Accessibility Ally

Corrie Melanson 0:00
Welcome to Accessibility Ally. It's a podcast featuring guests with a range of disabilities and social identities. They share provocative ideas and challenge allies to disrupt ableism and I'm your host, Corey Monson. Thanks for tuning in. On this episode of Accessibility Ally, we'll meet Eric Dupont, who's the manager at 2 Crows Brewing, based in Halifax. We'll also chat with Jen and Andrew and they are both adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities or IDDs, who work at Prescott. Prescott supports adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities find friendship, community and success. They do this by supporting choice, creating social and economic opportunities through fair wage jobs, and enhancing life skills. It's not hard to make some small changes to be a more inclusive workplace. And really the benefits are many, including, you know, economic, the bottom line of your business, but also the change in workplace culture really for the positive! In this episode, we'll learn how businesses can provide fair wage job opportunities for people with disabilities.

So I'm so excited to have everyone here today. I would love for you to just introduce yourself briefly tell us a little bit about who you are, where you work.

Jennifer 1:35
I'm Jennifer. I work at Prescott and 2 Crows Brewing Company.

Eric Dupont 1:42
I'm Eric Dupont. I'm the Operations Manager at 2 Crows. We're a microbrewery in downtown Halifax. We've been around for seven years, just celebrated our seventh anniversary. Pushing the envelope as far as you know, beer in the city, I think doing a bit more unique sort of funky stuff is what we're known for. Over the years have kind of built up a bit of a reputation, nationally, I guess, doing some cool collabs known for our barrel aging. But yeah, just a just a funky fun microbrewery in downtown Halifax.

Andrew Bryant 2:16
And I'm Andrew Bryant, like Kobe Bryant.

Corrie Melanson 2:21
Andrew, can you tell me what is Prescott?

Andrew Bryant 2:25
Oh, Prescott, is a place which I like to go.

Corrie Melanson 2:28
Okay. What do you do at Prescott?

Andrew Bryant 2:31
Sometimes work, sometimes leisure.

Corrie Melanson 2:35
All right. And Jennifer, what would you add? If you're describing to someone what Prescott Group is, what do you say?

Jennifer 2:43
I'm in custom creations. So we are making crafts to sell. And we just had our winter sale. We are talking about having our Spring sale.

Corrie Melanson 2:58
Amazing. And so who who works at Prescott?

Jennifer 3:00
A lot of my good co workers.

Corrie Melanson 3:06
Amazing! So, Eric, you told us a little bit about 2 Crows. But I'm curious, why did your business partner with Prescott group?

Eric Dupont 3:18
I have been involved with beer for going on 10 years now. And I've never worked at a brewery that didn't have some sort of inclusive employment. So I worked at a brewery in Alberta for a number of years before I moved here in 2019. And we had a member of the team who helped out on the canning line, who was, I'm not sure from what organization necessarily, but his name was Jim, he had an aide who helped us out on the canning line. So it was sort of something as soon as I got into beer I was sort of familiar with from the get go. I think the brewing industry is so new. It's been very open to adapting to diversity, inclusion, different hiring practices, giving sort of everyone the opportunity to be involved. So it's sort of something that I've just always been around. When I moved here and got the job at 2 Crows, it was like a week before COVID hit. So, I was afraid I was the first to go when things got bad. But we kind of rode through it. I basically turned into a full-time delivery driver. And then I kind of got into my role being more on the management, operations side. Yeah. And during COVID I think there was a big internal looking of the beer industry. People from marginalized communities, like women; lots of people who were just sort of speaking up against not having the best time in this industry, and it being very male dominated, very white male dominated. So yeah, there was a lot of different conversations around that. We have a friend and colleague out of Ontario named Ren Navarro, who runs an organization called Beer Diversity, who was having a lot of conversations with us about how to get different people involved in the industry, and talking as a person of color with their experiences, and using that as a building block for how do we do better. So Stillwell Brewing and North Brewing hosted an online session with them for the entire Nova Scotia brewing scene, and basically got them to come in, just to give an overview of some of the things people should be doing. Some of them being inclusive hiring practices, whether it's having your values, on the door, right when you walk in so people know exactly what you stand for and what's acceptable in this space; and what's not. So going through different things like that, looking internally at how we are making sure that we're being as inclusive as possible. From there, it really came down to our hiring practices. So what do our job postings look like? Who are we reaching? You know, a lot of the times we were just posting on social media. So we were just banking on people who already knew about us, and were interested. So it was very much like, how do we cater to a different audience who maybe doesn't know about beer; but maybe wants to get involved, but doesn't feel like they're welcome?

What did you do differently with those job postings?

