Photo from outside Gabi & Jules
Port Moody location.
In honour of National AccessAbility Week, we are featuring Gabi & Jules, a local bakery that is not only a one-stop-shop for handmade pies, but also an inclusive place of belonging for everyone in the Port Moody and Burnaby communities.
“Gabi & Jules was named after our daughters, Gabriela and Juliana. Juliana, our eldest daughter has autism. That was our motivation, and what started our journey to be an inclusive employer,” shares owner Lisa Beecroft. In an employee survey last year, over 35 per cent of their staff self-identified as having a disability, including autism and invisible disabilities such as mental health challenges. Six of their employees received CLBC funded services when they joined the Gabi & Jules team.
Photo from inside Gabi & Jules Port Moody location.
Since launching the Port Moody bakery in 2016, Lisa has been dedicated to creating employment opportunities for people with disabilities, particularly, those who are neurodiverse. (Find more information about neurodiversity here.)
With both great successes and minor setbacks over the years, their bakery has continued to adapt to best support employees. Lisa is an enthusiastic advocate for inclusive employment, encouraging other small businesses to “embrace the challenge”, and push past fears of failing. “In order to move the needle for inclusion, we need small businesses to get behind it because they’re the main employer in our province. I hope to encourage others by sharing our successes.”
She has an encouraging message for employers who are hesitant – “the coolest, most gratifying, and unintentional result is the people we’ve attracted to work here because of our inclusive practices. It’s made this place so special and unique.”
The value of community support
Alex, baker’s assistant at Gabi & Jules, making dog treats.
Alex has been a baker’s assistant at Gabi & Jules for six years. His role has allowed him to merge his creative side as a self-taught artist with his career at the bakery – decorating cookies, painting signs and art for the bakery, and decorating for holidays seasons. Every June, the Gabi & Jules team sets up a table outside of the bakery to show off Alex’s art at the Port Moody Art Shuffle.
Alex was supported by Kinsight when he started with Gabi & Jules, and his job coaches continue to check in with him and see how he is doing.
“That has truly been the key to ensuring longtime success for Alex. You’re limited as an employer with the type of support you can give. So having the job coach be that bridge to Alex outside of work and being able to connect his other supports – it becomes more holistic. I hope that’s where we are all moving in terms of inclusion, because if you take a silo approach it’s missing the bigger picture. There have definitely been cases where we’ve seen a person could really be successful if they just had a bit more support. There’s a lot that goes into to somebody showing up at work.”
Visit Alex and the Gabi & Jules team at the Port Moody Art Shuffle this year on June 20 from 4:00pm to 9:00pm.
Creating welcoming spaces for people who are neurodiverse
A sign from Gabi & Jule’s sharing that over 35 per cent of their team members self-identifying as having a disability.
At their Port Moody location, there are a few signs letting customers know Gabi & Jules is an inclusive employer. Customers should expect their interactions at the bakery to look different, perhaps even “sassy” at times.
“Sadly, part of the motivation behind the sign is because people are not the kindest at times. It can be really discouraging when we see and hear about unfriendly interactions,” says Lisa.
She explains the approach she has taken to communicate with customers who react negatively to their staff. “What you experienced, your order, was not difficult, but it was different. And the individual serving you was just wanting to make sure that they understood you.”
Information processing is different for people who are neurodiverse. Autistic people, for example, are more literal in how they interpret things and can take longer to process information. “For our staff, there’s a lot of information coming at them and fast,” shares Lisa, “Our staff are so diligent, and they’re just so committed to doing a good job. They shouldn’t be exposed to hostility just because it might take them 30 seconds longer to process an order.”
Inclusive spaces benefit everyone
Aside from creating employment opportunities for people with disabilities, workplaces like Gabi & Jules have a valuable role in making communities more inclusive for all. The visibility of their values and mission creates a welcoming space for community members and brings attention to the importance of inclusive employment.
Lisa has seen firsthand how inclusive employment can benefit all employees. “Our managers have become more skilled, since they need to really learn how to communicate effectively when working with someone who might take a little bit longer to process things,” she says. Managers learn over time how to “find a way that works for everybody” and learn how to personalize support for each employee.
Want to learn more or visit a Gabi & Jules bakery? Visit the Gabi & Jules website here for location information and more.
