Annual Report 2011 - 2012 `
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Annual Report 2011 - 2012 ` BOARD MEMBERS Rob Attwell, Chairperson Don Danbrook , Treasurer Joel Guralnick, Secretary TABLE OF CONTENTS Clay Braziller, Member Drew Collier, Member Laurie Dawn Hill, Member 2 Message from the Chair Harry Monk, Member Doug Purdie, Member Mark Relph, Member EXECUTIVE TEAM Empowerment 3 Gary Birch Ph. D., P. Eng Executive Director 4 Accomplishment Greg Pyc National Operations Manager Success 5 MANAGEMENT TEAM Greg Pyc Exciting News Western Regional Manager 6 Nikki Langdon Prairie Regional Manager Thank you Donors 2011- 2012 7 Cheryl Colmer Central Regional Manager Diana Hall 8 Financial Statements Atlantic Regional Manager Chad Leaman e-Learning Manager Financial Statements 9 Harry Lew Research and Development Manager Ron Taylor Director of Finance Kelvin Leong National IT Manager The Neil Squire Society is committed to accessibility. If you would like to receive Suzanne Cross Manager, Development and this report in an alternative or paper format, Communications please contact us at [email protected]. 1 Message from the Chair From our earliest days, the Neil Squire Society has used technology to improve the lives of people with disabilities in Canada and beyond. Our role in making technology accessible has evolved over time. As physical access to technology has improved, we have transitioned to providing skill development to our participants through the use of computers. This has enabled them to join the work force, become increasingly independent, and provide opportunities for social inclusion and entertainment through email, the web, and social media. For these reasons, training people to effectively use a computer remains central to our services. The accessibility mobile technologies are a major concern for people with disabilities. The ability to access a cellular phone is vital for basic safety and security. The smartphone, if made accessible, is becoming an incredible enabler, opening doors for enhanced inclusion. Not only are we innovating participants through the use of technology, but also in the delivery of our services. We are increasing our services by delivering them through a fully accessible distance learning platform. This is allowing us to serve participants living in remote and new locations. Distance learning will continue to grow as a service we provide to Canadians. Thank you for sharing our mission and for your support of the Neil Squire Society and our participants. Sincerely, Rob Attwell Chair 2 “ I Had No Idea What My Profession Would Meaghan Achieves Two Goals Be” When Meaghan first visited the Neil Squire Society’s Amelia was working Ontario office she had two goals. The first was to find towards a geography degree employment that she enjoyed and which challenged her. The at Kwantlen Polytechnic second was to live independently in an apartment of her own. University, and also looking for a part time job to support her tuition Meaghan faces many challenges including Ehlers Danlos costs and living expenses. Amelia has Osteogenesis Syndrome (EDS) a defect of the imperfecta, a genetic bone disorder. As a result of this, she connective tissue that causes pain and deals with mobility and pain issues. fatigue, dyslexia, and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). She Amelia enrolled in both the Computer Comfort Program was also recently diagnosed with Cystic and the Employ-Ability Program. “In Computer Comfort, Fibrosis. I learned how to use different Microsoft Office programs and Dragon Naturally Speaking, which helped me enter While participating in the Employ-Ability Program, text more efficiently using my voice,” says Amelia. “In the Meaghan was determined to enhance the skills that would Employ-Ability Program, staff helped me explore different help her both professionally and personally. career paths. I learned new job skills and how to set employment goals.” Meaghan is now working part-time with the Phoenix Centre, an organization that provides family support services. In her Following completion of the Employ-Ability Program, role, she is responsible for entering information into a data Amelia secured a part-time job with Opportunities for the base and organizing the Centre’s resource library. “It’s a Disabled. More importantly, however, the Program great opportunity to learn new skills and become familiar “helped me figure out what career I will probably follow with an office setting,” shares Meaghan. after I finish my degree.” Amelia has plans to complete her degree and work towards a doctorate. Meaghan achieved her first goal and moved quickly toward her second. With the same determination, one week after securing employment, Meaghan moved into her own “They Taught Me To Be apartment. Well Prepared” With the Right Support, Jeff Finds Solutions Leiah’s disability, Stickler’s Syndrome, is a very rare