Disability White Paper Contributions

The Being A Citizen Program at Lifetime Networks in Victoria, BC spent 4 afternoons discussing the Disability White Paper. The website for the Disability White Paper was broken down into plain language and questions were formed around each topic. Then, the group was encouraged to discuss. These are the ideas of the individuals of this program.

The biggest barrier to me taking part in the things I want to do is accessibility. I can’t go to a bank, the rec centre or the library because everything is written in flowery language, even the

conversation guidelines for the Disability White Paper were not written in plain language.

“See me as a human being. Talk to me, not those around me.”

Innovation

How to reduce barriers and increase accessibility:

We need more stair lifts/ramps so people can use buildings and society as independently as least awkwardly as possible. This looks like having these options for accessibility near the other options for moving throughout the building so that individuals with accessibility needs don’t have to go to the opposite side of the building as their friends to get into the building.

Freedom, “If you can’t experience it what’s the point?” we need to be able to experience things in the community. Sometimes reducing barriers and increasing accessibility is not adding ramps, some of us need support workers or a welcoming environment.

There has been a big focus on physical barriers in the past and there needs to be a shift to looking at non-physical barriers that will make the world an inclusive place.

An increased understanding of non-physical needs is necessary for individuals to feel more comfortable asking for help or extra support.

Options: Give me options at work, school, home, and in the community. I need to feel like I have power over my life. Also, I can help you to figure out what skills I can bring and use to be as successful as possible.

What can British Columbians do to welcome contributions of people with disabilities?

Create an environment of understanding that everyone can go everywhere and do everything

Give people with disabilities choices and respect their decisions. Do not be condescending towards me. Ask me before you help me.

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Be more understanding, do not poke fun at or mock my disability. What may seem funny to you is embarrassing to me.

Remove discrimination from society and give us a chance before you doubt our skills. “Give us a chance, we might have a disability but we’re not stupid.”

Offer training/adaptive tools in business and community settings so we can be actively involved and have independence.

Adapt jobs so that there is a space for us in your business, but also so that we can help you fill a void.

Encourage voting by individuals with disabilities. Campaign towards us or reach out to us. We are a large group of individuals who have a lot of strong opinions about government – work together with us so that we feel like the government cares about our opinions.

Accept us into volunteer positions the same way you would with individuals without disabilities. We can volunteer because we have the skills to do so.

We have a lot to teach….especially about how to support/include people with disabilities. Talk to us and ask questions!

What barriers can we remove?

Ignorance towards disability and the different types of supports is inexcusable. Building in education for individuals, parents, schools, government, and businesses is of the utmost importance. This education could be built into school curriculums and could be broad to include being inclusive to all, not just individuals with disabilities.

New employees at businesses should, as part of their training, be oriented to how to be open and inclusive of individuals with disabilities who access their services. This could be extended to educate employees on working with fellow employees with disabilities.

Money is a big barrier for individuals with disabilities, especially when the cost is doubled whenever they need to bring a support person. There are many programs that fill this need already, but it would be nice to have even more opportunities for support individuals to not have to pay for their assistant’s participation in activities. Ex. Post-Secondary Education

Having advocates in the business community for individuals with disabilities could have a big impact. These are individuals who advocate for fair hiring practices and adapted work opportunities or they are advocates for inclusive businesses.

Having a diagnosed disability means that sometimes there are things a person will need support in doing. The barrier to completing this task may be feeling comfortable enough to ask for help. It can feel scary to ask for help in an non-inclusive environment.

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If we ask for help, do not tell everyone or make fun of my needing to ask for help. Transportation is a huge barrier for individuals with disabilities. Driving may not be an

option, so we rely on bus systems, handy dart or our families. When the bus system or handydart does not come on time or when it feels unsafe or non-inclusive it creates a barrier from being able to take part in the activities that we want to do.

Confidentiality is a challenge for those who work with us. When you share information about my medical diagnosis and needs I feel a lack of respect for who I am.

If I screw up or do something wrong, tell me. Don’t treat me as fragile and keep it a secret.

Allow my support people to support me. If I want your help, you will know. Many people do not understand how to interact with me when my support worker is

around, talk to me. My support worker knows when to step in. I feel stuck in my life. I worry about leaving my current living situation or program for

fear of losing funding or a place to go.

