(L to R) enn Hawes, Skills trainer CLUOV, Sara Ward, Instructor RCDSB, Ethan Bourgeois, Erin St. Jean-Tremblay, Zane Irving, Bailey Kehoe, Business Liaison PRH
A small cohort of Renfrew County students was breaking new ground this fall as the Renfrew County District School Board launched Eastern Ontario’s first Project SEARCH program. The internationally recognized initiative was designed to help youth with disabilities develop workplace skills, gain confidence and improve their chances of securing meaningful employment.
Sara Ward is an instructor with Project SEARCH and is in charge of a group of five students working out of Pembroke Regional Hospital, carrying out various functions ranging from cleaning services to data entry. Ward has been a teacher with the RCDSB for more than 17 years and is currently working at Fellowes High School in Pembroke. She told myFM how the program made its way from its inception in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1996 to the Valley:
The program is delivered in partnership with the Petawawa Military Family Resource Centre (PMFRC) and Community Living Upper Ottawa Valley. It is aimed at students whose post-secondary plans focus on employment and who stand to benefit from intensive workplace immersion and on-the-job coaching. Organizers say next year’s cohort could grow to seven or eight interns, contingent on the availability of hospital placements.
Janna Koopman, employment services co-ordinator for the PMFRC, points out that this is new territory for her department, and whether funding like this continues in the future depends in large part on the success of the local program today. Koopman goes on to say that:
“….this is the first time the Ministry has approved using client support funds this way, and it’s through a pilot option to fund on-the-job coaching for the interns. Hopefully we’ll be able to demonstrate that this money is well spent on Project Search and we’ll be able to do the same again next year.”
In simple terms, the more successful the program is now, the more likely funding for future cohorts will be forthcoming:
Students learn the basic skills necessary to cope in the working world by focusing on tasks such as resume building, time management and honing interpersonal skills with one another and hospital staff. The end goal for the students is fairly simple, Ward says:
Ward goes on to say that the hospital has been a cornerstone in the initiation and implementation of this program, even though RCDSB’s Angela MacGregor-Stewart and Cindy Brash got the ball rolling on exploring the viability of it. Only through the keen interest and support of the PRH’s senior leadership team could Project SEARCH Pembroke have successfully launched.
“This team ensured that a caring and knowledgeable lead, Bailey Kehoe, helped to develop extremely supportive internships within the different departments, onboard caring and professional staff to be mentors, and opened space within the hospital for us. This allowed the interns to be part of their community which has made all the difference so far. This is true for all partners.”
Families interested in the 2026-27 program are encouraged to contact RCDSB’s Cindy Brash by email at brashc@rcdsb.on.ca or attend one of the information sessions, including a virtual session on March 25, 2026, or an in-person session on Feb. 5, 2026.
(Written By: Richard Evans)