PODCAST · business
Encouraging Abilities Podcast
by communicationsz8
A podcast dedicated to the developmental disability community.
Episodes
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Carmen Farrell - Proof that Advocacy Makes a Difference
In this episode, we connect with North Vancouver mom, author, and advocate Carmen G. Farrell. From driving change in her son's school to continuing to champion advocacy, it's proof that inclusion doesn't just create allies, it creates bonds that stand the test of time.
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Max Brault - Helping Shape the Future of Accessibility
Max Brault was instrumental in helping create the Accessibility Canada Act. While he admits we might not hit the lofty goal of a completely accessible Canada by 2040, the future for people with disabilities remains bright. We caught up with him to talk about his book, "The Race to the Starting...
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Disability Employment - A Resource that Needs Protecting
The federal government wants to cut 15% in spending for certain programs and services. Advocates are concerned about people with disabilities losing their jobs before anyone else. We chat with Rabia Khedr, National Director of Disability Without Poverty, about disability employment and the new...
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I Only See in Black and White - A Book by Keara Farnan
Navigating this often troubled world can be difficult. As an Autistic person who sees things differently, it can be an obstacle course when it comes to even the simple things like making friends. To build herself up and understand her place in the world is the author and person with autism, Keara...
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The Feeding Group - Helping Families Navigate ARFID
ARFID - Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder can affect neurodiverse populations more often than typically developed individuals. In this podcast, we chat with Lauren Hershfield and Elise Fairey, who lead a team of experts in diet and nutrition with their business “The Feeding Group”. Their...
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Wally Jackson and the Probability of Love and Car Accidents
Making a movie is tough. Making one about one's life experiences through the lens of autism, even tougher. We caught up with Austin Wolf, writer and producer of an upcoming independent film, Wally Jackson and the Probability of Love and Car Accidents, which he hopes adds to the greater...
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Respect - A Chat with Down syndrome Self-Advocate Paul Sawka
From writing blogs for the Canadian Down Syndrome Society to planning an autobiography, CDSS Awareness Leader, Paul Sawka does it all. We caught up with the staunch self-advocate in Calgary.
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Adelle Purdham: I Don't Do Disability and Other Lies I've Told Myself
Receiving the news that your unborn child has Down syndrome can be a shock to parents. In this Encouraging Abilities podcast, we chat with author Adelle Purdham and her emotionally driven book about what it's like as a parent raising a child with the condition, and how most issues are created...
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The Future is Bright - Students Developing Apps to Aid Disabilities
Not your typical high school students. Jora Singh Nahal and Inbal Tzafrir are motivated and atruistic. The pair of award-winning students are developing applications to benefit the disability community.
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Rising from the Ashes - One Man's Life Turns to Advocacy
Mike Shoreman was a regular guy running a paddle-boarding business in Ontario until Ramsay Hunt syndrome struck him down and forced him to re-evaluate his life. Since then he has become a staunch advocate for the disability and mental health communities, showing how overcoming adversity is in all...
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BC Artist and Author Creates Kids' Books that Focus on Diversity
Roz Maclean is a wonderful artist who hails from the Comox Valley. She has turned her passion and vision into a successful line of children's books that teach inclusion and diversity. www.rozmaclean.com TRANSCRIPT Evan: welcome back to DDA encouraging abilities podcast. I'm your host. DDA...
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Life Skills - Langley Mom Creates a Guide Inspired by Her Son
Inspired by her son, a Langley mom creates a book to help people with cognitive delays navigate daily life. TRANSCRIPT Evan: Welcome back to DDA. Is encouraging abilities podcast. I am your host. DDA, communications, manager, manager, Evan Kelly joining me in the studio, which is, of course, is...
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MakeGood - Using the Latest Tech to Create an Accessible World
Noam Platt is the founder of MakeGood, an organization in Louisiana specializing in designing and building devices for people with disabilities. We caught up with him about how new technologies are making it easier and cheaper to build an accessible world.
