The Voice - Voice of Albertans with Disabilities Staff Chat

Join the staff at VAD as we chat about the organization, challenges and services provided.  

Transcript

Teresa Makarewich, Program & Services Manager

Welcome to the voice of Albertans with Disabilities podcast for August 2024. I'm Teresa Makarewich, your host and VADs program and service manager. Thanks for joining us today. Voice of Albertans with disability gratefully acknowledges that what we call Alberta is the traditional and ancestral territories and gathering place for diverse indigenous people whose histories, languages and cultures continue to influence our vibrant community. Please. We make this acknowledgement as an act of reconciliation and gratitude to the many First Nations, Metis settlements and the six regions of the Metis nation of Alberta and Inuit who have lived in and cared for these lands for generations. Hy. Hy.

VAD is for talking with local agencies to learn about the resources that are available to disability community. But in today's podcast, it will be the employees of VAD. We actively promote full participation in society and provide a voice for Albertans with disabilities. Please join me as I speak with my coworkers about the services we offer across Alberta. Together we hold the power. 

Good morning, everyone. Can we each take a moment to briefly introduce yourself and state your role and we'll start with you.

Michelle Bissell, Education Coordinator

Hi, I'm Michelle Bissell, and I'm the education coordinator.

Leslie Lambert, Executive Administrator

Leslie. Lambert, I'm the executive administrator here at. VAD

Ashley Pfaff,  Front desk - Student

And then Ashley Pfaff,  front desk.

Teresa Makarewich, Program & Services Manager

Teresa, I am the program services manager and then we have a vacant position right now, which is an accessibility coordinator. So can you each tell the audience about your role For those who don't know what VAD does?

Michelle Bissell, Education Coordinator

Well, I give disability awareness presentations from kindergarten, Grade 12 to university and organizations and businesses.

Leslie Lambert, Executive Administrator

Leslie, my name is Leslie Lambert and Im the executive administrator here. My duties include, but are not limited to, the daily operations of VAD doing reports, providing support to the staff and managing the financial .  with the assistance of Teresa we track and submit reports for government grants and funding on responsible to ensure that the staff are paid bimonthly, as well as insuring the monthly expenses are paid from the proper accounts. We have volunteers who work for BINGOS, for VAD, and our share of the profits from the bingos are a huge part of how we are able to keep our Doors open. However, the Alberta Gaming License Commission has regulations on what expenses we can use from the income we receive from the BINGOS and casinos that are worked for us. I help keep our record straight so we only spend the amount of funds allowed according to the AGLC guidelines. It is also my job to monitor the financial  Expenses to ensure the budget is balanced  At year end. Having awareness of the revenue and expenses throughout the year, This includes working with the bookkeepers and accountants on a regular basis. I also keep in touch with the treasurer of the board to ensure she's aware of the financial status of VAD. Working with the staff has included new contracts for the staff, having Ashley from EmployAbilities through her practicum here for 140 hours of training, attending presentations from Michelle our education coordinator who provides invaluable insight into working alongside, of and with persons with disabilities. And attending events and resource fairs with Teresa, our program and services manager and the glue that held the office together during the past year of upheaval. Being involved in the daily operations of that has included relocating our office location from the HYS center to the Royal Alex Place where our lease was over at the high center. This was a huge feat that could not have been accomplished without Teresa's planning and execution of the move and Relocation of the office equipment we hookups of telephones, computers, printers and other details involved in moving an office. 

Another part of my job includes getting our name out into the world, and to do that I attend resource fairs and events, usually with Teresa or sometimes with the VAD President, Katrina Breau. I have participated in events held by the City of Edmonton, including the mayor's luncheon, the Equitable Employment Leadership Summit, as well as the Edmonton Chamber of Nonprofit annual General Meeting. I took part in a learning and networking event for nonprofit leaders in Calgary, the Canada Disability and event Benefit in Edmonton and the spinal  cord injury Alberta resource fair, I am planning on participating in the Jerry Ford Center for Community Spirit Trade show in September as well as being an exhibitor with Teresa at the 2024 Deam Idea Conference network event hosted by Alberta Employment  First network - during my spare time haha - I have reviewed resumes and have tentative people available to be interviewed for a case manager with the psychology degree and advocacy and front office assistant. I've done the finances to ensure the hiring of these staff would not have a negatively financial impact and would benefit the clientele who are in great need of these services. Hopefully we get back, we'll be able to expand our staff in the near future. I'm happy to be employed by such an important nonprofit organization and staff.

Ashley Pfaff,  Front desk - Student

And yourself? I answer the phones, book appointments, give resources, data entry and greet customers when they come into the office.

Leslie Lambert, Executive Administrator

Right.

Teresa Makarewich, Program & Services Manager

And you're learning lots.

