This man has a learning disability.By JAMIE SHANKS, of the Weyburn Review
This man has a learning disability.
This man also knows first aid, has an unsurpassed work ethic, knows without a map exactly how many underground lines are buried beneath your feet, and can show you the proper way to use a breathing apparatus in an emergency.
That's why he and others like him are employed by Jerry Mainil Ltd. and other businesses in the Weyburn oilpatch.
Surprised? Dale and Dennis Mainil certainly were back in October when they were called to accept an award at the Learning Disabilities Association of Saskatchewan's annual banquet in Saskatoon which featured Suzanne Somers as the guest speaker.
"It was a real shock to us," Dale admits. Although a corporate sponsor of the association, neither he nor his brother realized that their Weyburn company was the one being described in the lengthy preamble to the award presentation.
"I thought, 'Geez, we should know these people'," Dennis recalls.
The fact is that the Mainils are wholehearted supporters of the association and its work.
"We think it's a good cause," says Dale, adding that educational shortfalls or academic weaknesses shouldn't be a barrier to someone who has talent and wants to work.
"We give people opportunities as a company they've excelled and done well."
They and their father Jerry - who spent 30 years working his way up through the ranks before handing over his company to his sons in 1991 - have put this philosophy into practice with tremendous success. And it has often been as simple as offering an oral exam instead of a written one for some applicants or trainees.
Jo Bannatyne-Cugnet, a board member for the Learning Disabilities Association for eight years, says she discovered how accommodating the Mainils were when they did just that for one of her sons.
"I thought it was incredible," she says. "Here was a workplace in our community who knew that was as simple as it is."
For her, it was a breath of fresh air after being frustrated by educational and employment systems that either don't recognize such difficulties or are ill-equipped to deal with them. As much as 10 per cent of the population may suffer from learning disabilities, which are legally and medically defined as having average or above-average intelligence which does not translate into academic performance.
There can be a number of reasons for this, including attention deficit disorder (ADD) or dyslexia. But the end results are startling: an estimated 50 per cent of teen suicides are learning-disabled youths who have not been helped, and as many as 60 per cent of people in jail have a learning disability.
After years of networking and both seeking and providing help, Bannatyne-Cugnet has heard plenty of heartbreaking stories on the subject. But there are also stories like the Mainils. "That's why I nominated them," she says.
"I think the Mainils really deserve the recognition for their support."
But they aren't alone in accommodating learning-disabled employees. Dale believes there are a lot of companies such as their own which share a similar approach, particularly in an industry that is labour-intensive and puts less emphasis on academics and more on hands-on ability and aptitude.
It begins with recognizing a good employee, Dennis points out. It continues with a willingness to work with people to maximize their potential. That includes helping someone work towards their GED, for example, so they can continue to better themselves.
"If we can help them, it helps them better themselves and it's better for everybody," he adds.
"All of our people are an asset," says Dale. "If someone puts 110 per cent toward something, we should put 110 per cent towards them."
Education and understanding are the big issues when it comes to learning disabilities, Bannatyne-Cugnet explains. For the Mainils, they have acknowledged that difficulties or disinterest in academic areas shouldn't prevent intelligent people from finding success - whether it's in an office behind a desk or out in the field in a more mechanical environment.
"In today's society, that shouldn't be looked on as any less. You need people to run backhoes and tractors and winch trucks," says Dale.
"It's as much of an art as anything."
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