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Accessibility on Vancouver Island
He moved to Canada about 20 years ago from the UK and never left. We chat with accessibility consultant Ramesh Lad who aims to make Vancouver Island accessible to all. TRANSCRIPT 00:08 Welcome again to DDA's Encouraging Abilities podcast, where we chat about everything disability related. I'm…
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Theatre Terrific - Expanding the Horizons for Anyone With the Acting Bug
Laen Herschler knows his live theatre. The UBC PhD student has taken the reins of Vancouver's inclusive Theatre Terrific and encourages anyone of any ability to get involved. TRANSCRIPT Theatre Terrific – Expanding the Horizons for Anyone With the Acting Bug 00:09 Okay, we are back for another...
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Filling the Gap - Leash of Hope Assistance Dogs
It's a long process, and it's not cheap. We chat with the founders of Leash of Hope Assistance Dogs who are doing everything possible to meet the demand for service dogs to help the world become more accessible for people with disabilities. TRANSCRIPT Filling the Gap - Leash of Hope Assistance…
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Elliot Hedley: Disability Advocate One Song and One Documentary at a Time
The disability community must have self-advocates. Meet Elliot Hedley, budding songwriter, filmmaker, and screenwriter on why being a voice for his community is so important. TRANSCRIPT Elliot Hedley: Disability Advocate One Song and One Documentary at a Time 00:19 Welcome back to DDA's…
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Standing at the Intersection of Race and Disability is Rabia Khedr
It's one thing to have a disability and feel left out, it's another to be part of a marginalized group as well. We chat with Rabia Khedr, founder of Race and Disability Canada in this Encouraging Abilities podcast. TRANSCRIPT Standing at the Intersection of Race and Disability is Rabia Khedr…
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CURIKO - Filling the Spaces in Between
Community inclusion for people with developmental disabilities is and always will be a driving force for DDA. However, here in 2024, some new players and organizations are emerging to fill the spaces in between to help broaden horizons and cultivate relationships for people of all abilities. Say...
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The Life That's Chosen Me - From Russia With Love
Making personal sacrifices for your partner's career is one thing, creating a home in several countries while at the same time caring for a severely disabled child is another. We caught up with Rachelle Rosolofo-Czerwinski to talk about her new memoir, The Life That's Chosen Me - From Russia With...
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Vital People - A Career in Caregiving at DDA
Ratnam Mathur is one of our valued group home managers who, like many staff at DDA, found a calling that pulled them off a defined path and into a career that meant so much more than money and fancy titles. TRANSCRIPT Vital People – A Career in Caregiving at DDA 00:10 Welcome back to DDA's...
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Freeing Teresa - A Chat with Authors Franke James and Her Husband Bill
Freeing Teresa, a new book by Franke James, her husband Bill, and Franke's sister Teresa talks about the challenges a family can face when it comes to the care and consideration of a family member who has developmental disabilities. On one side, is the freedom to choose, on the other is family...
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Healthy People - Longer Lives
He's a man on a mission. Meindert Hinlopen hopes to level the playing field when it comes to personal training. His company's focus is to help people with developmental disabilities get in shape and find their passion. Say hello to Spectrum Health in this Encouraging Abilities podcast! TRANSCRIPT...
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Jamie Dri Success Story: Celebrating 15 Years With Jobs West
For many, success is defined by job title and bank accounts. For Jamie Dri, overcoming crushing anxiety and living independently means she is on top of her game. She has been a part of DDA's employment program, Jobs West, for the last 15 years and has no plans to stop! She shares her lived...
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Managing Anxiety in Autism: Going Full Improv with Dr. Nathan Keates
A chance meeting on 'X' has DDA chatting with Dr. Nathan Keates, in London, England about his Ph.D. thesis that postulates improv theatre has a benefit for autistic people when it comes to managing anxiety and more. TRANSCRIPT Managing Anxiety in Autism: Going Full Improv with Dr. Nathan Keates...
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Dementia and Alzheimer’s - When Caregiving is Vital
At some point in our lives, we will all be touched by dementia or Alzheimer's disease. Unfortunately, in the developmental disability community, these conditions are more likely to show up. We connect with Karen Tyrell, author of Cracking the Dementia Code and consultant to the DDA community....
