STEPPING STONES SERVICES
The History of Stepping Stones Services
‘Of all persons with disabilities, those with a serious mental illness face the highest degree of stigmatization in the workplace, and the greatest barriers to employment… Employment obstacles (include)… gaps in work history, limited employment experience, lack of confidence, fear and anxiety, workplace discrimination and inflexibility, social stigma, and the rigidity of existing income support/ benefit programs.'
– CMHA (Canadian Mental Health Association) website March 2012.​
One in five Canadians will experience a mental illness in their lifetime. The remaining four will have a friend, family member or colleague who will.

Around 90% of consumers state that one of their major goals is finding a job. Worryingly, only around 20% are actually able to find and keep a job.

Productive work has long been identified as a major factor in promoting positive mental health, and in helping individuals to enjoy a rich and fulfilling life in the community.
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The annual cost of keeping an individual with serious mental illness in hospital is $170,820. The annual cost of supporting the same individual in the community is $34,418.

So what does Stepping Stones Services do?

Stepping Stones Services (formerly Affirmative Dynamic Industries) has been working with mental health consumers since 1994. The organization offers paid (minimum wage or better) employment to individuals with mental illness.
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As an employer, Stepping Stones Services offers an environment where mutual respect, understanding and compassion are the norm. We provide individuals with continuous support and understanding, and a means for employees to learn that they are capable of gaining and sustaining employment.

We provide the stepping stone from ‘illness’ to re-taking a valid place in the community, and re-entering the workforce.

We also benefit the local economy, by decreasing the disability payments made each year by the government, and decreasing the number of mental health patients who might otherwise be hospitalized.

How does Stepping Stones Services do this?
Stepping Stones Services can provide this supportive work environment because the employees and supervisors have overcome mental illnesses and/ or addictions.
Our employees and supervisors understand that setbacks can happen, but are something that can be overcome, together and as a team.
Work is something that many take for granted. Stepping Stones Services helps individuals return to work, and beyond that helps to provide a sense of pride, and to nurture a sense of self-esteem.
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Affirmative Dynamic Industries – The Early Years

Affirmative Dynamic Industries started in 1994 with a store known as ‘The Wood Shoppe’, and a sheltered workshop area for mental health consumers, situated on the corner of Jane St and Gormanville in North Bay.

Cedar furniture and wooden ornaments were created by consumers and sold in the Wood Shoppe, which was well known for offering unique wooden gifts and Christmas decorations.

The store benefitted from the support of North Bay Psychiatric Hospital, which ran the sheltered workshop. This offered work experience to around 50-60 clients. As well as wood work, these consumers provided services in picture framing, lawn care and snow removal.

In September 2010, Affirmative Dynamic Industries began operating independently from the hospital.
Affirmative Dynamic Industries - Going Independent

The organization remained in the same building, on the corner of Jane St and Gormanville.
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In 2011, ADI employed 41 individuals in various part time capacities.

ADI was awarded Ontario Trillium Foundation grants in May 2011, and December 2012.

In December 2012, ADI was re-named Stepping Stones Services.

Stepping Stones Services has always worked to expose the intelligence, skills, talents and work ethic of employees, who are also mental health consumers.

We have the opportunity to change how those who suffer with mental illness and addictions are perceived in the eyes of the community, to their friends, to their families, to fellow business owners, and most importantly to themselves.
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We provide a working environment that is different from the ‘norm’, by offering conditions that support and contribute to the well-being of our staff, as well as the prevention of illness. Our supportive workplace can offer a sense of stability that would otherwise be hard, if not impossible, to find.
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When speaking to our employees, and those we have supported, the words that were repeated most were: therapeutic, strength, courage, motivation, desire, purpose, pride, dignity and routine.

By increasing self-esteem, we create circumstances that can be life changing. While we do offer economic benefits, we also provide rewards that go way beyond a simple income.
We are building a program of progression and change, and we are making a difference in the lives of those around us.

​Thank you for supporting our services.