One of The Most Remarkable Non-Profit Organizations in the World

“Be weird. Be awesome. Be loved!”

This was the latest sticker COR had printed and left out in a container on a table just inside their office. A circular container that has the likes of stickers, postcards, magnets, stress balls, pens, you name it. All with similar bright colours and uplifting messages. The table they are on is located by the pinball machine, just down the hall from the coffee bar and to the right of the foosball table, and PS4 complete with beanbag chairs for optimum gaming comfort.

This isn’t your regular not-for-profit organization

I’ve never met anyone with the same consistent energy. COR has its own unique culture and brand. Talk to their employees family members, even people who don’t work there any more, you’ll hear nothing but amazing stories about how gentle teaching has changed their life. They don’t run the organization like a regular non-profit, they do things different and they don’t apologize for it. COR is a breathe of fresh air in an industry that was getting stuffy.

COR is an inspiring organization. You don’t have to go far to hear some of these stories:

“Being WITH one another is one of the main lessons I have grown to appreciate since being introduced to Gentle Teaching.”

“Gentle Teaching has pushed me to be the best support and friend possible”

“A culture of gentleness for me has come naturally by genuinely caring for the three gentlemen I serve.”

Or check out one of their “COR Cribs Episodes”

COR Cribs: Episode 2 from Creative Options Regina (COR) on Vimeo.

That’s right, a few years back we even filmed “COR Cribs” Episodes to showcase some of the wonderful people (and their cribs) who are a part of the COR family.

Creative Options Regina (COR) started just over 7 years ago and has now grown into a one-of-a-kind organization. They’re consistently leaders in the disability sector, at a time when most non-profits are struggling to find their relevance in the new internet driven world, COR has a different approach. They don’t tell you to support what they’re doing, they inspire you to want to support what they’re doing, to be a part of the tribe they’re growing. The attitude is infectious, caring about people is number one at COR and through the philosophy of Gentle Teaching COR is transforming how we care about individuals.

Gentle Teaching isn’t just a COR thing, it’s an everyone thing

A year into working with COR it had dawned on me, gentle teaching wasn’t just a COR thing, it could impact our own business. Being person centred in how you work and how you treat people is a very liberating act. Putting individuals needs before your own and not trying to change others but adapt yourself to see the world through their eyes. What an amazing moment. The best teachers and consultants will always tell you they learn more from the people they serve then the people there to learn. We’ve learned a lot from COR.

Gentle Teaching changed the way we work at StratLab. The way we use empathy in decision making and how we go about helping others, it all stems from what we’ve learned at COR. Relentlessly trying to learn more about others, always adapting ourselves and striving to help those around us. Anyone can learn from COR and any company has a lot to gain from working with a fast moving non-profit.

4to40 – Connecting Job Seekers With Employers

Three years ago Michael (at COR) championed the committee that started 4to40. With several others (Sasktel, University of Regina Campus-For-All, and us!) COR began what is now that fastest movement in Canada helping people with a disabilities to get a job. The title represents the amount of hours one is expected to work to be an “employee” at your company. COR was really the catalyst behind 4to40 and made sure it was sustainable beyond just a year.

It’s easy to do what you did last year. To do whatever the team has done for the past twenty years. But you know what’s hard? Doing what’s different. As competitive strategy for non-profits, collaborating on ideas and being willing to launch them shows you’re not just trying to run an organization but change an industry for the better. Non-profits that think like entrepreneurs, that invent their future by championing a cause

Gentle Teaching International – connecting a global community

Last year COR took on the challenge of redeveloping the “Gentle Teaching International” website. Since we’ve been working with COR they have always lived the “Gentle Teaching” philosophy and taking over Gentle Teaching International website it allows COR to speak to an international audience. They are literally leading the world in how to live and breathe the gentle teaching philosophy. How inspiring.

COR championed a cause that no one else in the world who was connected to Gentle Teaching could champion. This is precisely why I look up to COR, they do the right thing, even when it costs money, in the end, doing the right thing will always benefit you. 

Thanks for being such an inspiring COR.

-Your friends at @Stratlab