We started posting on Indeed. We started making the scope reach a larger audience. You know, this is kind of going back to the session we had a couple of months ago, the language. For example, changing little things up where, you know, a lot of the roles state that you have to lift a 50 liter keg by yourself, which a lot of people probably can't do. So just changing it where possible, like lifting a keg with assistance from a dolly or like, just using like different language where people don't feel like they can't do that. So they dont rule themselves out, or think they're not applicable for this role.

Corrie Melanson 7:03
Right? Because a lot of people would see something like 'lift 50 pounds,' and say, Oh, I can't do that. Totally. Right.

Eric Dupont 7:10
Just like little things like that. Yeah. And then obviously reaching out to organizations who are, you know, there to help support people who are looking to get meaningful employment. Yeah. And that's sort of where Prescott came in. So it was originally just about getting people with different abilities involved. And from there, it was sort of working with the career practitioners who are helping their clients get involved in the community; get these valuable work resources. Yeah. So we had them in a couple of times, they sort of shadowed the different roles we had in mind, saw, you know, the physical side of it, saw the social side of it. And then came back and said, we have a couple of people in mind. And Jen and Andrew showed up the next day. And so now its three years later!

Corrie Melanson 8:05
Wow, almost three years later. So Jen, what did you think, walking in there, that first day or those first few weeks? Like what was the experience like for you?

Jennifer 8:16
I said, wow. It had the canning machine, and all the things that brewed the beer! I was nervous, but I said, Okay!

Corrie Melanson 8:34
Yeah. And Andrew, what about you when you first started working at 2 Crows? What did you think?

Andrew Bryant 8:40
Eric said, well you get free beer and a shirt!

Eric Dupont 8:46
That's all you heard on the first day?

Andrew Bryant 8:49
And the canning machine!

Corrie Melanson 8:51
Okay, so you got free beer, a shirt and you got to work on the canning machine? Okay. So what does that involve working on the canning machine? What did you do?

Andrew Bryant 8:59
We can boxes of beer that we make.

Eric Dupont 9:06
What's your specific role sometimes?

Andrew Bryant 9:09
My specialty is making boxes!

Eric Dupont 9:11
Fastest hands in the West, right? He can build boxes very fast.

Corrie Melanson 9:14
Okay, you're so that's your specialty?

Andrew Bryant 9:17
With my eyes closed!

Corrie Melanson 9:18
Wow, I thought you were gonna say your specialty was tasting.

Andrew Bryant 9:22
Yeah. Yea I taste test too!

Jennifer 9:25
I used to put the cases of beer on the pallet. Now, I'm at the end of the canning line. I put the beer into cases.

Corrie Melanson 9:40
So you've been promoted?

Jennifer 9:41
Yeah.

Eric Dupont 9:42
What's your nickname Jen?

Jennifer 9:43
Hawk eyes.

Corrie Melanson 9:44
Hawk eyes? Why do you have that nickname?

Jennifer 9:47
Because at the end, when the beer comes down the conveyor belt, I can spot a dented can from far away!

Corrie Melanson 10:00
Oh so you can spot if there's anything going wrong.

Eric Dupont 10:03
A dented can, a leaking can, Jen always picks them out.

Corrie Melanson 10:06
So, Andrew, do you have a nickname?

Andrew Bryant 10:09
Yeah I do!

Corrie Melanson 10:10
What's yours?

Andrew Bryant 10:11
Mine is Bigfoot

Eric Dupont 10:12
I don't think we've ever called you that but okay!

Corrie Melanson 10:17
I was thinking like fast hands or like something like that

Eric Dupont 10:20
Andrew is usually the DJ, so whenever Andew is there we're listening to like Ashley Simpson or Hamilton or what else?Disney, lots of Disney! Anytime Andrew is there it's usually like a more eclectic playlist.

Corrie Melanson 10:38
So how often do you work at 2 Crows?

Jennifer 10:42
Ah, whenever they need me! It's called '7 Shifts.' So on my phone when Eric does the schedule, an email comes in. And I worked before from 7:30 to 11:30. But now I work from 7:30 to 1:30.

Corrie Melanson 11:16
Okay, great. Yeah!

Eric Dupont 11:18
Yeah, it's pretty seasonal. I mean, right now, I think we're canning Pollyanna, like, next Wednesday, right? I think we have another canning day, like two weeks after that. And then it'll start to ramp up for Spring. So come April, May, is when it'll get pretty crazy. Really stocking up for the NSLC for the summer! Because obviously summer - July, August, people take time off, so we usually try to really hit it hard in the Spring and stock up and then make the summer a little bit more chill.

Corrie Melanson 11:51
Eric, what adaptations did to 2 Crows have to make, if any? Like how did the process work for you to partner with Prescott and, you know, have Jen and Andrew working with you?

