“COVID cut me off from community,” says Hayley. “All the regular resources for computer and job searching help were closed due to COVID.”
Neil Squire Update: August 2021
A “Renewed Sense of Community” for Hayley
A Neil Squire Success
“COVID cut me off from community,” says Hayley. “All the regular resources for computer and job searching help were closed due to COVID.”
Hayley lives with a thyroid condition. She experiences muscle weakness, stiffness, and fatigue.
Looking for work, she joined the Working Together program. She was also able to benefit from the Solutions program for an assistive technology and ergonomics assessment. After this, she received a laptop, ergonomic mouse, and laptop tray through the Digital Jumpstart program. She is currently receiving tutoring once a week.
With the help of Working Together, Hayley landed a job as a Home Care Aide in Ottawa.
She says, “I was so appreciative to be eligible for assistance from Neil Squire’s Working Together and Digital Jumpstart programs. The ergonomic considerations for working on solutions for my physical disabilities was like I was worth something and I felt spoiled. My eyes are welling up realizing how much help I have received and continue to receive from Neil Squire.
“This is my thank you letter: Thank you for helping me go from the depths of despair in feeling isolated to being lifted up by this program and to have made a friend, then having been doing so well to share my journey and now I have a renewed sense of community and my connection has survived COVID."
“I have ADHD, which causes me to lose focus some days," says Luke. "I may not get ready for work soon enough because I have been late for work occasionally.”
With the help of Working Together, Luke landed a part-time cleaning position at Summer Street Industries. The wage subsidy through Working Together allowed Summer Street to provide additional hands-on, one-on-one, small group, and shadow training to ensure his success.
Seeing his stellar performance, Summer Street offered Luke a position as a production contract worker at a large local manufacturer. He now works both roles, and he loves them both.
“I have learned so much and have more confidence in myself. I learned to take pride in myself and to get to work on time! [...] I hope other people like me find this program. It helped me so much, I feel pretty lucky!”
“Having had a stroke in 2016, I am trying to give back to my community by helping others have a more accessible and inclusive life at home,” he explains.
After an assessment from an occupational therapist, Alfred received Dragon Professional and training to dictate to his computer, a proper ergonomic mouse, and hearing aids.
“The mouse and Dragon software I received are extremely helpful to prepare my reports, and as I have only one functional hand, typing with my left hand is terribly slow and time consuming. The hearing aids I received dramatically improve my hearing for meetings and one on one assessments with my clients.”
Scott Helps Develop Assistive Technology for His Capstone Project
A Makers Making Change Success
When fourth year UBC engineering student Scott Beaulieu was looking for a capstone project to take on, one idea really stood out.
The Yuel Family Physical Activity Research Centre (PARC) at ICORD was looking for a team to design an Arm Cycle Controller for an Xbox One, so that people with spinal cord injuries could get valuable exercise through hand cycling, while partaking in the social aspects of playing a game with others online.
Scott joined a team with four other engineering students. Makers Making Change and Microsoft provided valuable support on the project.
“Putting it together and actually seeing it work was something we all wanted to do, because we wanted this to be able to be used, to be iterated on and updated, and not just be some imaginative thing that’s possible," says Scott.
The team earned an applied science faculty award for their capstone project from UBC's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.
Wanting to continue in the assistive technology sector, he joined Makers Making Change as an engineering intern. “I thought it was a really nice way to sort of give back to the community at large,” says Scott. “That’s why I got into engineering — it’s a way that I can use something I enjoy and something that I have a passion for to directly help people,” he says.
You are receiving the Neil Squire Update because you are a friend or affiliate of Neil Squire. Get involved with us! Do you have questions, comments, suggestions or ideas? Write to us at info@neilsquire.ca.
