We're Running for Belonging, Looking for New Team Members and Sharing Resources!
ENHANCING POSSIBILITIES - EMPOWERING LIVES
BE - Informed - BE- Involved
Opportunities to Learn, Connect, Collaborate & Build Community
First we bowled then we boogied, this summer we bid, and this month, some of our board members and their friends are running for belonging! Daryl Dore, Jamie Moffat, Emily Schurter and Jess Platt, former player on the Toronto Furies ice hockey team, along with Fraser MacLean are participating in the ScotiaBank Charity Challenge, a series of virtual runs to raise money for people and families living with disabilities to reduce isolation, over come barriers to inclusion and experience belonging in community.
We've already raised over $4000!
Now its your turn to "Take the Next Step"
and help us raise as much as possible by sponsoring our runners.
Simply click the Run for Belonging Image orthe Donate Now button below
Belonging is a fundamental human need, so why not at work? At Bridges to Belonging we are intentional about creating a culture of belonging, where everyone feels valued, respected, appreciated, and accepted regardless of role or responsibilities. We are all people first!
If you are passionate about youth and adults with disabilities living the life they choose supported by their families and surrounded by a community of belonging, we invite you to consider joining our dynamic team of Independent Facilitators.
As an Independent Facilitator, you will affirm the inherent dignity and rights of the people you work with as you “walk with them” and their family to create plans, set goals, explore possibilities and achieve their desires to actively participate as a citizen in their community; build a network of unpaid support; be empowered to express their gifts; overcome social isolation; live free of barriers to inclusion, and find a sense of belonging.
If you are creative and resilient and enjoy working with people in complex and dynamic situations using a grassroots approach; can work well independently and as part of a team; are capable of deeply listening to the needs and wants of others; can take direction from the people you are in-service to; understand the balance of power as it relates to vulnerable populations; are gifted with superior relationship development, interpersonal, communication and networking skills; have excellent knowledge of community-based resources in Waterloo Region, and share our vision for “Communities where people of all abilities belong and are connected through meaningful relationships," we invite you to submit your resume with a cover letter telling us about your gifts and the reason you want to be an Independent Facilitator with Bridges to Belonging to: info@bridgestobelonging.ca
Emily Schurter - Board Chair
Emily was voted in as the new Chair of the Bridges to Belonging Board at our AGM in September. She is passionate about community and removing barriers to inclusion in our communities because she believes "everyone deserves to feel like they belong." Since becoming a member of the board, Emily rolled up her sleeves and jumped in with both feet. Most recently she along with two other members of the board signed up to run in the Scotiabank Marathon to raise funds for BtoBe. We are grateful that Emily chose to contribute her gifts, strengths, passion and experience to helping to build bridges and communities where people of all abilities belong and are connected though meaningful relationships.
Daryl Dore - Vice Chair Daryl was voted as Vice-Char of the Bridges to Belonging Board at our AGM in September. Having grown up with a family member with a disability, Daryl witnessed his aunt living a full and meaning life on her terms and the impact of a strong and supportive network. From the moment Daryl joined the board, his mantra was and continues to be "how can I help?" In spite of a busy career and young family, Daryl finds time to do whatever needs to be done to help people learn about Bridges to Belonging and stay connected with his technical strengths and marketing gifts. He too signed up for the Scotiabank Marathon to raise funds for BtoBe to fulfill our mission.
In our next and future editions of BE-Informed, you will meet more of our Board Members, Staff and Volunteers.
L.I.N.K.S - FOR YOUTH BY YOUTH
Join us for these five FREE workshops where YOUTH supported by two people they choose explore their gifts, strengths, relationships, and community resources and create a plan the future they want at the same time. For more information and to register click the link below.
JOIN THE MOVEMENT TO FINDING HOPE IN THE MIDST OF THE PANDEMIC
TO LEARN MORE CLICK HERE
TO VIEW THE VIDEO CLICK HERE
HOPE 101 Webinar: How the four-letter word can help us with the things that are coming When we think of COVID-19, climate emergency, violence, poverty, or political unrest, what does it mean to have hope? On a personal level, when faced with sickness, conflict, or overwhelming difficulty, do you have hope? This workshop offers an introduction to hope from various perspectives (e.g. philosophical, spiritual, political, medical) and explores how this four-letter word can help us with the difficult things that are coming. We will learn together from a variety of sources, and we will exercise our “hope muscles”.
Date: Monday November 16th, 1:00 – 4:00 pm
By the end of the workshop, you should be able to:
Identify some of the main prospects and pitfalls of hope in general
Explain why hope on the personal level connects with hope on the level of community.
Give voice to your own personal opinion about whether or not hope can help us with the things that are coming.
Instructor: Matthew Bailey-Dick has worked as an educator in both academic and non-academic settings, as a pastor in two Mennonite churches, and as a hospice volunteer. His research interests include death education, nonviolent social movements, and the theory and practice of hope.
BE-Connected
Come and hangout with us. Our virtual space where people are connecting and making new friends is in full swing with new people joining in every week. There is no commitment, come and stay as long as you want, participate as much as you are comfortable and you can even turn off your video if you prefer.
BE-Connected is a safe space for people to meet, share in some conversation and hopefully make some new friends.
