A Meaningful Partnership
In 2021, CATSA sought assistance with preparing travel kits that include pamphlets and liquids, aerosols, and gels (LAGs) bags. CATSA offers the service on request; we ship travel kits to travel agents who distribute them to their clients. The kits are designed to educate the public so they know what to bring and how to pack their liquids, aerosols and gels before going through security at the airport.
CATSA reached out to Tamir, an organization dedicated to supporting adults with developmental disabilities and autism. The organization promotes independence and autonomy, so they were eager to learn more about the option of purposeful work for their members. A meaningful partnership ensued.
Recently, CATSA paid a visit to Tamir to learn more about what the program means to them and award individual certificates of appreciation. It was impressive to see the operation in action.
Each morning, members of the day program sip on their coffee as they begin packaging orders, sitting together at tables. On the day of CATSA's visit, there was a sense of comradery and friendly competition around who could fill the most orders, while a feeling of dedication and purpose filled the room. Longtime member Tewyn said:
“My favourite part is working with the cards. I need to keep busy. I like to be focused so I don’t have to do it again. I have to be careful and make sure not to make mistakes.”
The program organizers love that the first few hours of their day program are filled with an activity that the members enjoy. In fact, participants are so excited by their jobs filling the CATSA mailout orders that it’s sometimes hard to get them to move on to the next activity. It is also portable. Members unable to work in a group setting can contribute by filling orders from home. It was clear from the smiles on their faces while getting their certificates of appreciation that their CATSA work was the highlight of their day.
To learn more about Tamir, including opportunities to volunteer, visit Tamir.ca.