Innovations: What we want to see happen

More volunteer opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Assistive devices: education and research increases Adaptive tech: education and research increases Service animals: more education and opportunities to access this program. There just isn’t enough understanding of disability in BC. Community education

o More practicums and work experiences by up and coming professionalso Using self-advocates educating businesses, members of the community, and

schools on disability. More money into increasing accessibility and affordability of adaptive

devices/technology Support workers: They are amazing individuals working hard to support and understand

the individuals who they support. Consider increasing funding to reward them for their hard work and commitment.

Lifeskills are something that need to be taught more directly for individuals with disability.

Lifetime Networks treats me like the adult I am and gives me responsibility. I choose Lifetime Networks because nowhere else gives me choice and responsibility. There needs to be more organizations like Lifetime Networks, everywhere needs to give choice and responsibility to adults regardless of their medical diagnosis.

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I chose what I wanted my life to look like in highschool, but I have changed. I want more information and support throughout my lifetime to change the things I am doing and the places I am going.

Recreation centre programs needs to be more inclusive and adaptive to individuals with disabilities.

The law is a mystery to me. I want to be able to read the law and understand it. I also want people to take the time to explain it to me so I can be part of legal decisions. More plain language legal documents and laws would allow me independence in law related decisions.

Transitioning youth support: Individuals with disabilities do not have many choices when it comes to life after high school. I want to know all of the options and have a fair say in what I want to do and I want my choices respected.

Personal Supports, Aids, and Devices

Supports, Aids, and Devices that could help an individual with a disability:

Many activities of daily living require extra supports for individuals with disabilities to take part independently.

Accessing the community/businesses I use handydart, family or caregiver vehicles, or travel training for BC Transit. I want bus drivers to be more aware of disabilities and how to treat me when I ask for help. Buses should be a safe place and bus drivers should be community helpers.

I want more wheelchair accessible businesses and buildings so that when I go out with friends I don’t have to go in a different entrance than they do. It would be nice for more stairways to have railing chair lifts.

The grocery store can be a challenging place to shop independently. There are many things on high shelves and I may not have time to wait for a store worker to come help me get things down. If things were on lower shelves or stores had grabbers for me to use I could shop independently.

Individuals using wheelchairs can’t grocery shop safely using a grocery basket on their lap. Building grocery carts that hook onto wheelchairs could allow independent grocery shopping for individuals with disabilities.

Voice activation technology and voice-to-text technology is very useful but can be quite expensive. If I am not at home it is hard for me to use the phone.

Using maps and planning routes from one place to another can be a challenging task. GPS technology can be very useful for this, but can also be very expensive.

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After going to the swimming pool it can be hard to dry hair, a hair dryer stand at a rec centre could help individuals with disabilities who would like to dry their hair to have success.

Typing and taking notes can be a challenge for students, writers or those communicating via internet with friends and family. Access to Dragon naturally speaking, a cowriter or word finisher technology can make this accessible.

Work and Contribution

Individuals want to work to contribute to Victoria, British Columbia, and the World. We work hard to earn our pay and expect that the harder we work, the more we will be

paid. It can help to have shorter shifts. Work places need to be more accessible

o Physical supports such as: Ramps Elevators Lifts Button activated doors Adaptations for high shelving Wide aisles

o Education in the workplace to reduce ignoranceo Understanding of physical limitations of employeeo Flexible work hours that understand the challenges with handydart and timing of

pick-up and drop-offo Specific one on one training that is personalized.o Specific jobs that are created for needs and skills of individuals with disabilities.

There is a lot of worry about taking on a job.o It’s scary to give up PWD benefits, what if I lose the job? Can I get them back?o A lot of confusion about what happens to PWD benefits

How much of my disability benefits do I lose? Can they top up my benefits so I am still making what I would make on

PWD? Can they slowly wean me off PWD benefits so I get practice at not relying

on that monthly cheque? I know I need supports to be successful at a job

o There need to be more volunteer/work experience programso More job coaches and understanding of job coaches

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o More career programs at organizationso Support to navigate the transit system to and from the job site. Perhaps

reminders by employers of when to leave and which bus stop to go to. There are supports the government can help with too

o Continue GT Hiring and the disability referral program they offer Job coaches Training

o Offer incentives to businesses that employ individuals with disabilities: advertising, funding, etc. And create a list of inclusive work sites.

o Perhaps a program like student summer jobs for people with disabilities.