Eric Dupont 12:03
Changing how we work with the team on the canning line. You know, obviously we have our head brewer who basically runs the canning line, he can basically do with his eyes closed. Our Assistant Head Brewer, whatever Myles' official title is. He sort of helps like get the empty cans on the line, helps facilitate the forklift. And then we have someone at the end who takes the cans off. So I think it was more so just adapting to having people on the team who maybe needed a bit more assistance. Yeah, and making sure that we're very communicative. You know, obviously, it doesn't stop, it's an assembly line. So, they're being filled, they're being labeled, they're coming off. Being able to work with these guys at different work speeds, keeping it going as fast as it can, and also realizing that some of the employees need a bit more time. When things like the labeler act up, that really gums up the work. So paying more attention to different areas of the line than just your one specific job.

Jennifer 13:13
And sometimes the machine can be friendly, or not so friendly.

Eric Dupont 13:18
It's hit or miss! It's pretty good recently, but sometimes...

Andrew Bryant 13:22
The canning machine can break down.

Eric Dupont 13:26
Usually it's the labeler being finicky. And that sort of gives us some trouble...

Jennifer 13:31
The lids!

Corrie Melanson 13:32
Yeah, so what about other folks on your team? Who, were working at 2 Crows, or who since have come on, so, working with Jen and Andrew, what is the impact been on the team?

Eric Dupont 13:44
I think it's been morale boosting, honestly, I think everyone definitely has a bit more of like a pep in their step when these guys are around. I mean Andrew, when he's there, the playlist is sort of popping off. And I think everyone responds to that really well. I think like, generally, I think people just really liked the fact that like, we are doing our part to be more inclusive. And I think people, whether they are relatively able bodied or not, I think everyone responds to that positively in their own way. So yeah, I think its morale boosting, I think everyone's happy to be involved in an organization that's trying to do their best to include everyone.

Corrie Melanson 14:29
Yeah. And some businesses or some workplaces might say, 'Oh, just like feels like a lot.' Or it might see it as too much you know, what would you say to other businesses or workplaces that haven't considered some of these changes, and maybe how they might work?

Eric Dupont 14:45
I think it's kind of an excuse, honestly, like, I think you could say that about anything, whether it's hiring, whether it's integrating a new way of doing things. For us, obviously, it was a bit daunting. It was sort of uncharted territory at first. But it's just like anything else, if you just do it, you'll figure it out. So, for us, it was basically like throwing ourselves into it and just learning as we went. So I think really, just talking to different organizations, whether it's organizations that are trying to find people gainful employment, organizations like Sea Change, who are trying to coax employers to start on this journey. From my perspective, it sounds like just getting the businesses to be on board, is the hardest part. Once they're in, there's all these resources that you have on the back end, to help facilitate it. It's really just like, getting someone to make that decision. And I mean, you know, it's tough times out there for all small businesses. We're not exempt from that either. So, I've realized that this is maybe not at the top of everyone's list of things. But yeah, I think for us, generally, we just made a decision to do it. And we really haven't looked back or regretted it since.

Corrie Melanson 16:12
Andrew, what's your favorite part of working at 2 Crows?

Andrew Bryant 16:15
Making boxes!

Corrie Melanson 16:17
So you love making boxes? Like do you look forward to it and say 'Hey, yeah, I can't wait to go to 2 Crows so I can make boxes?

Andrew Bryant 16:24
Yes, and taste testing. Whenever the canning machine breaks down Eric calls us, and then we get a day off.

Corrie Melanson 16:35
Oh, so you also like having a day off?

Andrew Bryant 16:39
Sometimes. Whenever the canning machine breaks down?

Corrie Melanson 16:43
Yeah, Jen, what about you? What's your favorite part of working at 2 Crows?

Jennifer 16:48
Being at the end of the canning line!

Corrie Melanson 16:50
Okay you like being the last thing that's making it all work? Like the last piece of the puzzle?

Jennifer 16:58
Yes!

Corrie Melanson 17:01
So Eric, what advice do you have for other workplaces?

Eric Dupont 17:05
If you're thinking about doing it, just do it. You know, one of the biggest things that helped us was, again going back to the resources, we weren't alone when we started doing this. Jen and Andrew at the time, one of their aides was Adrian. They came in every shift, they helped us through the training process, they helped us with each individual's way of learning things, each way of retaining information. So it helped on more of an individual level. You know, we could do sort of our own training, but then Adrian would step in and help push that forward even more, until these guys were independent enough to a point where they can come in, and they know the role. They know exactly what they're supposed to be doing. They know the ins and outs of the canning machine! So yeah, it really helped. Especially at the time, we opened a new location since, and we've basically doubled our staff. But at the time, we were 11-12 employees, including ownership. So we're small, we're like a skeleton crew. We don't have a lot of resources ourselves going on.

