Every Tuesday night, participants in the Centre’s Active for Life program gather at Commonwealth Recreation Centre for an evening of exercise and activity in a supportive environment. They’re joined by volunteers, a certified trainer, and their peer mentor, Jordan.
“Jordan is a really amazing young man,” says Jordan’s mom, Lori. “He’s just a real joy to be around and he’s really positive.”
Jordan warmly greets his peers as they enter the studio for the evening’s activities. His inviting smile and friendly “hellos” set a positive tone, encouraging everyone as they arrive. As a Peer Mentor, Jordan’s job is to encourage and support his peers with exercises, and to learn alongside and assist the volunteer team.
Jordan, an adult with autism, has been a participant at the Centre since he was a child, initially joining social groups before receiving his formal autism diagnosis later in life and joining the Quest for Independence program during COVID. In January 2024, Jordan began his role at the Centre as a Peer Mentor in the Active for Life program with support from his job coach, Nate, hired through the Ready Willing and Able program.
Although this is Jordan’s first paid job, he has extensive volunteer experience, including eight years with the University of Alberta’s Golden Bears football team assisting as equipment manager, as well as participation in Special Olympics.
“He is eager to try to develop himself more athletically and has come alive knowing that in a world in which he failed at during school which was athletics, he excels in now,” Lori says. “We always kept saying one day we are going to find the gate that will be where we funnel everything through for his independence and athletics was it.”
Jordan says his favorite part of the job is leading the cooldowns, and he applies the skills he learns at work to other areas of his life.
“I take what I do at the job and take it to track (Special Olympics). I do leadership by modelling appropriate behaviour and good form in the exercises, and I help new people to the group feel welcomed and comfortable the same way I did at Active for Life,” Jordan says.
Jordan acknowledges that the job has significantly boosted his confidence as well.
“At the start, I couldn’t help the peers for my job, but now I can,” Jordan says. “Before I was a little nervous, I didn’t know the people, but now I do. And now I know the spot well and I know the stuff very well. I have built up confidence and comfortability with both the people I was working with and with the facility.”
Jordan’s mom has also noticed growth in Jordan since he started his job as Peer Mentor.
“Jordan getting a job in something he loves with the supports that he needs that don’t look like an aide; that piece is what’s flipping everything for Jordan. He sees himself as a team member, not that he’s part of the team that needs the help,” Lori says. “Every light in every room of Jordan’s brain has flipped on due to this part time job. I had no idea this would do so much for him. He really sees a possibility of a career. He sees hope, he sees independency.
“Had you asked me what my dreams for Jordan were when he was graduating out of high school, what I thought would happen, was really scary. Now I think the complete opposite. It’s phenomenal.”
“I still want to help people both at my job and with the social group,” Jordan says. “It feels great to do good at my job. It makes me feel important. It’s exciting that I can help people in the community. I love my job so much.”
You can learn more about and register the Active for Life Program here: https://centreforautismab.ca/program/active-for-life/
You can learn more about the Ready Willing and Able (RWA) program here: https://readywillingable.ca/
