Past Conferences: 2007 - Calgary Alberta
Overview
The 14th Annual Supported Employment Conference took place at the Westin Bayshore Hotel, in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia from November 13 - 14, 2008.
297 people attended the two-day conference, with 55% of delegates attending from British Columbia, and the rest from all provinces and territories, as well as three states - California, Michigan, and Washington.
The theme, Working Matters, explored the value of supported employment. 'Working Matters' for citizens in our communities, because meaningful contributions impact our lives in a positive way. 'Working Matters' to employers, who appreciate the value of a strong and diverse work environment. And, 'Working Matters' to the economy, and the decision makers that lead positive change towards full labour market inclusion. Three keynote plenaries and 24 concurrent sessions were developed to address the significance that employment equity plays across many sectors, and in many ways.
Favourite Sessions
Based on your feedback, the top five concurrent sessions were:
- Voices of Self Advocacy Panel
- Grassroots to Government Policy Panel
- The Only Conference Session All About You!
- Visual Aids in the Workplace
- School to Work Transitions
Recommendations for the Future
Based on your feedback, here are the top five improvements to be made at the 2009 conference:
- More opportunities for interaction with your colleagues
- Less costly amenities - food was too expensive
- More focus on the policy dimension of supported employment
- More focus on the employer's perspective of supported employment
- More focus on innovation
Program
Keynotes
Opening Plenary - Susan Scott-Parker
Susan Scott-Parker is the founder and chief executive of the Employers' Forum on Disability. Based in the UK, the Forum is the first employers' organization in the world to promote the economic and social inclusion of people with disabilities. The Forum makes it easier for members and other organizations to employ people with disabilities, serve them as customers, and develop partnerships with people who have disabilities in the wider community. Launched in 1991 by the Prince of Wales, the Forum now has around 400 members, about a quarter of the UK workforce.
Midway Plenary - Erin Riehle
Erin Riehle is a recognized authority and national leader in promoting employment opportunities for people with disabilities and other barriers to employment. She is a founder and senior director of Project SEARCH, an employment and transition program that has received national recognition for innovative practices. She is regularly invited to present at national and regional conferences, and has co-authored numerous publications and book chapters. She is an active member of the Association for Persons in Supported Employment, and has served on many national committees. She is a board member for the United States Business Leadership Network and the Northern Kentucky University Research Foundation. She has gained over $1,500,000 in foundation and agency support for Project SEARCH programs, and has won numerous awards for her work. Project SEARCH received the U.S. Department of Labor's 2004 New Freedom Initiative Award. In 2005 Ms. Riehle was named "Dorine Seaquist Outstanding Woman of Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center."
Closing Plenary - Bill Forman - Living up to the Genuine Vision of Employment and Career
Despite the Canadian economy and labour market being stronger than ever, people with disabilities are still experiencing high rates of unemployment or underemployment. Bill presented a case for the need to honestly and critically examine the current status of the field of supported employment. This presentation challenged you to reflect on the ideals and goals of your organizations. This presentation also challenged you to compare current practices and outcomes against those ideals to determine the effectiveness of our current practices. Lastly, it proposed some future directions for supported employment in Canada.
Concurrent Workshops
From Grassroots to Government: A Policy Perspective
Presenters: Ken Pike, Michael Prince and Ken O'Brien
Moderated by: Sean Wiltshire
This panel presentation featured the perspectives of three seasoned policy makers and analysts working in the realm of supported employment across Canada. The panel highlighted the policy work being done at local, provincial and national levels to increase workforce inclusion. Emphasis was placed on current initiatives and efforts to collaborate across government and community organizations, as well as a comparison of various legislative elements across jurisdictions.
Job Development with Zest and Zen
Presenters: Christine David, Michael Jarvis
Participants were given an overview of proven job development activities such as networking, cold/warm calls, job carving and writing employment proposals. An interactive exercise helped participants develop an employment proposal based on a given customer and employer profile. This workshop also provided zesty and Zen-like tips and examples of how to deal with the stress associated with the highs and lows of job development. Participants shared their ideas and suggestions as well as their own favourite strategies.