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Looking to the Future of Caregiving: Artifical Intelligence
Good caregivers are few and far between. It's a tough sector to keep staff for several reasons. So what's the answer for supporting an aging population or people with disabilities? Artificial Intelligence is already starting to play a role. We caught up with Mercer Gary from Drexel University in...
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Making Travel Accessible to the Neurodivergent Community
In this episode of DDA's Encouraging Abilities podcast, we chat with Angela Faminoff, owner of Travel With Ange travel agency based in Victoria, BC. A champion of the disability community, it's her mission to make sure everyone sees the world. TRANSCRIPT Making Travel Accessible to the...
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Sirota’s Alchymy: A Doorway to inclusion
A local man is nothing short of a pioneer when it comes to inclusion. Master Michael Sirota has been teaching Taekwondo and Hapkido to the disability community for over 20 years and feels there is nothing they can't accomplish through the practice of martial arts. TRANSCRIPT Sirota’s Alchymy: A...
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Connecting on the ice and pitch with Sportability BC
Adaptive sports are expanding in B.C. In this podcast, we connect with Jade Werger from Sportability BC and what they are doing to improve the lives of people with disabilities. TRANSCRIPT Connecting on the Ice and Pitch with SportAbility BC 00:06 Hello and welcome to DDA's Encouraging Abilities...
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Changing Attitudes One Street at a Time
The City of Vancouver is making strides with its Accessibility Strategy. DDA chats with the city's Accessibility Planner, Karen Lai who offers perspectives from her lived experiences. TRANSCRIPT Changing Attitudes One Street at a Time 00:06 Hello and welcome back to another episode of…
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DDA Chats with Disability Advocate Spencer van Vloten
Success will come when advocating and fostering change in prevailing attitudes when it comes to disabilities. In this episode of DDA's Encouraging Abilities podcast, we chat with well-known disability advocate Spencer van Vloten who prides himself on being a champion for the disability community....
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Roshni is a Self-Advocate with a Mission to Feed!
Roshni Kashyap was born to make food. The young woman with Down syndrome started a chutney business and is poised to launch a cookbook. However, she has many other talents and her whole life to explore them. Including publishing a book of poetry. Available on Amazon is Don't Forget You're...
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Kello Inclusive: Edmonton-based Modeling Agency is Starting to Get Noticed
Not even two years old, Kello Inclusive Modeling Agency, based in Edmonton already has some massive brands seeking them out. But what's more important is the clients they represent. We chat with founder Katie MacMillan. TRANSCRIPT Kello Inclusive: Edmonton-based Modeling Agency is Starting to Get...
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DDA Talks Accessibilty with Brad McCannell
B.C. is a leader when it comes to accessibility. Just ask The Rick Hansen Foundation's Brad McCannell. However, attitudes still need to shift in order to guarantee inclusion for everyone, and that means making noise so everyone is heard. TRANSCRIPT DDA Talks Accessibility with Brad McCannell…
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His Name is Nicholas
Inspired by an accident ten years ago that left her brother with a life-changing intellectual disability, a young B.C. artist creates a book about inclusion. DDA chats with Invermere's Veronika Kitzul. TRANSCRIPT His Name is Nicholas 00:05 Welcome to DDA's Encouraging Abilities podcast. I'm your...
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Ableism Prompts a New Awareness Campaign
Ableism is an issue. From inadequate designs to being left out or looked down upon, ableism prevents many from being included in everyday life. The Office of the BC Human Rights Commissioner and Disability Alliance BC have joined forces to address the issue and created a new awareness campaign...
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A Chat with Dr. Jaimie Borisoff: On the Forefront of Wheelchair Design
Accessibility affects many people, and even one day, perhaps yourself. In this Encouraging Abilities Podcast, we connected with Dr. Jaimie Borisoff who runs a development program at BCIT with an eye on designing better wheelchairs and other adaptive equipment that helps people stay included....
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Transforming the World One Building at a Time With Karin Pasqua
Accessibility should not be an afterthought. Buildings and spaces should not be designed for people with no disabilities only. Because, as Karin Pasqua of Meaningful Access Consultants says, we are all going to be affected at some point in our lives by accessibility issues. With that in mind, we...
