For Stacey Canavan, Senior Employment Counselor at Starbridge, employment is about much more than finding a job. It’s about helping each person discover work that fits their interests, strengths, goals, and life.
After eight years with Starbridge, Stacey continues to find meaning in helping people grow, not only as employees, but as people.
“I really want them to enjoy their work,” Stacey shared. Whether someone works 10 hours a week or more than 40, a job represents a significant part of life. That’s why she spends time on work readiness assessments and career exploration, helping people determine whether a particular career or position is truly a good fit.
Finding the Right Fit
As a Senior Employment Counselor, no two days look exactly alike for Stacey.
One of her favorite parts of the job is conducting employment assessments. Depending on the assessment, she may spend as many as 20 hours working directly with someone in the community, in addition to preparing a report. The process gives Stacey an opportunity to learn about the person, explore different possibilities, and help determine which environments and responsibilities might suit them best.
And the work can take her just about anywhere.
On the day of her interview, Stacey had already visited someone working on a concrete patio in Fairport and was headed to an exotic bird business afterward. Earlier in her career, supporting someone whose job involved cleaning even gave her a behind-the-scenes visit to a judge’s chambers.
Those experiences are part of what makes employment support so rewarding: Stacey gets to enter different workplaces, learn alongside the people she supports, solve problems, and help create opportunities for success.
Turning Interests into Opportunities
A person may know the type of work they want to pursue, but Stacey helps them understand what that job looks like day by day.
For example, she frequently works with people interested in animal care. Part of career exploration means looking beyond the appealing parts of a job and understanding all its responsibilities—from interacting with animals to cleaning and maintaining their spaces.
That individualized approach allows people to make informed choices about employment rather than simply finding a job.
For Stacey, the goal is to help someone find their job.
Celebrating Growth
The most meaningful moments often come when Stacey gets to see how far someone has come.
“I really just like helping people to kind of be…the person they want to be and grow and learn,” she said.
Over the years, she has supported people who have advanced in their careers and even become supervisors. One experience particularly stands out: around the same time Stacey was promoted to Senior Employment Counselor, someone she supported also earned a promotion.
“I was as excited for him as he was,” Stacey recalled.
It’s a moment that captures what direct support means to Stacey: helping someone recognize their abilities, develop their skills, and reach goals that matter to them.
Support Starts with Listening and Learning
Stacey’s path into employment services wasn’t necessarily what she originally imagined. She initially went to school intending to become a therapist and professor. But her background translates naturally into her current work, particularly when she has opportunities to teach.
Whether she is helping someone develop coping skills for anxiety, navigate workplace expectations, problem-solve a challenge, or establish a healthy work-life balance, Stacey draws on that combination of education and experience.
For people considering a career in direct support or employment services, Stacey recommends learning as much as possible about the field and understanding what the role entails. While plenty is learned on the job, having knowledge of strategies such as redirection and other support techniques can provide a valuable foundation.+
She also emphasizes something equally important for professionals doing this work: good supervision. Stacey credits her supervisors at Starbridge with helping her think through challenges, develop problem-solving strategies, and discover resources she might not have considered on her own.
Eight Years of Helping People Move Forward
After eight years at Starbridge, Stacey’s passion comes back to something simple: she genuinely enjoys the people she works with and wants them to succeed.
That means celebrating promotions and milestones, but it also means being there for the everyday work.
Because meaningful employment isn’t one-size-fits-all.
It’s finding an opportunity where someone can contribute, grow, build confidence, and, importantly, enjoy what they do.
And Stacey is proud to help people find it.
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