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Alumni Outside the Box is a regular column profiling FHP alumni who are using their health professions鈥� degrees in new or unique ways.

When you ask Ian Landry what the driving force behind his work is, he says: 鈥淚 prefer to focus on people鈥檚 strengths rather than their deficits. What they can do, not what they can鈥檛 do.鈥�

Ian, a graduate of Dalhousie鈥檚 social work program, is a full-time registered social worker and clinical therapist. When he鈥檚 not busy with his private practice, you鈥檒l find him helping his son. The two established the Grime Reaper Mobile Wash and Detailing business, based in Eastern Passage, Nova Scotia.聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽

The idea for the business came to Ian when he noticed a car wash in Eastern Passage was closing down. He asked his son, Nic, if he would be interested in taking it over. Ian saw the Passage Car Wash as a way for Nic, who has a severe learning disability, to have employment with a liveable wage and independence. The end goal of the business was to hire other people with learning disabilities and pay them a fair, liveable wage.

Like many small business owners, the Landrys have had their ups and downs. A lack of appropriate commercial space in the area led to the closure of the Passage Car Wash in the winter of 2015. But from this experience, Ian and Nic launched the Grime Reaper Mobile Wash and Detailing.

鈥淚t has sort of been an evolution,鈥� Ian laughs. The new business still focuses on cars, but also offers exterior house, deck, and driveway cleaning. Marketing and financial support are still struggles, but the business gives Nic more freedom and opportunities.

Viewing employment and business through a social work lens

Ian returned to university as a mature student and graduated from Dal with Master鈥檚 degrees in Social Work and Sociology. He was drawn to social work because it was more hands-on and community-based. He says with social work, school gives you the necessary foundation, but the actual learning happens after you graduate.

In Ian鈥檚 experience, people with severe learning disabilities mostly end up in labour jobs with poor wages.

鈥淭he model of hiring people with developmental issues is found all over the States,鈥� Ian says, referencing a law firm that fills clerical positions with people with autism. 鈥淏ut in Canada, it鈥檚 hard to find. They just aren鈥檛 given the chance.鈥�

Ian as a Dal grad (left)

At his practice, Ian works with people who have severe learning disabilities, chronic mental health issues, and those who have suffered abuse and addiction. 鈥淭here is so little for this population [in terms of employment opportunities],鈥� he says.

Driven by his commitment to civil rights and social action, Ian wants to see more effort to help people in these positions find work and financial independence.

鈥淚t鈥檚 always going to be a struggle, you鈥檙e going to have to jump through hoops," Ian says. 鈥淏ut you鈥檙e always learning, you鈥檙e always growing.鈥�

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