Seeds of Hope in Bloom: SSTEP
At Fred Victor Foundation’s Social Services Employment and Training Program (SSTEP) in Toronto, ON, people with lived experience of homelessness are building pathways into meaningful careers in social services. Supported by a $5,000 Seeds of Hope grant from the Living Spirit Fund at The United Church of Canada Foundation, SSTEP helps participants gain training, certifications, work experience, and personalized support as they prepare to re-enter the workforce.
For many people who have experienced homelessness, finding stable employment can feel out of reach. Gaps in work history, ongoing challenges, and stigma can make it difficult to take the next step toward a new future.
But what if the experiences that once created barriers could instead become a source of strength?
Valuing lived experience
People who have navigated homelessness, housing insecurity, mental health challenges, or substance use often bring unique insight, empathy, and resilience to frontline social service work. Through SSTEP, participants receive certifications in areas such as First Aid, Crisis Prevention Intervention, and customer service, while also gaining practical experience and one-on-one employment support.
Over the course of a year, 60 participants enrolled in the program across two cohorts. Fifty participants successfully completed both training and placements, achieving a 90 percent placement completion rate. Along the way, participants built their confidence, developed professional skills, and established connections that can open paths to long-term employment.
SSTEP offers:
– One-on-one support from an Employment Specialist Opportunities to gain work experience in social services
– A personalized action plan to support career goals
– Connections to other agencies for potential job opportunities
– Free training in First Aid, CPI, and Customer Service
– Guidance toward building meaningful careers in social services, using lived experience as a foundation for success
Assets, not limitations
As employers experience the value that peer workers bring to their organizations, attitudes are beginning to shift. Social service agencies are increasingly recognizing lived experience as an asset rather than a limitation. Interest in the program continues to grow, with community organizations connecting with the Fred Victor team to learn how they can use similar approaches in their workplaces.
“Participant engagement exceeded expectations, with strong training retention and high completion rates across both training and individualized planning components. Employer engagement has expanded beyond initial projections, with increased recognition of the value of lived experience in frontline social service roles. The program continues to generate strong employment pathways and is increasingly seen as a model for peer-informed workforce development in the sector.”
The team behind SSTEP has learned that success requires more than technical training alone. Participants often face complex challenges and benefit from mentorship, counselling, and individualized employment planning. These supports help ensure that participants move from training into employment with confidence and stability.
In the years ahead, Fred Victor hopes to see even greater representation of people with lived experience in frontline and leadership roles throughout the social services sector. By creating opportunities for participants to share their knowledge, skills, and resilience, the program is helping to build a workforce that better reflects and understands the communities it serves.
Seeds of Hope are planted when people are given the opportunity to be seen for their strengths. Through SSTEP, those seeds are growing into meaningful careers, stronger communities, and a future where lived experience is recognized as a powerful qualification for helping others.
Make a gift today to help create opportunities for people to build meaningful careers, share their gifts, and strengthen the communities around them.