We would love to have you come and hang out with us. We are online every Wednesday from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Use this ZOOM link to Join our BE-Connected Virtual Hangout .
COVID-19 One Time Disability Tax Credit Payment Application Deadline Extended to December 31, 2020
The federal government is providing a ONE-TIME non-taxable, non-reportable, payment of up to $600 in recognition of the extraordinary expenses incurred by persons with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. The payment is intended to complement other emergency supports, such as the one-time special payment through the Goods and Services Tax Credit and the one-time payment to seniors.
Microboards Ontario is hosting lots of great courses this fall, including Microboards 103: Legal Aspects You Need to Know with Brendan Pooran on November 4th 1-3 pm. To learn more about and register for this and other courses, click here.
PLAN Institute and The Sibling Collaborative: Virtual Meetup Facilitator's Training, Beginning November 5th
These workshops - half on Zoom and half online - will empower siblings to host workshops connected to the organizations that they work with. For more information and to register click here. For further questions email Rebecca Pauls at rpauls@plan.ca.
ECHO Canada Adult Intellectual & Developmental Disabilities: Mental Health in the Time Of COVID-19:
Fridays 10-11:30 am Beginning November 6th
This program is for mental health/primary care providers and developmental service providers who support adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The curriculum will specifically address the mental health challenges that this population can face during the COVID-19 pandemic. Topics that will be presented during this program include: providing virtual mental health supports, depression and anxiety, and evaluating suicide risk.
Mental Heath for Adults with Developmental Disabilities During COVID: A Virtual Course for Family Caregivers: Tuesdays from 1-2:30 pm November 3rd-December 8th: This course is for family caregivers of adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD). The curriculum will specifically address the mental health challenges that this population can face during the COVID-19 pandemic.
For more information about this course please contact Tiz Volpe at Tiziana.Volpe@camh.ca or by phone at 416-535-8501 ext 30751.
Learning from our Colleagues at Partners for Planning
THE FUNDAMENTAL OF FUTURE PLANNING:
6-PART WEBCAST+ SERIES
Bridges to Belonging collaborates with organizations like Partners for Planning (P4P) to connect you to accessible and reliable resources to create a full and meaningful life of belonging in community and for families to have peace of mind. We encourage you to register for P4P's series webinar on the Fundamentals of Future Planning. Some have already passed, but there are still some great ones coming up, including:
You can learn more about all the courses by going to this link. There is more from Partners for Planning below.
A 4-PART ONLINE LEARNING SERIES
on the proposed Canadian Disability Benefit.
BUILDING MOMENTUM FOR THE CANADIAN DISABILITY BENEFIT LEARNING SERIES
Our friends a Partners for Planning (P4P) and Planned Lifetime Advocacy (PLAN BC) Network in collaboration with a number of other individuals, groups, coalitions and organizations across Canada are launching a four-part webcast series on the proposed Canadian Disability Benefit.
About This Series
Achieving a Canadian Disability Benefit is an historic opportunity to end disability poverty. No other government in the world has made such a commitment. It will take a lot of work to turn that opportunity into a reality that is meaningful and inclusive. It will take widespread engagement by disabled people from every corner of the country, including leadership from Quebec and those from racial minorities, the indigenous community, and those discriminated against because of age, race, colour, gender, and sexuality. It will also take widespread popular support from regular Canadians. Finally, it will take bold political decision making.
As preparation for the job ahead we are presenting this four-part webinar series to learn from four Canadians with expertise and experience at system change.
Goals of Learning Series
To learn from other successful movements
To strengthen the social, political, economic and cultural power of the Canadian disability movement
To clarify the role of parents, families, service providers, funders and other allies in supporting disability leadership
To secure a Canadian Disability Benefit that is meaningful, inclusive and ends disability poverty
Registration
* Please see registration links below. Please register for each session individually. We strongly encourage you to commit to all four sessions.
Registration is free.
Each session will last for 90 minutes except for the final session which will be two hours.
Accessible Communication and French -English translation.
English live caps, ASL and LSQ interpretation, and plain language availability.
1 |The Power of New Forms of Democratic Engagement
Date: November 5th, 11:30am-1pm PST/2:30pm-4pm EST
Service Canada Presents: Update & Questions session for People With Disabilities (monthly session)
First Thursday of every month, 1:00 - 1:30 pm EST
Updates and Question Period on Employment Insurance sickness and other special
benefits, Canada Pension Plan Disabilities Benefits, Canada Emergency Response
Benefit and other new measures at Service Canada amid the pandemic
Teleconference Information:
Call in 15 minutes prior, toll-free number: 1-877-413-4790
Attendee access code: 8159277 Use this link to view the presentation live from your computer,
Meeting Number: 164 395 3157
Meeting Password: service
COVID-19 TRUSTED INFORMATION, RESOURCES, INFORMATION & SERVICES Temporary Changes to Passport Funding Find the list of additional programs, items, services etc. that you can purchase with your Passport funds.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, RESOURCES, SUPPORTS AND SERVICES Information on COVID-19 testing centres Click on the city where you live to find the your nearest testing centre.
Thank you to all of our donors, sponsors, funders, collaborators, affiliates, allies and community for generously supporting people with disabilities to have the life they want with a sense of belonging in community and their families to enjoy peace of mind. WE ARE #StrongerTogether.
