Open: May 6, 2025

Closes: May 28, 2025

Location: Vancouver

Category: Community and Social Services Job

Type: Part-time Contract (20 hours)

Salary: $32 per hour

Who We Are

Since 1977, Disability Alliance BC (DABC) has been a provincial, cross-disability voice in British Columbia. We are a non-profit, charitable organization that champions issues impacting the lives of people with disabilities. Our mission is to promote a more inclusive and equitable society for people with all disabilities through direct services, community partnerships, systemic advocacy, research, and publications.

Program Description

Launched in 2017, the Right Fit program is a multi-partner service designed to address the crisis in wheelchair accessible housing by matching affordable, accessible homes and independent living supports with people who need them in the Vancouver region of British Columbia.

Led by Disability Alliance BC in partnership with the Individualized Funding Resource Centre Society (IFRC), the program provides peer-led navigation  support to wheelchair users and their families, which includes a holistic assessment and the coordination of all their disability support needs (home support, equipment, and assistive technology). The Right Fit maintains a detailed inventory of accessible units through a standardized Accessibility Checklist. The program supports housing providers by matching vacant units with wheelchair users who have diverse accessibility needs and are the “right fit” tenants, ensuring the most effective use of accessible housing stock.

Job Description:

As the Outreach and Research Assistant, you will support the Right Fit Team in conducting client surveys, documenting client needs, liaising with the Team on addressing client needs, conducting analysis of survey data, and assisting with communications and events.

Tasks and responsibilities:

• Conduct Right Fit client surveys (in person, online or by phone)
• Document Right Fit client needs and assist in addressing needs
• Take photographs (as appropriate) of units, accessibility features, and clients
• Conduct quantitative and qualitative analysis of survey data
• Assist with data entry
• Prepare reports, presentations, and other documents as needed
• Assist with creating website content, social media and Program communications
• Other duties as assigned.

The successful applicant must:

• Have a degree or diploma in communications, public relations, social science research, or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience
• Have proficiency in web content/social media creation
• Experience with quantitative and qualitative data analysis
• Have strong verbal and written communication skills
• Be team-oriented with a positive, approachable attitude
• Have excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively with clients across many diverse backgrounds
• Have the ability to act ethically and handle sensitive information with confidentiality
• Be self-motivated, adaptable, and able to work effectively with a team as well as independently
• Be able to handle multiple tasks and prioritize effectively
• Have excellent organizational skills
• Be technologically proficient with computers and computer programs, including Microsoft Office software, specifically Excel, Word and Outlook
• A driver’s license and a vehicle are required

The following are strong assets for this position:

• Experience in the non-profit sector
• Experience with a disability and/or supporting people with disabilities
• Proficiency in photography
• Knowledge of housing accessibility

The position is a fixed term, contract position (until November 30, 2025). Depending on future funding, this role may be extended and may further develop to involve direct client work when the contract period ends.

Length of the position: 6 months

Compensation: $32 / hour

Location of the position: The position is located in Vancouver, on the Unceded Territories of the Musqueam, Tsleil-Waututh, and Squamish Nations. This is a fully remote position, with some requirement to attend meetings at the DABC office on an as-needed basis.

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 encouraged to apply.

To Apply:

Please submit a resume and brief cover letter addressed to rightfit@dabc.ca using the subject heading “Job Application: Right Fit Outreach and Research Assistant”. No phone calls please.

Applications are due no later than 4:30 p.m. on May 20, 2025. DABC welcomes all applications, however, only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for an interview.

As we reported in February, earlier this year the Surrey School District launched “an exciting new four-part animated video series on accessibility to help students, parents and staff better understand language around accessibility, namely the terms disability, barriers, accessibility and inclusion.

Previously, only one video had been released. All four videos are now available to watch.

Stories/Videos in the Series:

• Understanding “Disability”
• Understanding “Barriers”
• Understanding “Accessibility”
• Understanding “Inclusion”

DABC worked in partnership with B.C. Council of Administrators of Inclusive Support In Education and Untapped Accessibility to support school districts in BC as they implemented the requirements of the Accessible BC Act (learn more about the Accessible Organizations Project: bcaccessibilityhub.ca), and we are very pleased to see this work continuing!

Learn more about the Surrey School District’s initiative here.

The Province of BC is seeking feedback from the public on ride-hailing services (Uber, Lyft etc.) within BC.

Background

• In 2019, BC put a framework in place to enable ride-hailing.
• In 2023/24, a Special Committee to Review Passenger Directed Vehicles made recommendations related to items such as vehicle supply, safety, employment, environmental impacts, and service to rural and remote communities. On November 16th, 2023, DABC made a presentation to the Special Committee. DABC’s Cynthia Minh identified numerous issues that people with disabilities often face when accessing passenger directed vehicles, and made seven recommendations that could help address the issues identified. You can find full information here.
• Additionally, Lower Mainland resident Martin Bauer complained to the BC Human Rights Tribunal that Uber’s lack of wheelchair accessibility was discriminatory under BC’s Human Rights Code. On March 1^st, 2024, the Tribunal ordered Uber to pay Mr. Bauer $35,000 and offer accessible rides in the Lower Mainland within the next 12 months.

Consultation Process

The Province’s current consultation process on ride-hailing focuses on understanding policy issues related specifically to legislation and regulation. The Ministry is also working to respond to program-related recommendations of the Special Committee.

The Province is committed to adjusting the current ride-hailing framework and making targeted improvements to optimize the way it functions.

As part of this consultation process, the Province would like your answer to the following questions. If you’d like to help shape the way the ride-hailing framework will look in future, please submit your answers to the questions below to PDVEngagement@gov.bc.ca.

If you would like to submit your answers anonymously, you are welcome to share them to DABC at feedback@dabc.ca, and we will ensure that your answers are shared with the Province without your personal information. If so, please include “ride-hailing services” in the subject line of your email.

Questions

1. Provision of taxi number
   • Can you help us understand if/how receiving a taxi identification number at time of booking would improve user experience?
2. Taxi Bill of Rights
   
   • Are you aware of the Taxi Bill of Rights program and associated complaint mechanisms, and do you have any experience with them?
3. Funding programs
   
   • What opportunities do you see where financial support would improve accessibility in the taxi and ride hail sector?
   • Are there other transportation services beyond the taxi and ride hail sector where the province should consider directing accessibility funding?