Corrie Melanson 18:18
So that resource came from Prescott? Prescott provided that additional support?

Eric Dupont 18:24
Yeah, so Prescott essentially was there for basically the first three or four months of these guys being on site. So that really helped, especially for me, who's the overarching, higher up in charge of making sure everyone's trained up and doing their role. It really helped me just make sure the canning line was still running, functionally. You know, making sure that these guys were learning the skills they needed in sort of a timeframe.

Corrie Melanson 18:56
Yeah, it also means for you, as a small business, that that extra time or the extra support didn't land on you, right? So Prescott provided that. Jen, what would you say if you were talking to someone like Eric, who owned a business. Like, why do you think it's a good idea for businesses to have a partnership with Prescott Group or other organizations like Prescott?

Jennifer 19:19
Because I want see my other co workers get a job out in the community. And it makes us feel like we are part of the team and to all the different businesses, go see what Prescott is, and all the participants and my point of view, you won't regret it!

Corrie Melanson 19:53
That's, yeah, definitely. Well said, what about you, Andrew? How do you feel working at 2 Crows?

Andrew Bryant 20:00
I feel great working there. Be there on time. Respect the co workers, and the most important thing of all, have attitude!

Corrie Melanson 20:12
Attitude? Like a good attitude? Have a good attitude? Yeah. Because you have attitude here today, you've got your leather vest and your purple bowtie!

Eric Dupont 20:23
Andrew is possibly the best dressed person I've ever seen!

Andrew Bryant 20:29
I always dressed like Michael Buble!

Eric Dupont 20:33
All right. Good fashion role model.

Corrie Melanson 20:37
So Eric, what gives you hope for a more accessible future for small business? Like, just in general, what gives you hope?

Eric Dupont 20:44
I think there's a lot of conversations happening around it, which is great to see, you know, my partner is in the art space, and I feel like they're sort of leading the charge on this, in regards to everything from how do we make things more accessible. Whether it's like artists submitting work, doing events, I feel like they're really leading the charge. But, I'm sort of starting to see more conversation in the business world, which I think is really the start of it. I think if more people are talking about it, it's obviously not going away. And it's obviously like, instilling in people that this is the future! The time to think about this is now. It's here to stay, I don't think it's going anywhere. So really, I think it's in everyone's best interest to think about it now and start implementing some of it. Because over time, I think, we're gonna get to the point where we're looking internally at a lot of different organizations, whether there's 11 employees, or whether there's 1000. And we are going to ask 'what are you doing to make sure that you're as inclusive, as you're saying?' I think something I see going on right now, you see every job post saying we're an inclusive employer. And, maybe it's the expectation that we have to put this in now. So I would like to see a bit more of the, what are you actually doing about this? What does your internal employee structure look like?

Corrie Melanson 22:09
Beyond the words, what layout? What are the actions that you're taking?

Eric Dupont 22:12
And I think that's the biggest thing for us. Even when we interview people for taproom roles and everything, that's our biggest takeaway, we're actionable about this. Like if that value statement is on the wall and someone isn't abiding by it, we're actionable, like we will say, you have to respect the way we want people to be treated here or else you're not welcome here. Yeah. It is really actionable. I think it's like the biggest takeaway.

Corrie Melanson 22:42
And it is really inspiring to hear that you started, you had 11 staff, and then you build, more diversity in your staff and decided to take this on. You're not a big business. But there are so many businesses, so many organizations that are so much larger that aren't doing what you've done for the last three years and beyond. So it is a really important story to share so that small businesses say hey, yeah, wow, if 2 Crows can do this, why aren't we doing this? Jen, before we wrap up, is there anything else you want to say to the listeners?

Jennifer 23:21
To the people who are looking for jobs, don't give up! Because eventually, it's amazing! The job that I have, it's always awesome to work. And don't give up hope. But I'm happy that 2 Crows hired me and Andrew, so, if other businesses are listening, please partner up with Prescott because I want to see my other co workers out in the community with their job.

Corrie Melanson 24:09
Yeah, great answer! What about you, Andrew? Anything else you want to say to people who might be listening to this?

Andrew Bryant 24:17
I like you people of Halifax. Be awesome, go to work at a brewery!

Corrie Melanson 24:25
Wonderful. Eric, anything else you want to share?

Eric Dupont 24:28
No, I think these guys covered it!

Corrie Melanson 24:33
Andrew, Eric, Jen, I want to thank you for coming and sharing the story of the amazing partnership between 2 Crows and Prescott Group.

Jennifer 24:41
That's a wrap!

Andrew Bryant 24:43
Peace out!

Eric Dupont 24:44
Thank you for having us!

Corrie Melanson 24:51
Thanks for tuning in. You can learn more at our website. Seachangecolab.com I hope you'll join us for our next conversation!