Since 2009, the BC Personal Supports Network and the Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation have been in partnership to develop and deliver the Equipment and Assistive Technology Initiative (EATI) http://www.bcpsn.org . The goal of EATI has been to demonstrate the Participation Model as a person directed, goal oriented way to enable people with disabilities to obtain the assistive technology they need to overcome a functional barrier to labour market participation. In its development and delivery, EATI meets and exceeds the standards established by the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Funding for EATI has come through the federal/provincial Labour Market Agreement and over $19.5 million has been spent on EATI to assist more than 2,000 British Columbians since 2010.

In June 2013, EATI stopped accepting new applications but, thanks to additional funding from the Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation, continued to work on assisting all applicants who were in progress prior to June 20, 2013. On August 29, 2014 all of these applicants will have completed the process and EATI will cease operations.  EATI will continue to provide repairs or replacements for all existing clients until August 29, 2014 and expects to be able to refer existing clients who need repairs after August 29, 2014 to other programs and services.

Assistive technology is a vital springboard for full participation for people with disabilities. An independent evaluation of  EATI,  undertaken by the University of British Columbia in 2013, showed that more than  90% of the 289 EATI participants surveyed agreed that they had received the right assistive technology for their needs and that this technology had helped them to move towards employment. http://www.disabilitypolicyalliance.ca/employment_team/employment_assistivetechnology/equipment-assistive-technology-initiative-evaluation.html

EATI has also provided a unique opportunity for the government and the community to work in partnership to realize the vision, values and principles of the Participation Model for Personal Supports. The Independent Evaluation highlighted the joint decision making of this partnership as a key factor in enabling EATI to adapt to participants’ needs, be flexible in the provision of funding and be effective in supporting participants in their movement to obtaining employment.

With the end of the first generation of EATI on August 29, 2014, the BC Personal Supports Network and the Ministry of Social Development and Social Innovation hope to continue to work in partnership to ensure that British Columbians with disabilities have access to the assistive technology they need through innovative approaches like the Participation Model.

Members of the BC Personal Supports Network

BC Association for Individualized Technology and Supports http://www.bcits.org/ | Voice: 604-326-0175 | Fax: 604-326-0176

BC Coalition for People with Disabilities http://www.bccpd.bc.ca/ | Voice: 604-872-1278 | Fax: 604-875-9227

Spinal Cord Injury BC http://sci-bc.ca | Voice: 604-326-1237 | Fax: 604-326-1229

Neil Squire Society http://www.neilsquire.ca/ | Voice:  604-473-9363 | Fax:    604-473-9364

North Shore Disability Resource Centre http://www.nsdrc.org/ | Voice: 604-985-5371 | Fax: 604-985-7594

Keremeos Measuring Up Team measuringup@hotmail.com | Voice: 250-499-5017 | Contact: Kelly McKay or Heather Walkus

Richmond Centre for Disability http://www.rcdrichmond.org/ | Voice: 604-232-2404 | TTY: 604-232-2479 | Fax: 604-232-2415

Seeing Caucus (for people with visual impairments) | Betty Nobelbnobel@vcc.ca

Victoria Personal Supports Centre http://www.drcvictoria.com/ | Voice: 250-595-0044

Western Institute for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing http://www.widhh.com/ | Voice: 604-736-7391 | TTY (TDD): 604-736-2527 | Fax: 604-736-4381

Attachment: EATI evaluation Highlights DSB final

In April 2013, the process to appeal the denial of Canada Pension Plan Disability (CPP-D) changed when a new system, the Social Security Tribunal (SST), replaced the Review Tribunal. We have prepared a new guide, The Social Security Tribunal, to help people who are representing themselves to the SST. Advocates may also find our new guide useful in helping their clients.

For the time-being, the guide will be available on-line only. The SST is very new and advocates are still learning how the new system operates. We will make changes to the guide as necessary.

Our sincere thanks to the Law Foundation of Ontario for funding this guide.

The BCCPD has received the following notice from West Coast LEAF:

Job Posting
West Coast LEAF
Vancouver, B.C.

Research Assistant – 2014

West Coast LEAF’s mandate is to achieve equality by changing historic patterns of systemic discrimination against women through BC-based equality rights litigation, law reform and public legal education. West Coast LEAF encourages applications from historically marginalized women. www.westcoastleaf.org

Job Title: Research Assistant

Duties and Responsibilities:

Under the supervision of the Manager of Community Outreach, the Research Assistant will support qualitative research for our Mothering with Disabilities Project. Our project aims to understand the legal issues facing mothers with disabilities, how existing laws and policies impact these women’s rights as parents, and how such laws and policies can be reformed to ensure greater respect for the rights of mothers with disabilities.

Tasks will include:

 Attendance at interviews and focus groups with mothers with disabilities
 Transcription and summarization of recorded interviews
 Data entry and coding
 Participation in project team meetings
 Additional research, as required by the project team

Qualifications and Skills:

 Undergraduate degree completed or in progress
 Familiarity with social science research methodology
 Experience with data management
 Excellent typing skills (70 words/minute or better)
 Strong spoken and written communication skills
 Sensitivity to the needs of diverse groups of women with disabilities

Hours:

The position will be approximately 30 hours per week for 8 weeks between May and June 2014. The hours will be dependent on the amount of work required and may fluctuate.

Terms of position:

West Coast LEAF is an equal opportunity employer, and encourages applications from all qualified applicants. We encourage applicants from traditionally underrepresented groups including Indigenous women, women of colour, women with disabilities and queer women to self-identify.

Pay rate:

$17/hour plus 4% vacation pay.

To Apply: Email familylaw@westcoastleaf.org with your resume and cover letter by March 28, 2014, addressed to Shahnaz Rahman, Manager of Community Outreach. Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.