The BC Coalition of People with Disabilities (BCCPD) is seeking a student to join our team and provide administrative support for our office in Vancouver during the summer.

Our mission: For over 30 years, the BCCPD has been a provincial, cross-disability voice in British Columbia. Our mission is to support people with all disabilities to live with dignity, independence and as equal and full participants in society.

Duties and Responsibilities
– Providing administrative support to BCCPD’s different programs
– Assisting with basic case management for our Advocacy Access team
– Filing, data entry, faxing and photocopying
– Front desk reception, assisting staff and volunteers to answer the phones
– Responding to basic inquiries and information referral requests
– Greeting clients and providing excellent client service
– Researching funding opportunities and other initiatives

Desired Skills and Experience
– The applicant must work with people with disabilities in a respectful & inclusive manner
– Excellent verbal and written communication skills
– Strong customer service skills, experience answering a busy phone line is an asset
– Sense of humour, positive attitude and a willingness to learn
– Ability to work independently, to work within a team setting and to take direction
– People with all disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply for this position

This job is funded by the Canada Summer Job Program, applicants must:
– Be between 15 and 30 years of age at the start of the employment
– Have been registered as full-time students in the previous academic year and intend to return to school on a full-time basis in the next academic year
– Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or in possession of refugee status/protection
– Be legally entitled to work in Canada

The salary for this position is $10.25 per hour. This position is 30 hours per week for 12 weeks from June 4, 2012 to August 27, 2012. Office hours are 8:30am to 4:30pm, with some flexibility for the successful candidate’s weekly work schedule. We are a dog-friendly office.  

To apply: Please submit your resume and cover letter via email to Nicole Kiyooka at the BC Coalition of People with Disabilities: nicole@bccpd.bc.ca

Applications must be submitted by Wednesday, May 22^nd 2012. No phone calls please.

BCCPD is introducing a new column called “Everyday Resilience” in Transition magazine and a “Resilience Tip” in each issue of Our Voice, our monthly e-newsletter. Shelley Hourston, author of both columns, describes them below.
Don’t forget to sign up for our free e-newsletter at: http://tinyurl.com/79gu6ac and find information about Transition at our website: http://tinyurl.com/7zwu3u2. Your paid subscription helps us continue to do our work, but you can also read Transition free on our website.

In describing “Everyday Resilience,” Shelley says: We’ve all met resilient people—those who seem able to live through difficulties and challenges like illness, disability or loss of jobs, homes or loved ones. Often we assume that resilient people are extraordinary in some way—otherwise how could they be so resilient? I’ve made a hobby of studying resilience. I’m not sure why. I’ve not lived an especially difficult or challenging life but I have long been fascinated by the creative ways people adapt and live through tough times. This is what I’ve learned: 1) no one gets to the end of life without experiencing tough times and 2) everyone lives life one day at a time. The good news is that “everyday resilience” is all around us. If you’re reading these words, you have experienced resilience and you have played a role in someone else’s resilience. Like life, resilience happens one day at a time.

Research in the field of positive psychology offers insight and ideas for nurturing everyday resilience. Another ancient technique for building resilience is simply sharing stories about overcoming hard times. “Everyday resilience” is a new column which will appear regularly in Transition and shorter tips for building resilience will be published in BCCPD’s monthly e-newsletter, Our Voice. If you’re willing to share your story or resilience tip or if you have an idea for a story, please contact Shelley at wdi@bccpd.bc.ca or 604-875-0188 (toll-free 1-877-232-7400).

The BC Coalition of People with Disabilities (BCCPD) is having a peer support group for people living with a disability.

What is “peer support”?

An opportunity for people to exchange ideas and experiences in a confidential, respectful environment with trained facilitators.

The group will explore many topics, such as:

– Daily living and coping in a changed world
– Relationships with friends, family and others
– Navigating medical systems
– Personal wellness and finding joy
– Exploring and sharing ideas about ‘what’s next’

Group size limited to 15 people. Group members can participate as much as they feel comfortable. Bus tickets and snacks provided.

Dates:           May 15, May 22, May 29, June 5, June 12 & June 19
Time:            1pm to 3pm
Location:     BCCPD office, 204-456 West Broadway, Vancouver
To Register: Contact Nicole at 604-875-0188 or nicole@bccpd.bc.ca