Honouring Diversity
Presenters: Ann Marie Walsh
The workforce is declining; people with disabilities can and are willing to work; this workshop addressed how to effectively and efficiently welcome a diverse team of individuals into the workplace. This workshop explored the recruitment process and introduced strategies to challenge human resources policies and practice. Presenters identified employment barriers and offered innovative strategies and solutions.
Real Work for Real Pay - Voices of Self Advocacy
Presenters: Tanya Norman, Bryce Schaufelberger, Rasika Aklujkar
The self advocacy movement has long been concerned with Real Work for Real Pay. Many people with disabilities who want jobs remain unemployed. This panel featured self advocates who are standing up for their right to work and be paid. We heard first hand from people with disabilities about issues that are important to them. A range of perspectives were presented, including self advocate engagement in promoting Real Work for Real Pay, stories of successful and not so successful inclusion, and what needs to happen to increase success in Canada.
Partnerships to Promote Employment
Presenters: Daniel Collins, Janice Barr
The Employment Training Network is a collaboration of six associations for community living in BC's Lower Mainland that have developed a comprehensive training curriculum for staff working in employment and self-employment initiatives. This workshop provided an overview of the partnership and the curriculum. Participants learned about the partners who contributed to the initiative and innovative ways to promote employment opportunities in communities.
Visual Accommodations in the Workplace
Presenters: Mary-Jo Woodcox, Chris Arnold
This session provided practical ideas for assisting a person with communication problems to be successful on the job and to maintain their employment. It also looked at the interesting move by many employers to incorporate visual communication systems into the training of all their employees, not just those identified with a disability.
Addictions and the Workplace
Presenters: Colin Perrier, Wendy Nailer, Diana Musson
This presentation examined challenges, successes and lessons learned from working with individuals with substance abuse problems. Presenters discussed the application of the Individual Placement and Support model, highlighted related programs being implemented at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, and provided details of best practices from other jurisdictions. Participants also engaged in small-group discussions to share their experiences and to develop recommendations for service delivery.
Career Planning Implications of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: A Pragmatic perspective on supporting people with complex needs.
Presenters: Dr. David Philpott
Dr. David Philpott will provide a contemporary perspective on FASD, including identification, symptomology and program planning. Dr. Philpott will discuss the spectrum of issues that accompany the diagnosis and implications for both career planning and independent living. The discussion will strive towards a pragmatic, client-centred approach to supporting these citizens in attaining meaningful employment and optimal independence in their adult lives.
Voices of Employers
Presenters: Cliff Yeo, Safeway Canada Ltd., Dave Fischl, Ministry of Highways and Infrastructure, Saskatchewan, and Susan Scott-Parker
Moderated By: Tamara Shaw
Several recent studies prove that employers are willing to hire people with disabilities when the right supports are in place for both the employees and employers. This panel offered insight into the needs of employers and described new and innovative human resources practices that have had great results. Employers from both public and private sector businesses provided a range of perspectives and stories of how to facilitate quality job matches.
Not Another Program! Avoiding the Social Service Approach
Presenters: Christine Clark, Chris Arnold
This workshop was founded on the principal that effective job development must be approached from a business or economic benefit, and not just from a social service perspective. Presenters discussed real case study examples of how they tried to avoid having their approach look like just another 'program.' Participants were shown the difference between a social approach and a business/economic benefit approach to job development.
Competitive Employment for People with Disabilities
Presenters: Nicole Dunning, Sherry Catroppa
Throughout this session, participants learned how CBI, a behaviour consulting firm in BC, successfully adopted the approach of Dr. Paul Wehman of the Virginia Commonwealth University. Case studies of individuals who were placed in competitive employment were shared with participants, along with a question period at the end.
