgendered groups

·                     Developing community awareness along with social involvement in

                      public events.

·                     Advocating for housing, food, recovery homes, educational institutions

                      for all individuals

Management

·                     Scheduled and transferred all new business and files to be worked

·                     Kept close watch and monitoring of inventory levels for all employees

·                     Encouraged organization and scheduling continuity of all operations

·                     Created my own importing and distribution business of reptiles,

                     amphibians and fauna

·                     Self-starter and able to take charge with exceptional problem solving

                      abilities

·                     Have always been able to instruct others, along with creating an

                      efficient and successful work environment

·                     I am extremely creative, organized and effective while working under

                      pressure

Equipment

·                     IBM 5286, 3742, 386, 486, Pentium 1,2,3 & 4 pc's and laptops

·                     WP, Windows 95, 98, 2000, XP, Goldmine, Quick Tax Programs, Office 95,

                      97, 2000, Power Point, Publisher, Front Page, Print Shop Deluxe, Adobe

                      products (basically all Microsoft products and more)

·                     Info-direct systems, digital photography and editing

·                     Libraries and Internet researching

·                     Switchboards and paging systems

CREDENTIALS

·                     BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts)

·                     Masters Degree in Social/Sociology Program Certificate

·                     SSWC (Social Service Work Certification)

·                     Job Developer Certification

EDUCATION

JVS/George Brown College (Jewish Vocational Services)

Job Developer Program

Toronto, Ontario

University of British Columbia

Social/Sociology/Anthropology Program

Vancouver, BC

Langara College

Social Service Worker Program

Vancouver, BC

Vancouver School Board (Employment Options Group)

Employment, Life and Job Creation Program for Street Youth 1994

Vancouver, BC

Karen Hall Careers

Data Entry Program

Diploma Program, Top 10%, 24,000 kph., 95% accuracy.

Toronto, Ontario

University of South Florida

Fine Arts Program

Tampa, Florida

EMPLOYMENT

Ability Learning Network

Employment Counsellor / Job Developer / Job Coach

Building maintenance school – I help the students find rewarding, progressive employment after graduation

Most of my clients are ODSP, EI & OW clients.

WoodGreen Youth Job Center

(full-time work study practicum)

Employment Counselling/Job Developing

Koerner Library - UBC

(part-time work study)

Sorting and research department for the library.

Langara College

Electronic text converting and proof reading.

Converting textbooks into electronic text for the blind.

Lookout Emergency Aid Society (Practicum)

Upstairs Residential area. Seeing to the needs of the on site residents, through obtaining medication, food and counselling. I also escorted clients to medical appointments or educational / entertainment outings.

High Risk Project Society

HIV / AIDS Care Coordinator

Created self-esteem programs, pre-employment seminars and computer training sessions. I also did advocacy for housing, recovery homes, food acquisition and medical needs for my clients. Kept the clients aware of new treatments and nutritional guides to help them overcome their illness. Attended conferences to keep the public awareness of my clients known and what their special needs were to be. My clients were "HIV+ Transgendered, Intravenous drug using, Street Workers.

Planned Lifetime Advocacy

(1 year contract on temporary basis)

Creating Networks for mentally challenged adults. I was hired by the parents of challenged older adults offspring to find them friends and interests, through networks so that they won't be alone after the parents have passed on.

BR Promotions & Networking

Self made desktop publishing and Internet web page designing and Internet consulting.

Also helping students and street youth to network for the purpose of finding employment, housing and basic needs while corresponding with other self minded individuals world-wide.

Have created pages for the homeless so that street youth can express their ideas and correspond with others about the everyday problems they face; this has lead to correspondence between family members and street youth creating a beginning to reunification between all parties involved.

D. Appleton & Company

Started out as a CD-ROM researcher, and then advanced to supervisor of info-direct department and was in control of all new business and its distribution to all employees along with issuing all management reports for Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal and London England offices. (company was absorbed by larger corporation & no longer exists)

Corduroy Project

Helped street youth find resources to survive.

Mediated relationship between parents and youth, to create a bridge of dialogue so as to help negotiate a settlement between both parties. (With the hope of encouraging the child to return home with parents or other family members)

Advocated for employment, education and housing for street youth. Also volunteered much of my own time to the project. (this project was abandoned by NDP government)

Hallmark Toys & Marketing

Was in command of Human Resources, Job Creation, and Stock & Inventory control along with Public relations. Had transactions with groups of 100 to 500 per day. I was also in control of all payroll and banking. (company relocated to US)

Volunteer Work

· I help in resource department of WoodGreen Youth Job Centre in facilitating workshops on resume building, interview skills, cold calling and skills development.

