Ted Lancaster looks proud to be standing next to his brother Michael. And with good reason – his brother is living proof that Community Living programs can change lives for the better.
Lancaster, vice-president and COO of Kia Canada, is the latest participant in Astral Out of Home’s “Spotlight” program, which is putting the faces of Canadian marketing executives on transit shelter ads that promote individual rather than corporate causes. In this case, Lancaster is trying to draw more attention to the work Community Living, which gives voice to people with intellectual disabilities through education, job placement and residential options.
“My brother Michael is mentally challenged, and he’s been a part of Community Living programs from almost day one,” Lancaster tells Marketing. “When I was younger I was involved through volunteering of my time and did ‘swimoramas’ to generate revenue. Now it’s really about raising awareness.”
In particular, Lancaster hopes the transit ad will remind other brands who may assume those benefiting from Community Living programs are too high-risk or dangerous to employ.
“There’s a great service that these individuals can provide through their work environment, or through volunteering. There is lots they can offer the community, but sometimes there’s a lack of knowledge that prevents people from hiring them,” Lancaster says.
For example, Lancaster points out that many individuals with mental disabilities develop skills through pattern and structure, such as eating breakfast at the same time every day and brushing their teeth at a specific time.
“When you think about that from a work environment, a lot of challenges that workplaces face is loss prevention — friends of the guy working the night shift that want to get a package of gum or whatever,” he said. “The risk of those things (when you employ someone via Community Living) is so much less. You can give them tasks like stocking shelves, sweeping and clean them up.”
Lancaster, who oversees the marketing function at Kia Canada, says he is familiar with the power of out-of-home to get consumers’ attention and is excited about the opportunity to put it to a more personal use.
“I obviously have a close connection to the situation, but in general you have to find the time where possible to make sure you bring that spotlight to people who don’t normally get the opportunities that the average person does,” he says.
