BCEdAccess and Family Support Institute have been working together to develop some education advocacy toolkits and will be presenting the set of meeting toolkits and talking about some strategies at AdvoCon2022, our 8th annual education advocacy conference held October 20th to 23rd online!
Tickets available now – Facebook group members receive a good discounted rate and the first 100 purchased receive a care package delivered to their house!
Chantelle Morvay-Adams is one of the Founders and Chair of ADHD Advocacy Society of BC. She is an ADHD mom of two amazing kids. Recently diagnosed with ADHD, she has many loved ones who have had this piece of their identity confirmed for a lot longer.
Coming from the East Coast a few decades ago, she held some interesting jobs before settling down and having kids, from selling Papyrus, to working for a Canadian diamond wholesaler, to bill collections. Since having kids, there have been some real roller coaster rides, some of which led her to being on a Strata Council for nine years and then taking a Strata Management Course. However, while building her career, inclusive child care was a huge issue, and she had to make the choice to leave her budding career to focus on her children and their equitable access to education and supports. She found a small group of parents on Facebook who were also trying to navigate the education system and 8+ yrs later, Chantelle is proud to be on the Board of Directors of BCEdAccess and to have helped it grow to 5,000+ strong. Collaborating with other organizations, developing and delivering a yearly Education Advocacy conference, she is honored to create weekly Inclusive Minecraft social sessions for children and youth.
Not one to ever stay still and in true ADHD fashion, Chantelle had her own radio show on CIVL Radio in Abbotsford called “All In”, started an Inclusion Sub-committee with a PAC that kicked off the “Wall of Wonder” that is now popping up around the province in various schools/districts by other amazing families, and held various positions on PAC’s, including co-chair of DPAC before moving to Vancouver island. She also was lucky enough to get back to her old career, even for a little bit, as Building Manager for a Strata.
However, over all these years, seeing the gaps in the specific area of ADHD Advocacy, she decided to put her insatiable energy into getting the word out about what ADHD IS…and what it is NOT and to advocate for better supports and services in all areas.
She is eternally grateful for her journey, even with its ups and downs, that led her here, to the incredibly beautiful, unceded, stolen lands of the Snuneymuxw, Sna naw as, and Stz’uminus First Nations. She lives here now, working with the knowledge that she has a role to play in learning the truth of colonization and moving towards reconciliation as an active ally.
Image description: Light -complexioned woman, with rosey cheeks, wearing a smile, a grey knit toque and scarf. behind her a beach extending into the background.
Workshop: How to request, prepare for, run and follow up advocacy meetings
It can be incredibly stressful and intimidating to ask school staff for a meeting when things may be going sideways, or you can see things becoming challenging. We are here to help lay out a path for you to follow and take away some of the guess work that comes with our communications with schools.
Chantelle is on Twitter @picsofyoucmorv
Read all the details about our conference here, more information is being added every day!