· I also sat on the AIDS frontline workers coalition in Vancouver, along with the Nutritional Board for HIV / AIDS clients.

· In the past I have helped organized Pride events and AIDS related fundraising events here in Toronto and in Vancouver too.

· I have done clerical work, in the form of filling and organizing volunteering staff for the Arthritis Foundation of Canada.

· I have been a support worker and companion for elderly clients in a residential setting operated by the C.N.I.B.. (Canadian National Institute for the Blind)

REFERENCES

Jeff E. Dormer

Market Research Data Analysis

Toronto, Ontario

[email protected]

Andrea Hector

Music Instructor / Youth Advocate / Substance Abuse Counsellor

Vancouver, BC

[email protected]

Glen Vincer

Family Service Worker

Vancouver, BC

[email protected]

Neal Pilger

Graduate Student at University of Lethbridge

Lethbridge, Alberta

[email protected]

Scott Peters

Substance Abuse Counsellor for Vancouver Detox

Vancouver, BC

1-604-873-3449

Mike Monkman (recently passed away due to complications associated with AIDS)

HIV / AIDS Activist and Advocate

Vancouver, BC

[email protected]

Peter Chow

Aircraft Maintenance Engineer

Richmond, BC

[email protected]

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Project & Documentary Films

When working at the High Risk Society Project, I was given a chance to work with the Transgendered and while working with this group of unique individuals, I became aware of the problems facing them such as; IV drug use, HIV+ status and that many of them were street workers.

These individuals were not welcomed anywhere and were ostracized by men, women and gays alike. This lead me to make a movie documentary called "Huggs & Kisses", which was financed by Langara College and myself. The film is about the problems facing the Transgendered in the downtown eastside of Vancouver. The film has since been shown at several HIV/AIDS Conferences & Gay, Lesbian, Bi, Transgendered events and festivals.

After the success with my previous documentary on the Transgendered, I then made a second one call "First Nations A Forgotten People" which focused on the First Nations people of BC who have left their communities, in hopes of finding a better life in Vancouver's urban centre. These people discovered quickly that the city is expensive and racially divided towards the native people. Most of these newly arrived first nations people ended up in the downtown eastside of Vancouver, where IV drug use is rampant and HIV/AIDS is at epidemic proportions.

This film has now been shown to many aboriginal communities in BC so as to help educate their youth of the problems in urban centers along with being used in sociology classes and AIDS conferences to study the long term affects, of exposure in the downtown eastside of Vancouver on people in general.

I have enjoyed making these documentaries and am thinking of doing a third film on gay street youth and youth suicide, but this is still in the beginning phases of research.

Other projects I have created are "Web-pages for the Homeless" which helped street youth in gaining access to computer and building their own web pages, containing their own thoughts and ideas. These web-page addresses were then given to their family members and friends to give insight into their life.

This also is networked with other cities so that street youth could discuss their problems with other like minded youth.

Through the project over 70% of the youth involved, returned home to live with family members and 85% were able to find employment, housing and return to some sort of educational institution. All the youth involved did however make some sort of connection with some family members even if they did not return home.

I am now looking for another project to create or co-create on a part-time basis by myself or with an agency.

Hobbies

·                     Getting involved in social events and public awareness campaigns.

·                     Creating various projects such as flyers, brochures, stationary,

                     invitations community news letters.

·                     Surfing and researching upon the Internet.

·                     Creating simple but effective web-pages.

·                     I coordinate 2 social groups.

·                     Cooking and creating gourmet meals for others in the form of potlucks

                     and dinner parties.

·                     Trying to get back in shape through daily workouts and bike riding.

·                     Enjoy reading, watching and writing anything remotely linked to sci-fi.

Final Comments

I am also a visionary; this then allows me to be extremely creative and to foresee the pros and cons of all projects, so that I may see the end results with clarity and with an open-minded attitude.

I also in my own spare time for the past 20 years have devoted myself to helping street youth find employment & educational programs, along with finding housing. The most rewarding aspect of my life's goals are to helping them reunite with there family members and to find common grounds for discussion.

I will continue to volunteer my own time to an agency that I am employed by, because it is in my nature. I would also like to continue creating free web pages and email services for all of the street and homeless people. I want to help those that feel hopeless find access to resources through themselves using technology and giving themselves a feeling of accomplishment rather than despair.

Well that is all I have to say for now and I thank you for taking the time to read this and I look forward to hearing your comments in the near future. I am also free to talk to anyone at any time and to discuss my hopes and aspirations with others.

Yours

Brett H. Reneau