Housing and Accessibility

I’m afraid to move out. I don’t know my options. I don’t know who I can ask for help. Why has nobody ever asked me where I want to live?

There is a fear of eviction and lack of understanding of tenancy laws that stops me from wanting to move out. How do I find out more or get educated so I am not at risk of becoming homeless?

There are many different living options but they all have so many strengths and weaknesses. I don’t know how to choose and I don’t know how to access these options.

o Low-Income Housing This form of housing always seems out of date, dirty, and bug infested. Issues need to be repaired immediately. Information about this option needs to be easily accessible and detailed. I’ve heard these places are tucked away not near bus routes. There needs to be more.

o Homeshare More focus on relationships rather than just filling a space. Make sure homeshare works for the people who are living there. Neighbourhood: Most of us rely on bus transportation, make sure there

are appropriate bus routes and that they come regularly. Help us budget so we can live in homeshare and still afford a few wants in

our lives. Privacy needs to be a priority Information about homeshare that is in plain language

o Living independently/roommate Security is necessary (alarm or at least a good lock and deadbolt) Close to groceries Close to shops

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Reminders/Support to pay bills Support around meal planning and grocery shopping Independence: Support worker not parents Need more supported housing

o Group home Residents take an active role in planning the weekly schedule No more than 2-3 people No strangers, let the residents decide about new roommates Appropriate staff training: not too much information and not too little.

Accessibility in the Communityo Quality support workers who push when necessary and also know when to back

off. I want to choose who supports me. My support workers can’t stay forever because of the rate of pay: each time there is a new support worker it seems like we are starting from the beginning again. I want there to be a way that these support workers feel more secure in their positions so that they will stay for longer.

o Understanding of disability and needs. When people don’t know I have a disability their expectations are too high, when they know I have a disability their expectations disappear. Meet me where I am at and I will have more potential to grow to meet those higher expectations.

o Physical accessibility must be ensuredo Safe options

Knowing that there are options Security Block parent type program where there are stickers on

businesses/centres that are physically accessible and inclusive Knowing where to find resources

o More information in plain language speako Community events that do not have alcohol involved.o Policies regarding how to support individuals with disabilities in businesses or

community settingso It’s too expensive to participate in non-funded activities like recreation centre

programs: need bursaries, subsidies or scholarshipso I don’t want to save up and pay for something that I’m not sure I will be

welcomed in.

Social Networks

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There are many reasons that developing and maintaining social networks is difficult for individuals with disabilities. There are also many ways that we can be supported to develop and maintain these networks.

There are communication differences that many people do not understand I have never been taught how to deal with challenges in friendships Language barriers are tricky Transportation: I can’t get together with my friends unless I plan it two weeks in

advance or get lucky with handydart. I really only spend time with my family because I live with them. 25 year olds without disabilities live a very different life than 25 year olds with

disabilitieso We are different in life stages and it would be creepy for me to go hang out with

the 16 year olds that I identify with. I spend most of my time with others with disabilities and we all have transportation

challenges. I need safe and inclusive classes/spaces. The places I like going to are:

o Church groupso Social groups at inclusive organizationso Lifetime Networks Programs: Arts, Socials, Cooking, Best Buddies, Network

Programo Juan de Fuca Danceo Power 2 Be o Special O

I want a combined resource guide of all the organizations and businesses that offer inclusive spaces and programs.

Asset Accumulation

I want to save money so that I have a good future and can buy the things that I want.

I need support making and sticking to a payment plan for saving money. I need help creating a budget I have no idea what an RDSP is.

I have a lot of barriers to saving money:

Not enough $ after my homeshare payment

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There are deductions for working too much (I’m getting penalized for contributing to the community).

Housing is very expensive in Victoria It’s hard to find a job that fits the maximum amount I am allowed to earn before

deductions. I fear losing my job and losing my PWD. I find it tricky to balance wants and needs. I need documentation and people at banks to use plain language I want a bank orientation to all the different options that use plain language and are

simple. I want to feel like I matter when I go to the bank.

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