group of Jeff has degenerative arthritis, calcium genetic disorders affecting build up, and a severed tendon in his right connective tissue, specifically shoulder. For the past 20 years he’s collagen. “The collagen in my left worked in a physical environment. With a hip is completely worn out so its bone on bone which learning disability, a criminal record, and makes me very sore at times and not very flexible,” says a lack of higher education, Jeff felt that Leiah. Leigh also has hearing loss and sight problems “future employment seemed limited.” which means she must wear hearing aids and contact lenses. Jeff participated in the Employ-Ability program in Regina, Saskatchewan. The program helped him to research “I really enjoyed meeting new people and getting to employment opportunities based on his goals. “Instead of know the staff and the friends I’ve made. They are so looking negatively at these barriers, they have shown me very unique and wonderful,” said Leiah. “I have learned how, with the right support behind you, you can find a lot about interviewing skills and how to build my solutions. With a renewed confidence in all my skills and resume and make a cover letter. I feel a lot more abilities, I am looking into finding part time employment and confident in going after a job because they taught me to going to post-secondary school,” he says. be well prepared. The staff are very experienced people and taught me lots and I couldn’t of asked for a better Jeff’s next steps are to follow his Employment Action Plan, staff to teach me.” Leiah has plans to use her new get physically fit, and pursue either the Primary Care interviewing skills and new resume “to find a job that Paramedic certificate or go to the University of Regina and will be perfect for me and my body that I will enjoy pursue a justice degree. doing!” 3 Wayne Bonds With His Daughter No Looking Back For Kayla Through Technology Kayla has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Growing up Kayla was placed in specialized Wayne has been increasing his knowledge of computers over classes and modified courses in the public school system. the past few months through the Distance Computer Comfort By high school Kayla was getting frustrated and bored. Program at the Penticton Indian She ultimately dropped out. Band’s Footprints to Technology Centre a partner site of the Neil Kayla realized that in order to get a job, she needed to at Squire Society. least have a high school diploma. In the spring of 2009, at the age of 18, she enrolled in the Community Adult Wayne has a teenage daughter, and Learning Program (CALP) at he was hoping to learn facebook and the Neil Squire Society and email so he could both teach her, and know what to watch get her General Education out for to keep her safe online. Diploma (GED). After a couple months, the Neil Squire Society was able to Kayla’s next step was to provide Wayne with a computer of his own through the figure out what she wanted to Computer Refurbishment Program so that he could work do with the rest of her life. from home. With his own computer, Wayne no longer had to Kayla signed up for the travel to the Footprints Centre every week. Additionally, Employ-Ability program, also offered at the Neil Squire using the computer is an activity he and his daughter can Society, and as she puts it, “I have never looked back.” now do together at home. Kayla describes her journey as one big eye opener into her Recently, Wayne has been picking different fruits around his future. It all began with the Employ-Ability program area of the Okanagan to earn some income, and will be where she started exploring her interests, values, abilities starting up in the Employ-Ability Program at the end of the and skills. Her career assessments consistently pointed her summer to explore his career and employment options. to the “great outdoors.” Kayla was very thorough doing research on the National Occupational Classification Job Focus Helps Aman Do What He Loves (NOC) and Labour Market Information (LMI) websites. From this information, she began to identify people to Aman has been a client with the Neil Squire Society’s Job contact for networking opportunities and to learn more Focus program for just over a year. about educational requirements. In the end, Kayla chose Aman was born with the environment and forest technology field. Achondroplasia, a genetic bone disorder that results in dwarfism. Kayla has gained many valuable tools while in the Though he had done some work for Employ-Ability program. She accessed many valuable friends and family, he had never tools for work and life; topics like teamwork, really been employed and aimed to communication, assertiveness, working with employers, change that by finding a part-time or time management and organizational skills. She credits full-time job. much of this in helping her build her self-confidence and self-esteem.