Andrea Draijer knows how challenging it is for people with disabilities to find a job.
A mother of two children with developmental disabilities, ages 22 and 19, she ached for her kids to find work where their limits would be understood and respected.
“There are training programs for people facing employment barriers, and they are good. But there are no jobs available afterwards,” said Draijer, of Victoria, B.C.
“They face closed doors.”
And it was not just with her own kids where Draijer saw a need. She also wanted to help street kids in Victoria through Sanctuary Youth Centre, the faith-based ministry where she works.
“I wanted to create pathways for those who feel despair,” she said.
But Draijer did not know how to help until she discovered The Raw Carrot, a Canadian not-for-profit social enterprise that makes handcrafted soups and breakfast products.
The Raw Carrot was started by Rebecca Sherbino of Paris, Ont., in 2014. Like Draijer, Sherbino wanted to help people facing work barriers. In her case, that was a woman at her church who faced employment barriers due to a cognitive disability.
“She had great potential, but couldn’t find a job because of her disability,” Sherbino said. “She wanted to work.”
Today, The Raw Carrot has 10 locations: seven in southern Ontario, one in Winnipeg, one in Calgary, and, since September, one in Victoria.
The Raw Carrot’s goal is to provide dignified, paid employment for people facing barriers to traditional work. It offers a workplace designed around flexibility, support and belonging, says Sherbino. This means slower-paced training, predictable routines, supportive supervision and a culture “that values contribution over speed and people over productivity metrics.”
Workers are paid minimum wage. But their work is about more than a pay cheque, says Sherbino — it is about purpose, meaning and independence.
The Raw Carrot’s soups and other products are sold at farmers’ markets, craft and other shows, as well as to non-profits, churches and businesses for luncheons and meetings. The revenue covers salaries and other expenses.
The Raw Carrot operates in locations run by churches or faith-based organizations. But Sherbino stresses that the organization does not proselytize or evangelize.
“The primary driver is to do something tangible for people who need a job, to give them the dignity of work,” she said.
The Raw Carrot’s mission is part of its appeal, says Shellie Power, executive director of Hope Centre Ministries, where Raw Carrot’s Winnipeg location operates.
“Sales are good,” she said, adding the social enterprise now employs seven people. “The story sells it.”
But Raw Carrot’s distribution model can pose a challenge.
“The challenge now is to get repeat customers,” Power said, noting that selling products through farmer’s markets, fairs and pop-up locations can make it hard for customers to find them again. Outdoor markets and fairs are also at the mercy of the weather.
Despite that, “there are so many wins,” she said. She told the story of one employee whose income was so tight before beginning work she could not afford new shoes or a haircut.
After getting the job, she did both. “She has her own purchasing power,” Power said. “What a difference that makes.”
Social enterprises like The Raw Carrot have a role to play in addressing social challenges in Canada today, says Caitlin McKay, who works at the intersection of social enterprise, gender equality and global health.
“We can’t rely on goodwill forever,” she said of the charity model that dominates much of how Canadians respond to needs in the country.
Employers need to be understanding and empathetic, she says, taking physical and mental health challenges into consideration.
“They need to understand limitations, but still value the worker,” she said.
Back in Victoria, The Raw Carrot’s newest location is underway with six employees, including Draijer’s two children. One of the staff is a woman in her 20s who has great potential, but as a street youth faces challenges holding a traditional job.
“The Raw Carrot can be a great off ramp for her,” said Darrin Reimer, who directs Victoria’s Sanctuary Youth Centre.
“She has lots of skills and abilities.”
