1693105111 Trainees with learning disabilities at Hotel 71 There are several

Trainees with learning disabilities at Hotel 71: “There are several ways to get involved and it’s not all that complicated”

A hotel in Old Quebec will, for the third consecutive year, open its doors to young workers who have learning difficulties in high school due to their disability or special health condition.

Such is the case of Derek, a 19-year-old young adult with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), who, like a dozen colleagues, can work in the kitchen, laundry, and upkeep or maintenance of Hotel 71 once a month from October .

“As a parent, it feels good to believe that your son can have a life, because from an autistic perspective, everything is harder,” says his mother, Julie Laliberté.

“The goal is really to give them hope by showing them they’re capable of something other than lining up boxes in a store or putting chocolates in a box,” she adds.

Sonia Gilbert and Julie Laliberte |  Photo credit: Nicolas St-Pierre

Photo provided by Hotel 71

The assistant manager admits it’s comforting to see her son “can lead a life like the others”.

“A Chance to Prosper”

“These people are different, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have different qualities. We just have to give them a chance to flourish,” she added during their meeting with Le Journal.

These students who have not achieved the objectives of the study program can thus open up to the labor market via the vocational training path offered by the Ministry of Education.

“It’s a win for everyone. We let them do real work, we don’t let them paint the same wall four times. We really let them do the work and that’s a win for them, but also for the company,” says owner Sonia Gilbert.

Philanthropic Vision

The company’s participation in this program is part of a variety of initiatives being taken to make a difference at the community level.

A few weeks ago, the management of Hotel 71 and Saint-Pierre launched “Host”, a new range of eco-friendly shampoos available in all rooms and at the customer checkout.

The marketing of these products, made by Laboratoire Campeau in Quebec, has enabled the complete elimination of mini formats and a reduction of more than 35,000 disposable bottles per year.

Sonia Gilbert and Julie Laliberte |  Photo credit: Nicolas St-Pierre

Sonia Gilbert with her new products | Photo credit: Nicolas St-Pierre

In addition, 100% of proceeds from sales are donated to organizations in Quebec that support social causes such as mental health, addiction and poverty alleviation.

“It creates a good corporate culture to get involved in society in this way. We really want to show that there are multiple ways to get involved and that it’s not that complicated,” says Sonia Gilbert.

The hotel has also been collaborating with the Vincent et moi Foundation for more than 10 years.

Therefore, the two establishments offer their exhibition spaces to give visibility to the artists of the organization, which accompanies and supports the artistic engagement of people with mental health problems.