Ashley Pfaff,  Front desk - Student

Yes, every single day.

Teresa Makarewich, Program & Services Manager

OK. And then myself, Teresa, I wear many hats in the office, but my main area of work is to help individuals on a one to one basis on AISH application forms, Canada Pension Plan disability forms, Edmonton's leisure access pass forms, personal taxes for low income individuals during tax season, disability tax credit application forms, old age security forms, Alberta adult health benefit forms, referrals for RDSP's and we also refer individuals to other agencies where they can better get resources for the individual needs and issues. 

But let's talk about the history of the association and how it came to be . 

Voice of Albertans with disabilities came into existence in 1973. Originally called the Alberta Committee of Action Groups for the Disabilities - in 1986 they changed their name to the Alberta Committee of Disabled Citizens. In 1990, the Alberta Committee of Citizens with Disabilities changed his name again and in May 2016 became voice of Albertans with disabilities. Originally, ACCD was an organization of people with disabilities working for people with disabilities. This consumer directed philosophy was the core of ACCD's belief system. Consumers were the cornerstone of the organization. They motivated, shaped and drove us forward. It was the belief that it was ACCD's duty to forge paths, raise awareness, and work closely with communities across Alberta under the guidance and direction of the disability community. Prior to the inception of ACCD, supports for persons with disabilities were most often provided by publicly funded organizations. As a person with disabilities, they were the consumers of the services being provided and strongly believed that they needed to be involved in the choices that were being made for them. Hence the terms consumers and the consumer movement came to have special meaning in the community as the movement strengthened, gaining momentum, we shook off the passive role  Recipient, gaining more, a more active voice and shaping programs and services meant to meet them. Means. It is for this reason that Alberta Committee of Citizens with Disability was formed in 1973 and since then the voice of Albertans with disabilities has been a provincial cross disability organization of individuals with physical, mental, sensory learning and intellectual disabilities. We are dedicated to improving the quality of life of People with disabilities, through our efforts, supports and services and referrals. Our mission is to actively promote full participation in society and provide a voice for Albertans with disabilities and the work of voice of Albertans with disability, participation, accessibility and equity. So now we'll ask, what are the challenges provided to you providing support services for the Community in your role?

Michelle Bissell, Education Coordinator

One of the challenges I face, and not too often, but is when when I have to travel. That is difficult for me to travel, but thank goodness there are other ways that we can meet this so.

Teresa Makarewich, Program & Services Manager

What makes it harder it when You travel?

Michelle Bissell, Education Coordinator

right now. It's hard for me to get in the car, let alone sit in the car for hours at a time. And also if I have to stay in a hotel room. I'm not set up, probably in any hotel room right now, because I can't sleep in the. Bed

 what about their attending presentations, 

attend presentations - Booking DATs can be a challenge and the right there in the home could be long, so it's exhausting that way. And also being on time. So I have to make sure I. Have to book enough time so if the DATs is running late then I'm Still on time.

Teresa Makarewich, Program & Services Manager

And what about accessibility issues?

Michelle Bissell, Education Coordinator

That is an issue as well, and when I enter when I book a presentation with the school, I have a discussion on whether the the school is accessible and then I get into more detail because accessibility or accessible to me, Means something totally different to other people. So I ask is there a ramp, how steep it is? Are there buttons for the door? Are the bathrooms? Accessible is. Is it a big bathroom and small bathroom? Are there bars and the classroom has to be accessible too? Because myself and my my team, we all use some kind of equipment like scooters or wheelchairs and we need a pathway. Up to the front of the classroom.

So they quite often have to rearrange the classroom so with their desk so we can actually get in there for me. 

Leslie Lambert, Executive Administrator

My challenge is providing support services for the community. And my role Is - I would like to be able to help them more. I find that another challenge would be lack of staff. in Teresa's role, I'm sure she could  Of been cloned two or three times and that way we could serve more people. Our mandate, as far as I can see here, is to help the clientele and We're doing the best we can, but we have limited staff, so I think the biggest hurdle for me to provide services is the lack of staff that we have and the lack of ability we only have so many hours in a day.

Ashley Pfaff,  Front desk - Student

I am  very new to my role, so I'm still trying to learn as much as possible to help as many people as I can.

Teresa Makarewich, Program & Services Manager

Which are some of the areas that I feel like in my role is the lack of knowledge about VAD services. So things like this podcast are helpful to get the word out about our free services. Another area that I find often is a lack of doctors in Alberta or doctors not willing to help fill out a benefit reporting application or doctor fees that range from 50 to $500 and are not affordable. Those are a common complaints we hear from the community. And it is that's opinion that other agencies should be willing to provide these services, especially for online applications like income support, where the client is unable to complete a paper copy of the application.

