Finding Staff

Participants on the Direct Funding (DF) Program find their attendants in various ways:

Online Methods:

• HRDC Job Bank
• The Job Bank is the Government of Canada’s website for job listings. It is a free service that allows applicants to search for jobs in the field they are looking for. People looking for jobs in Canada and from overseas also tend to use the Job Bank.
• Online classified ads
• Websites like Craigslist and Kijiji also offer a free space to advertise. These have been effective resources for many Self-Managers, but are not as well known as the Job Bank.
• Consumer Attendant Roster (CAR)
• A free, interactive and participant driven web-based system operated by the Centre for Independent Living in Toronto (CILT) Inc. It helps to match job seeking attendants with consumer/employer job openings for attendants

Word-of-mouth

Talk to other Self-Managers, family, friends, neighbours, your bookkeeper or existing attendants to see if they can make recommendations. Many Self-Managers have hired staff through word-of-mouth since it can save the time, energy and cost of placing an ad

Post ads in your community

Some people have had success by posting an ad in places like the local grocery store, community centre, or church bulletin. If you have a local college or university nearby, students are often a good resource since they are often looking for part-time work. Some participants have even had good luck advertising at local hospitals or long-term care facilities where PSWs may have only part-time hours. These workers may not be familiar with the broad range of duties you might require of them (assistance with routine activities of daily living is allowed under the exceptions to the “controlled acts” restricted by the Regulated Health Professions Act.)

Place an ad in your local newspaper

Advertising in newspapers is the traditional method of recruiting but has dropped off in recent years since the costs are much higher than they used to be. Nonetheless, if the price is reasonable local newspapers can be good places to look for attendants since they reach a specific and local population. Because of the cost, ads placed in local papers would have to be quite short or you will use your whole advertising budget (and then some) on a single ad.

• Self-Managers’ Network
• If there are other Self-Managers in your area they may have a few names of available attendants. Especially if you are travelling within the province, other participants on the Self-Managers Network may help you set up attendant services when you reach your destination; if they don’t have the names of any attendants you might hire, and you are only travelling for a short time, you might at least receive advice about which agency would be best to hire for your short stay away from home.

Your DF budget typically includes a small monthly amount for administrative costs, including advertising, but most of the above ideas are free or cost very little. Please remember that DF funds may not be used to pay recruitment agencies.

How to hire a live-in caregiver

Especially for those who require regular overnight assistance, some Self-Managers may consider hiring a live-in caregiver using their DF funds, sometimes supplemented with their own personal funds. There are often people already living in Ontario who are looking for work as live-in caregivers, but you may also sponsor a foreign caregiver through a Citizenship and Immigration Canada program. The DF program encourages Self-Managers who are considering hiring a live-in to investigate all of the advantages and disadvantages; feel free to contact DF staff if you have any questions about the process.

Advertising Package 2015 (doc) 49KB

Advertising Package 2015 (pdf) 112KB

Continue to Tips for Advertising