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70 Years of Doing the Impossible
The Developmental Disabilities Association's Executive Director Alanna Hendren talks about the association's 70th anniversary, where the organization has been, and where it's headed in the 21st century. A staunch advocate for people with developmental disabilities, Alanna Hendren has been…
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A Chat with Dr. Laverne Jacobs - Canada’s First Member of the UN’s Committee on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities
Dr. Laverne Jacobs is making Canada proud. Not only has she published one of the first books on disability law in Canada, but has recently been elected to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities. And...she has another book in the works! TRANSCRIPT: Evan Kelly 0:05...
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DDA Talks to Author and Professor Deborah Stienstra About the Current Disability Rights Landscape in Canada
Rights are usually a foregone conclusion in Canada, however, when it comes to people with disabilities, their rights are sometimes overlooked, or, at best, not really taken into consideration. Accessibility matters, inclusion matters, but making sure these things are enforced and protected takes…
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Music Therapy - A Universal Language
Esther Thane is an expert in music therapy whose team helps families with children who have autism communicate and reach behavioral objectives while exploring the universal language of music. TRANSCRIPT Evan Kelly 0:04 So welcome back to DDA's Encouraging Abilities podcast. I'm your host, Evan...
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DDA talks to $10 a day childcare advocate Sharon Gregson
DDA operates nine child development centres in Vancouver and Richmond. As the province shifts towards a $10-a-day childcare system, we reached out to childcare advocate Sharon Gregson about where we are now and where we need to be when it comes to reaching that goal. TRANSCRIPT: Evan Kelly 0:04...
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Accessibility Needs to be Universal: A Chat with CANBC Founder Heather McCain
Heather McCain is the creator of www.canbc.org, a disability advocate website born out of need that offers workshops and support for those in the disability community and the disability Queer community. As Pride Month comes to an end for another year, it's good to raise awareness that people in...
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Protecting the Most Vulnerable from the Heat of Climate Change
DDA talks with Jeanne Hansen who's sister, Tracey McKinley, who suffered mental health issues, died in the heat dome of 2021. Despite new government policy, what can we do to better protect people who can't protect themselves? TRANSCRIPT: Evan Kelly 0:05 So welcome back to DDA's Encouraging...
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DDA Talks to Delia Meinhardt, Assistant Director of Employment with Jobs West
Finding a job is a dauting experience for anyone. Now, imagine having a developmental disability. There are many barriers that can prevent you from finding work and gaining independence. Fortunately, there are people like Delia Meinhardt who helps run DDA's social enterprise operation, Jobs West....
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DDA Interview With Christie Faye Collins
Christie Faye Collins is Autistic. Like many in the disability community, finding a partner isn't always easy. So, she is creating NOMI. A new dating app specifically for the disability and neurodiverse community. www.nomiconnect.net is still in the testing phase and Christie and her team hope to...
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DDA Talks to Nathan Shipley During National AccessAbility Week
Nathan Shipley was born with Cerebral Palsy. Today he is a public speaker and does not see himself as disabled. DDA reached out to him during National AccessAbility Week to talk about his life and what it means to build accessible communities. TRANSCRIPT: Evan Kelly 0:05 Welcome to the...
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Accessible, Assistive Technology: A Chat With Keegan Newberry Asst. Director at DDA
May 29th to June 4th is National Accessibility Week in Canada. We sat down with Keegan Newberry, DDA's Assistant Director of Assistive Technology, to discuss what's happening in the community and business world to help facilitate accessibility for people with developmental disabilities.…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
A podcast dedicated to the developmental disability community.
HOSTED BY
communicationsz8
CATEGORIES
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Encouraging Abilities Podcast have?
Encouraging Abilities Podcast currently has 52 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Encouraging Abilities Podcast about?
A podcast dedicated to the developmental disability community.
How often does Encouraging Abilities Podcast release new episodes?
Encouraging Abilities Podcast has 52 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Encouraging Abilities Podcast?
You can listen to Encouraging Abilities Podcast on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Encouraging Abilities Podcast?
Encouraging Abilities Podcast is created and hosted by communicationsz8.
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