School to Work Transition: A Model for Success
Presenters: Bob Vansickle, Andrea Hands
School to work transitions have proven to be a difficult time for many teenagers who have disabilities. Presenters discussed the benefits of connecting early for all stakeholders, (families, educators and agency staff) and the components of their model and how it has evolved in Sarnia, Ontario over the years.
Smile Like You Mean It: The Pain and Pleasure of Partnerships
Presenters: Bruce Rankin, Sonja Burke
The presenters of this session shared the joys of their victories and the agonies of their defeats in the ever-changing political and economic landscapes in which they have partnered with the best and the worst. This presentation combined lecture, story-telling and interactive exercises. Participants gained a set of tools to help build successful partnerships and avoid the pitfalls of unhealthy partnerships.
Conversion: Lessons from the Field
Presenters: Sherry Beamer, Bob Logelin, Mike Jeffries, Grace Parker
Moderated By: Tamara Shaw
This session examined the organizational change process as it applies to facilities involved in converting sheltered workshops and day programs to supported employment services. A preliminary discussion on the motivating factors for change was followed by an analysis of obstacles. Local and national resources and experiences were offered that assisted participants in thinking and discussing conversion in their own jurisdictions.
Stories: Integral to Building Capacity
Presenters: Deirdre Goudriaan, Ann Marie Walsh
It is widely recognized that stories are an integral part of spreading knowledge and inspiration. This session explored and analyzed the role stories play in building capacity in communities, and offered a unique approach to storytelling called "integral theory." Participants of this session gained an appreciation for storytelling in their own professional practice, and walked away with some concrete tools to begin to build capacity in their communities.
What Are You Doing? The Only Conference Session All About You!
Presenters: Sean Wiltshire
Sean Wiltshire presented an exciting, fun and informative session about you! He shared how to learn from your own experiences, and how to share the expertise you are hiding. This session gave participants a chance to talk about the "Good Practices" of their profession. Success is contagious and it starts with sharing. Sean moderated with a healthy dose of laughter and insight into working in the non-profit sector in Canada.
Customized Employment: A Partnership at Work
Presenters: Janet Heino, Sandy Rodgers, Barb Penner
The Customized Employment Demonstration Project is a joint and collaborative project between Community Living BC (CLBC) and the BC Ministry of Housing and Social Development (MHSD). The goal of the project is to enable each individual to achieve employment - real work for real pay - that is best suited to them. This session began with an overview of the project, including its evolution, program design and measures of success. Examples of project outcomes were given, as well as tools and techniques to use in searching for employment opportunities. Finally, a model for sharing and building on experiences among service providers was offered.
Tools for Training
Presenters: Cori Libitka, Karen Caron
The Kenora Association for Community Living presented their recently developed training program for supported employment professionals. Presenters shared the information developed in their training manual, and then allowed time for brainstorming to generate new ideas, to ask and answer questions, and to discuss current situations or problems that participants have in their efforts to support people with disabilities in employment.
Entertainment
Welcome Reception - David Roche
The Welcome Reception was held on November 12th. The highlight of our gathering was surely the presentation by David Roche, an inspirational humorist, motivational speaker and performer. David has transformed the challenges and gifts of living with a facial disfigurement into a compelling message that uplifts and delights audiences around the world.
Banquet Dinner and Dance - Hollywood North
The Celebration Dinner and Dance was held in the Stanley Park Ballroom on Thursday November 13 and was attended by 111 people. Great food, fantastic entertainment with one of Vancouver's premier dance bands and fabulous door prizes were a recipe for a great night. Almost Famous, a BC band from Galiano Island, delighted dancers late into the evening.
Venue
The Westin Bayshore Hotel
The 2008 Canadian Association for Supported Employment took place at the The Westin Bayshore Hotel in Vancouver BC
2008 Sponsors
This conference was generously sponsored and made possible by AFA Forest Products, Community Living BC, and the BC Association for Community Living. Thank you for your support.
