Prosper Canada has launched the newly revamped Disability Benefits Wayfinder (an online tool that makes it easier for Canadians with disabilities to identify and access government benefits) along with its companion the Disability Benefits Compass! DABC assisted in drafting the website, in partnership with Prosper Canada.
Parliamentary Secretary for Accessibility Dan Coulter visits Access RDSP partner BCANDS’ table at RDSP Awareness Month event in Victoria.
On October 5th, Disability Alliance BC (DABC), Plan Institute, British Columbia Aboriginal Network on Disability Society (BCANDS), Inclusion BC, and BC’s Human Rights Commission, came together to promote theRegistered Disability Savings Plan in front of the Victoria Parliament Buildings! The event was organized by BCANDS.
We were thrilled to answer questions about the RDSP and to promote awareness. “Less than one-third of eligible residents in Canada (up to age 59) have a Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP)—about 31.5% in 2020″ (source).
The RDSP was created by the federal government as a long-term savings plan for people with disabilities and their families. Disabled people can benefit from an RDSP even if they cannot put any money into the plan and it will not affect their other disability benefits. Individuals who qualify for the RDSP, can gain up to $90,000 in grants and bonds for their retirement from the government.
We handed out free RDSP t-shirts and had delicious RDSP themed cakes! Thank you to everyone that enjoyed our free coffee and popcorn as well. We were visited by our local MLAs, including the MLA for Chilliwack and Parliamentary Secretary for Accessibility Dan Coulter and Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction Nicholas Simons, and MLA for Fraser-Nicola and Assistant Deputy Speaker Jackie Tegart. RDSP Awareness Month and the importance of the RDSP was mentioned in Parliament that afternoon. Additionally, the non-profits, including DABC were acknowledged in Parliament for our work surrounding the RDSP.
November is Indigenous Disability Awareness Month!
DABC staff in Access RDSP shirts created by BCANDS!
As we mentioned above, one of our Access RDSP partners is BC Aboriginal Disability Network Society (BCANDS). BCANDS created Indigenous Disability Awareness Month (IDAM) in 2015, designating November as IDAM.
From BCANDS’ website, where you can learn more about IDAM: “Indigenous peoples of Canada experience a disability rate significantly higher than that of the general population.Indigenous Disability Awareness Month (IDAM) brings awareness of these barriers and the issues that Indigenous peoples living with disabilities and their families face every day. More importantly though, in spite of these barriers, IDAM celebrates the achievements of Indigenous peoples living with disabilities and recognize the significant and valuable contributions they make to our communities socially, economically, and culturally every day.”
At the RDSP Awareness Month in Victoria discussed earlier in this post, BCANDS provided us with Access RDSP t-shirts! Enjoy the picture of DABC staff in their new t-shirts above!
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.
Earlier this year, DABC Board member Sarina Mawji gave a 20-minute talk to kick off Lupus Society (BC)'S 1st in-person Annual Symposium. Sarina has decades
