About The Mustard Seed

The Mustard Seed is a non-profit organization that has been caring for individuals experiencing homelessness and poverty. Serving Calgary and Edmonton for over 35 years and with several community hubs across the cities, The Mustard Seed is a supportive haven where people can have their physical, mental, and spiritual needs met and grow toward greater health and independence with services including wellness advocacy, chaplaincy, housing, food supports, and more. As necessary, participants of the employment program may be referred to these other services to encourage their holistic wellbeing.

Searching for a job is stressful for most people. It can be even more challenging for those who have been unemployed for a lengthy period, are looking to change careers, have never written a resume, do not have the required certification for their intended position, or are unsure of what to expect in an interview.

The Mustard Seed’s Employment Coaches are available to help answer these questions and provide guidance to individuals seeking to return to the workforce.

The approach that the Employment Centre takes is to empower individuals to discover their own path and to build up the skills to overcome obstacles as they arise. The coach supports and cheers on the participants as they become more self-sufficient.

Services

One-on-One Coaching
The Mustard Seed Employment Program supports each participant according to their needs. From the initial conversation onward, an Employment Coach will work with individuals to determine where they are at in their employment journey, identify goals, and build an action plan outlining practical steps to finding employment. Coaches develop relationships with clients, hold them accountable to their goals, and help find solutions to overcome challenges that may arise.

Workshops & Training
We offer training opportunities aimed at increasing their self-efficacy in the job search process. Our hope is to see individuals become self-sufficient in crafting their resumes, applying for jobs & networking, and developing strategies to stand out with potential employers. While these workshops are focused primarily on increasing job search and employment skills, they also have practical life applications as we discuss goal setting, boundaries, communication, and listening. With the support of a few generous partners, we are also able to connect participants with safety tickets and other training opportunities that may be required for employment.

Some training opportunities are currently paused. Please check back or contact us for course details and schedules.

Work Experience
Finding a job can be difficult with a lack of recent work experience and professional references. Reintegrating into the workplace can be challenging after some time away from it. For some individuals, succeeding in a job may require a period of adjustment as they get back into a daily routine, build up stamina, and interact with more people. This is where our work experience programs come in. Individuals gain short- to medium-term experience in a supportive environment and prepare for market employment with the guidance of an Employment Coach.

Fast Track
Every individual has unique needs when it comes to the job search process. While some may need ongoing supports, others may simply have a question, want a resume template, need access to a computer, or require workwear and personal protective equipment. Whatever the challenge, we try to assist individuals either directly or by directing towards other resources in the community. We would be happy to hear from you and see how we might be able to assist you in finding or maintaining employment.

Referrals
The Mustard Seed supports the whole person: physically, through meeting basic needs like food, shelter and clothing; emotionally, through counselling and relationships; financially, through income support programs; and spiritually, through counselling and prayer support. Given the breadth of the organization, Employment Coaches will be able to refer participants to other Mustard Seed teams or staff to provide them with holistic, wrap-around supports.