Leslie Lambert, Executive Administrator

I find that a huge lack of support from the people that do the aish BenefitsIs really frustrating because I don't feel that they honestly take the time to Review the applications and Empathize with the people that are applying and really look at what the clientele need.

Teresa Makarewich, Program & Services Manager

I agree. Please share your thoughts where we better the lives of individuals with disabilities.

Michelle Bissell, Education Coordinator

Well, in my role, I mean, I'm educating thousands of people every year, although disability and some of the challenges people with lived experience faith every day and that creates we're fully backed and all that information is passed on And which helps normalize disability.

Leslie Lambert, Executive Administrator

Well, I think the best way I can help People with disabilities is to help my staff because without the staff being able to be supported properly, they can't give the support that they are trained to do and the staff here is just phenomenal. We provide a wonderful service free of charge to the public and they need to be commended. Thank you.

Teresa Makarewich, Program & Services Manager

Perfect. And you, Ashley, any thoughts?

Ashley Pfaff,  Front desk - Student

You help people every day who need the Help would need the resources that may not be able to get it on their own.

Teresa Makarewich, Program & Services Manager

That's true when we do share a lot of resources. Yes, for myself, our support resort referral staff consistently report clients thankfulness and relief because of the assistance we provide, many individuals find filling out paperwork to be very overwhelming and often give up without assistance. We've seen a significant increase in referrals from other agencies, including government departments like income support and AISH,  agencies such as George Spady, E4C Boyal St. and Bissell Center. We appear to be one of the very few agencies that help persons with disabilities with free form assistance in the city and across Alberta. How does someone get ahold of your services?

Michelle Bissell, Education Coordinator

They can go on their website. Phone me.

Leslie Lambert, Executive Administrator

I have the same answer. Basically our website is very important to, thanks to Teresa and it gives our phone number our e-mail and they can contact us and reach out to us in numerous weeks.

Ashley Pfaff,  Front desk - Student

My answer is pretty much the same, You come into our office too, we Can help you in person.

Teresa Makarewich, Program & Services Manager

The Office number is 780-488-9088 and our website is www.vadsociety.ca. You can always reach us at vad@vadsociety.ca as well to book services. We do both services by appointment only, so please call ahead of the time. What do you hope to see In the future for the VAD society?

Michelle Bissell, Education Coordinator

And my my role, I would love to see more presentations of all all professions, all organizations, schools, of course. And I hope that we get busy. And I thought we can hire another coordinator.

Nice.

Leslie Lambert, Executive Administrator

I would like to see more staff in order to help more people with disabilities like Michelle just said. Another person to do presentations and more awareness of what we can do and how we can help the organizations, the schools, the businesses, government agencies so that they're more aware of What we do and how we can help individuals.

Teresa Makarewich, Program & Services Manager

Perfect, Ashley.

Ashley Pfaff,  Front desk - Student

And to be able to help as many people as possible to make a difference to as many as We can.

Teresa Makarewich, Program & Services Manager

Nice I like that. I say that start offering computer use services. We're getting set up, but we're not quite ready yet. I'd like to see us as a growing society that offers individuals a place to communicate their issues and needs that can be brought to the Community and the government through VADs collaboration with other organizations. I would like to see a larger membership of corporate retailers and organizational service providers and would like to see that Members use the login portal for the news Board with resources for Alberta off our website. So what is an interesting fact about your role in VAD that everyone should know?

Michelle Bissell, Education Coordinator

Well, the education I provide is timeless. It's always needed and it doesn't matter what your age or what your station in life is, it's useful.

Leslie Lambert, Executive Administrator

In my role as the executive administrator, the people need to understand that I try and help these staff in the office that I do not pretend to know the details of the work that they do and the resources that they have. I count on my staff a lot and my staff doesn't let me down. I'm very proud of it.

Ashley Pfaff,  Front desk - Student

Help is always needed, and We're always happy to help.

Teresa Makarewich, Program & Services Manager

Since joining VAD I have participated in many training opportunities. My favorite so far being the videography and editing courses I've taken, so I've become confident in creating photography videos and now podcasts and this is an area I really enjoy in my part in my job as part of the graphic design and videography. So thank you to everyone for your time and energy today. Your support in the Community is of value to all. Is there anything else you want to say today that I haven't? Asked you so. Nope, no. OK, thank you for joining VADs Podcasts, voice of Albertans disabilities, is across disability nonprofit organization other for people with disabilities. We are guided by the principles of accessibility, equity and inclusion. Learn about bad services on their website at www.VADsociety.ca or call the office 780-488-9088 For more information. And if you have a topic you'd like to hear more about in a podcast, please e-mail myself at vad@vadsociety.ca with topic ideas, speaker suggestions, or your feedback. Signing off for the day together, we hold the power.

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