DABC has submitted an advocacy letter addressed to Hon. Nicholas Simons, Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction regarding the treatment of EI benefits on PWD income. The Ministry had provided a temporary exemption on EI benefits starting in April 2020 and which ended in November 2021, We feel strongly that EI benefits should be considered earned income that can be treated under the annualized earnings exemption limit rather than clawing back monthly PWD income dollar for dollar as is currently the case. Please read our full advocacy letter here:
Disability Alliance BC (DABC) is seeking passionate and motivated volunteers to support our front-desk reception as we work to bring back our advocacy work in-person at our office in downtown Vancouver. DABC is a provincial, cross-disability non-profit, charitable organization that champions issues impacting the lives of people with disabilities through our direct services, community partnerships, advocacy, research and publications.
Our reception volunteers are often the first face or voice that a client interacts with when connecting with DABC. They exhibit an empathetic and professional attitude and respond to inquiries about our services. DABC provides a variety of services that assist clients with applying for provincial and federal disability benefits, Disability Tax Credit, Registered Disability Savings Plan, tax filings and tax credits, legal aid, and wheelchair accessible housing. Reception volunteers will be trained and mentored on an ongoing basis through regular supervision from the Advocacy Access Administrative Assistant, Advocacy Access Program Manager and the Access RDSP Program Manager. All of our current reception volunteers have lived experience with a disability.
Our Reception Volunteers:
Respond to client inquiries over the phone, email and in-person
Screen clients for eligibility of our services and conduct intake of client contact information for our waitlists
Keep detailed and accurate records of visitor requests/calls
Reception Volunteers should have the following skills and qualifications:
Be computer literate and proficient with Microsoft Office software, specifically Excel, Word and Outlook
Have strong verbal and written communication skills and the ability to communicate complex concepts in plain language
Have excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively with clients and staff across many diverse backgrounds
Be self-motivated, adaptable, and able to work effectively with a team as well as independently
Maintain a professional, respectful and empathetic demeanor with clients and have the ability to manage client expectations as it relates to the capacity and scope of DABC’s services
The following are strong assets for this position:
Lived experience with disability
Lived experience with provincial disability benefits (PWD/PPMB)
Experience in the non-profit sector
Experience supporting people with disabilities
Knowledge and understanding of community resources available to people with disabilities
Volunteers will receive a small monthly honourarium for their contribution to DABC’s advocacy work.
Hours Per Week: 1-2 shifts per week (each shift is 4 hours)
100% of DABC’s staff and volunteers are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Many of the clients that DABC serves have medical conditions which make them vulnerable and more susceptible to severe symptoms of COVID-19, and so it is vital that DABC strives to protect our clients from risk of transmission. It is DABC’s policy to request that all volunteers be fully vaccinated.
DABC is an open and diverse organization that promotes inclusive hiring practices. We encourage applications from qualified applicants who identify as visible minorities, Indigenous persons, and of all sexual orientations, gender expressions and identities. People with disabilities are especially encouraged to apply.
To Apply: Please send an email expressing your interest with the subject line “Volunteer Application”, along with a resume to advocacy@disabilityalliancebc.org. No phone calls or faxes please.
Disability Alliance BC (DABC) is seeking passionate and motivated volunteers to support our front-desk reception as we work to bring back our advocacy work in-person at our office in downtown Vancouver. DABC is a provincial, cross-disability non-profit, charitable organization that champions issues impacting the lives of people with disabilities through our direct services, community partnerships, advocacy, research and publications.
