Manitoba Opera

Payworks: A Champion of Inclusion

Jan 25, 2023

 

Payworks is committed to “Doing Right by People”, not because they have to, but because it’s who they are. A leading expert in workforce management solutions with a multitude of awards to back it up, Payworks is proud to be a Canadian owned and operated company that values giving back to the community they serve.

 

“I think paying it forward in our community is so important,” says Barb Gamey, Payworks Co-Founder. “Organizations do their best to raise funds and connect where they can, but it’s not just about financial assistance. It’s about time and talent that we can all contribute to organizations in various ways.”

Like Manitoba Opera, Payworks believes that the arts should be accessible for all, and that including opera in early education can enrich lives. At its core, opera is storytelling. Experiencing a story brought to life through opera can challenge perspectives, encourage creativity, and expand possibilities for young students. With diverse populations in Manitoba, a key to accessibility is presenting these experiences in a child’s first language.

Students at James Nisbet Community School enjoy an Opera Class workshop with soprano Ana Toumine.

With support from Payworks, Manitoba Opera is growing its Opera Storytime program to include additional translations that share the magic of opera with children in their native language. This past fall we were thrilled to release Opera Cat in ASL (American Sign Language), available for free to classroom teachers. Upcoming translations include Annishinaabemowin, Korean, and Ukrainian. Working together, this initiative is igniting imaginations and welcomes our diverse community.

As a supporter of our Opera Storytime educational program, Payworks is investing in Winnipeg’s youngest community members and helping them to thrive.

Contributions to community is a foundation of the Payworks culture. The more than 400 Payworks employees across Canada are encouraged to “Pay It Forward” by volunteering their time with organizations in need. Payworks supports this initiative with two paid days of leave each year which, since its inception in 2015, have enabled over 3,000 volunteer hours.  Supporting over 200 community service organizations is just one example of how Payworks is “Doing Right by People”. With a commitment to being “agents of change and champions of inclusion”, Payworks recognizes that the process of today’s work will have an influence on generations to come.

 

Thank you to Payworks for their commitment to providing accessible and creative operatic experiences that are making a difference right here at home.

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