Winner: L to R: Robert Navalta,
Jane Dyson, Jon Dodge, Starbucks

Vancouver, BC. The BC Coalition of People with Disabilities (BCCPD) has given its first award to a BC employer who has demonstrated excellence in the hiring and employing of people with disabilities. A BCCPD committee selected Starbucks (1500 West 2^nd Branch) as the inaugural Award winner. The Starbucks branch was nominated by Café Attendant Robert Navalta and his Employment Specialist at posAbilities Employment Service. Starbucks has successfully recruited seven employees through the Service and employs people with disabilities across Metro Vancouver. BCCPD selected Progressive Intercultural Community Services (PICS) as its Honourary Mention winner, nominated by employee Maninder Sanghera.

Honourable Mention: L to R: Maninder Sanghera,
Pat Danforth, Satbir Cheema, PICS

Both winners were announced at BCCPD’s Swing into Spring Annual Fundraiser on April 9, 2014 in Vancouver at the Holiday Inn.

Jane Dyson, Executive Director of the BCCPD said, “It’s important to celebrate employers who support people with disabilities in finding and maintaining employment. Employers like Starbucks and PICS are demonstrating that inclusive hiring practices benefit everyone involved. Through this Award, BCCPD hopes to encourage more employers to hire people with disabilities.”

For his part, Robert Navalta was delighted with the outcome of the nomination and added, “I am so happy that Starbucks won this award, it’s a really great company to work for. I hope to work here for a very, very long time.”

Starbucks and PICS representatives were delighted by the recognition, and Starbucks Store Manager, Jon Dodge said, “Robert picks up the pieces, when we all fall down.”

“We’re incredibly grateful to have received the Honourary Mention for the Outstanding Employer of the Year Award 2014,” says Charan Gill, CEO of PICS Society. “At PICS Society, we strive to build a more inclusive and mutually respectful society. We’re pleased to reflect that within our organization by creating an inclusive workspace for employees with disabilities. We celebrate our employees for their talents, skills and passion – that’s what enables us to do better for the community every day.”

 Kalena Kavanaugh, Manager of posAbilities Employment Services says, “I am delighted that Starbucks won this award. They have been wonderful to work with and have embraced some simple practices to foster an inclusive work environment. We know that individuals with developmental disabilities make great employees, and now we see that businesses know it too! Productivity, morale and profits have been proven to increase with inclusion.”

The BC Coalition of People with Disabilities

For over 35 years, the BC Coalition of People with Disabilities (BCCPD) has been a provincial, cross-disability voice in British Columbia. BCCPD’s mission is to support people, with all disabilities, to live with dignity, independence and as equal and full participants in the community. We champion issues impacting the lives of people with disabilities through our direct services, community partnerships, advocacy, research and publications.

The Nominators

posAbilities Employment Service

Working in partnership with job seekers, families and employers, the Service promotes beneficial and lasting relationships in communities through the world of work. Competitive employment provides individuals with more than a paycheck. Working builds confidence, develops independence and introduces individuals to new social circles. Over the past year, posAbilities Employment Service has assisted 66 individuals with diverse abilities to prepare for, secure and maintain competitive employment. Services may be accessed by Community Living BC or directly by self-referral. There are no fees for employers who choose to partner with the Service.

Progressive Intercultural Community Services (PICS)

Progressive Intercultural Community Services (PICS) Society is a registered non-profit society, United Way Agency, and PCTIA registered organization. We actively promote harmony and intercultural understanding to build a more inclusive and respectful society by providing programs and services that directly assist youth, seniors, and new immigrants in the community.

For more information please contact

Jane Dyson, Executive Director
BC Coalition of People with Disabilities
Ph: 604-875-0188
Email: jwd@bccpd.bc.ca
Web: www.bccpd.bc.ca

Kalena Kavanaugh, Manager
posAbilities Employment Service
Ph: 604-291-1902
Email: KKavanaugh@posAbilities.ca
Web: www.PESworks.ca

Jane Dyson, Stephen Quinn and David C. Jones

Our Swing Into Spring fundraiser was a great success and we would like to sincerely thank everyone who came out to support the BCCPD and have some fun with us last night.

Thank you to our generous sponsors:

• Vancouver Taxi Association
• BC Government and Service Employees Union (BCGEU)
• Hospital Employees Union (HEU)
• Canadian Union of Public Employees BC (CUPE BC)
• Simpson, Thomas and Associates Trial Lawyers
• Vancity (Fairview Community Branch)
• Trial Lawyers Association of BC

Thank you to our wonderful MC, CBC’s Stephen Quinn, and to entertainer David C. Jones and musician Lazare Halk for making our evening so special. We couldn’t have done it without you!

Thank you to all the volunteers who gave so generously of their time to make sure that everything ran like clockwork.

• See the Employer Award Winners
• See photos of the event!

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