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Neil Squire Update: September 2021
Neil Squire logo in the background. Text reads: We use technology, knowledge and passion to empower Canadians with disabilities.

Rayanne's Summer at Neil Squire

A Neil Squire Success

Meet Rayanne. This summer, she has been an important part of the Neil Squire Prairie Region team, wearing several hats from computer tutoring to administrative work.

“I have mild cerebral palsy, and I deal with anxiety and depression,” she says.

“I have been working in a Computer Comfort Coordinator position,” she explains. “This involves teaching clients various computer skills to utilize in gaining employment. I also do administration work such as file auditing, answering phones, customer service, inventory, organization, and everyday general office duties.

“My favourite part about the work is that it helps make others’ jobs easier by alleviating some of their tasks and that it serves a clientele that I can often relate to and empathize with.”


What’s next? Her plan is to find employment in office-related or retail positions within the nonprofit/humanitarian industry or the service industry.

Visit our website to read more success stories.

“A True Sense of Helping and of Purpose” for Ron

A Working Together Success

When Ron joined our Working Together program in Penticton, he was working full-time at a physically demanding job. He was looking for a way to transition to a more physically sustainable position where he could be more creative.

“I have upper and lower airways disease, effectively only a third of lung capacity,” he explains. “[I also have] L4/L5 L5/S1 back damage.”

Now, Ron is working part-time at his old job, along with doing IT work and consulting for non-profits as well as businesses across town. He is uniquely placed as the person who fills the niche his village needs.

“There have been many improvements, more energy at the end of the day, better quality of life. A true sense of helping and of purpose," he says.

“Working with Neil Squire was a breath of fresh air. Helpful, active, and there to help get things moving and done. Very much appreciated.”

Visit our website to read more success stories.

Ginevra Gains Confidence From Assistive Technology

A WorkBC Assistive Technology Success

Ginevra is an outreach worker at the Powell River Brain Injury Society. Her duties range from assisting clients in activities like arts and crafts and preparing lunches, to gathering client information during the intake process.

“I have Recurrent Transverse Myelitis, which is a neurological condition in my spine that affects various peripheral nerves in my body. I experience numbness and lack of dexterity in my hands, especially my dominant hand,” she says.

Through WorkBC Assistive Technology Services, Ginevra received Dragon Professional software, which allows her to input text by speaking instead of typing, and a Livescribe pen and notebook, which allows her to digitize her handwritten notes. She also received training to use these assistive technologies.

It is extremely helpful to use the Livescribe pen for client intake meetings, as my writing is illegible to even myself sometimes while I retrain my hand to write,” she explains. “Dragon software is very helpful when fatigue or a flare-up in my neurological symptoms renders my hand ineffective at typing. On good days, it speeds up my ability to input details, as my typing is very slow otherwise.

“I feel more confident in my ability to perform my duties at work, and not fall behind.”

Visit our website to read more WorkBC Assistive Technology Services success stories.

Tyler's Passion for "User-Focused" Designs

A Makers Making Change Success

Meet one of our Makers Making Change engineering interns: Tyler. Based out of Edmonton, Alberta, Tyler has been instrumental in outreach efforts in that city.

He's been a long-time maker. Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at seven years old and frustrated with the one-size-fits-all nature of many of the devices he needed in day-to-day life, he innovated his own solutions. A competitive snowboarder when he was younger, Tyler designed clips for his insulin pump that didn’t pinch as bad when he was doing tricks.

“Designing with people with disabilities, rather than for them, is a big thing that’s important to me,” he says.

Recently, Tyler made a video bridging two causes he’s passionate about — making and D-Camps, a summer camp for children with diabetes.
Click the image to view this video on YouTube.
Visit our website to read more Makers Making Change success stories.

Start Your Employment Journey Today

Join Our Working Together Program

We’re looking for people just like you to join our Working Together program. We’ll help you develop the skills needed to achieve your employment goals. Our program is unique, comprehensive, and most importantly, focused on you.

Visit our website for more information. 

Join Us For a Webinar

September 21st to February 8th

Our Working Together webinar series starts again on September 21st! We'll cover topics that support job seekers with disabilities, people who face barriers to employment, as well as businesses interested in hiring or supporting existing staff. 

To see a full listing of our webinars and to register, please visit: www.neilsquire.ca/webinarseries.

Welcome to LipSync V3.0

Available Now

We’ve been working hard to improve the LipSync and are proud to announce the open beta release of our LipSync V3.0 firmware. After months of development, internal testing, and a closed beta with a small group of LipSync users, we are now ready to share it with a wider audience.

The improvements include:

  • Reducing Cursor Drift
  • Additional Mounting Angle Choice
  • Creating an Application Programming Interface
  • Enhanced Performance
Visit our website to read all about the update.

We'd love your feedback on this update.

Your input will help us refine LipSync V3.0 so it best meets your needs, and will inform future LipSync development.

You can leave us feedback publicly on our forum post for the LipSync V3.0 beta. You can also email us your feedback directly to info@makersmakingchange.com.

We're Looking For Testers

Join Our Study and Earn a $55 Honorarium

Do you have difficulty using your hands and arms and have trouble using a traditional mouse or track pad? Do you use an alternative mouse pointing device such as Quadjoy, Jouse, LipSync, trackball, etc.? If so, we could use your help with our pointing devices study.

Participants will be paid a $55 honorarium for a 30 minute session that you can do from your own home.

Please contact rd.info@neilsquire.ca if interested.

Support Our Work

Every Gift Makes an Impact

Your support enables access to life-changing technology and knowledge, and invests in bridging the divide between disabled and non-disabled Canadians.

visit our website to donate now

For other ways to give or to learn more about how your donation will make an impact, please visit our website.

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Neil Squire | 400 - 3999 Henning Drive, Burnaby, BC V5C 6P9