People have value. They contribute, they grow and they develop.
Not surprisingly, Van Belle Nursery in Abbotsford is in the business of growing plants. What is interesting is the emphasis the company places on growing people. Dave Van Belle, president of Van Belle Nursery explains, “We talk about growing people a lot in our company. How do we grow people? How do we develop people? We have people from literally all around the world here. How do we make space for them to contribute, grow and develop? Because they have value, and they can contribute, grow and develop.”
From our perspective, we asked, how can we elevate people? How do we use this business to, in my case, bring glory to God’s kingdom?
With an already ethnically diverse workforce, it was natural for them to hire people with diverse abilities. Which is what brings us to Ray. I met Ray early into my time as an employment specialist at Bethesda. What struck me was how friendly and personable Ray was. They sometimes say, “a stranger is a friend you haven’t met yet.” Ray certainly embodied that saying. When asked about this, Ray shared that his faith and family were instrumental in planting values of friendship and kindness in him. He told me, “I’ve got Jesus in my heart.”
I was working with Ray because he was looking to get back in the workforce after taking some time away at the start of the pandemic. Within a few months of exploring work possibilities, Ray was presented with the opportunity to work at Van Belle Nurseries for the spring/summer of 2021.
One thing about this interaction with Van Belle that stood out for me is that they approached me, at Bethesda, to see if I had any job candidates who wanted to work there for a season. Normally, I seek out businesses to share and educate them about our inclusive employment services program.
Out of curiosity, I asked Dave what motivated him to reach out. He told me, “I have a cousin who has Down Syndrome and he’s a perfectly capable young man. He’s a great guy, and a terrific worker. He works at a restaurant where he busses tables. When we were looking at our nursery, we thought, okay here’s a role we have where someone with a disability could do very well. When we came across this opportunity, we thought, hey let’s reach out.” Dave continued, “From a faith perspective, we believe that all people are equally valuable. So from our perspective, we asked, how can we elevate people? How do we use this business to, in my case, bring glory to God’s kingdom?”
Building a supportive workplace. People are given the tools and support they need to develop and advance in their careers.
From that starting place, the team at Van Belle started creating an environment that would foster Ray’s growth at work. Ieda Del Bianco, director of operations, explained some of the process behind cultivating success for Ray, “We offered him a position that had a predictable schedule and was output-oriented for him. It worked for me because I could see if he was progressing well, and it worked for him as there were no surprises on his end too.” Ray’s main job was to clean out the potting trays at their Young Plants facility. Ieda shared other crucial elements involved in their structuring, “Training, the right support, close supervision, feedback and open communication. If Ray was uncomfortable, he was welcome to tell someone right away.”
As with all relationships, input is required from both parties. As Ieda explained, “I was wondering, is Ray going to be receptive? Is he going to adapt to change because many times there are little adjustments (required) in the workflow.” As the nursery did its best to create a nurturing environment, Ray reciprocated by following their guidance and by injecting his positive friendly nature into the work culture. Ieda said, “Ray was always receptive which eliminated so much concern.” Ray also mentioned how he appreciated being given the chance to learn new skills and opportunities.
Ray’s primary job was cleaning potting trays in the Young Plants facility. Here he is feeding a dirty tree plug tray through the conveyer belt that takes the tray through the machine that cleans and disinfects the tray.
Growth is Reciprocal
As Van Belle nurtured Ray’s professional growth, Ray, in turn, gave back to the nursery’s work culture. Ieda said, “Every morning he was greeting everybody, he was here 15 minutes early each day. Cheerful. He was the employee that you hope for, “oh please we need more of (them)!” His attitude of being positive caused me to mirror my own attitude (to assess) how positive I am.” Dave also said, “I thought Ray was a good example for me. He modelled what I should be doing in many ways.” Ultimately, reciprocal growth was promoted by each party through a working relationship that was built on trust in each other. Ray trusted their guidance while his co-workers and supervisors trusted his ability to get the job done.
Ultimately, reciprocal growth was promoted by each party through a working relationship that was built on trust in each other.
Lasting benefits. It’s always about relationships.
Ray returned for a second season this past spring but has since moved to Ottawa. When asked what he was most proud of, Ray responded by saying it was the friendships he made at Van Belle. He was also proud of being able to navigate through language barriers there too. Ray shared that it was cool to work with workers from all over the world. Finally, Ray reflected, “[working] gives me a good spirit.” Ray summarized that jobs come and go, however he says that it is the people that stick with him. He shared that there were great people at Van Belle Nursery and that he was thankful to work there.
When asked what kind of advice to offer to people who also want to get into the “people growing” business Ieda advised, “Map your tasks and see what kinds of tasks can offer predictability, and are results driven. This can allow you to easily evaluate and help them if they are not reaching targets. There is always a task that you can adjust [for a person with a diverse ability].” Dave added, “I would encourage employers to consider looking at the talent that is available in non-traditional sources. There is a shortage of people anyway. Like why not consider a non-traditional source of talent?” He added, “Done well, it can be a morale booster to everyone else on staff. If an employer’s willing to be a little flexible and a little understanding, the benefits far outweigh the costs.”
Why not consider a non-traditional source of talent? Done well, it can be a morale booster to everyone else on staff. If an employer’s willing to be a little flexible and a little understanding, the benefits far outweigh the costs.
Overall, Ray and Van Belle’s story illuminates just how much growth can be had when people invest in each other. While personal growth and development are noble pursuits, they are almost never accomplished through solitary means. We are an interdependent community, and this story reflects the successful growth that comes when we invest in each other.
Thank you to Ray Voshall, Dave Van Belle and Ieda Del Bianco of Van Belle Nursery for sharing about their experience of working together. Also thank you to the team at Van Belle Young Plants for providing guidance to Ray and for giving him a space to utilize and share his talents.
The cover photo shows the Van Belle leadership team at the employer appreciation event Bethesda held for them. Ray (on the right) presented Dave Van Belle (centre back) and his team with a gift basket as thanks for being a supportive and inclusive employer.
