BCEdAccess Society

Our mission is to ensure equitable access to education for students with disabilities and complex learners in British Columbia.

Category: AdvoCon

  • Inclusion BC Film Series Discussion – Disrupting Misconceptions and Forging Pathways for Students with Developmental Disabilities – #AdvoCon2021

    Inclusion BC Film Series Discussion – Disrupting Misconceptions and Forging Pathways for Students with Developmental Disabilities – #AdvoCon2021

    Karla Verschoor is the Executive Director of Inclusion BC, an organization of which BCEdAccess is proud to be a member. She will be discussing and sharing the film series they created with the Canadian Institute for Inclusion and Citizenship to raise awareness about the exclusion of students with developmental disabilities and to offer key information and possible pathways to success for students, families, and schools. We hope you will be able to make it to see her speak at AdvoCon2021, our 7th annual education advocacy conference held September 22nd to 26th online!

    Tickets on Eventbrite now – members of the BCEdAccess Facebook groups receive a significant discount, and the first 100 tickets purchased receive a care package delivered to their house!

    GET TICKETS HERE

    Karla Verschoor

    Executive Director, Inclusion BC – She/Her

    Karla Verschoor has been with Inclusion BC since 2006, when she joined the organization as a volunteer coordinator. Over the years, Karla has worked in various leadership roles as an advocate, strategic planner and now as Executive Director. Karla has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Alberta where she studied Political Science and Government and a Certificate in Dialogue and Civic Engagement from Simon Fraser University. Karla lives in Vancouver with her husband and daughter. When she’s not working Karla enjoys volunteering at her daughter’s school and with her local neighbourhood house.

    Presentation: Sunday Keynote – Film Series Disrupting Misconceptions and Forging Pathways for Students with Developmental Disabilities

    Inclusion BC and the Canadian Institute for Inclusion and Citizenship are proud to share a series of four films on inclusive education. Centred on the voices of students, educators and families, the films explore how we can make our schools inclusive and welcoming of all learners.

    You can follow Inclusion BC

    on Twitter and Facebook @InclusionBC

    And learn more about their work here:

    https://inclusionbc.org/

    Read all the details about our conference here!

    AdvoCon

  • Jordan’s Principle – Putting Children First with Brittany Mathews, FNCS – #AdvoCon2021

    Jordan’s Principle – Putting Children First with Brittany Mathews, FNCS – #AdvoCon2021

    Brittany Mathews is the Research and Reconciliation Coordinator for the First Nations Caring Society and will share information on how the FNCS has advocated for legal rights in education for First Nations children and youth. We hope you will be able to make it to see her speak at AdvoCon2021, our 7th annual education advocacy conference held September 22nd to 26th online!

    Tickets on Eventbrite now – Facebook group members receive a good discounted rate and the first 100 purchased receive a care package delivered to their house!

    GET TICKETS HERE

    Brittany (she/her) is Michif and a member of the Métis Nation of Alberta. Her family more recently comes from St. Paul, Alberta with ancestry from St. Francois Xavier, Manitoba. She grew up in the Bow Valley of Alberta and moved to Ottawa to pursue an undergraduate degree at the University of Ottawa. Brittany is passionate about the role kinship and family plays in the empowerment of Indigenous women and communities. She is dedicated to elevating the stories and contemporary realities of Indigenous peoples through community organizing and creative outlets. 

    Presentation: Jordan’s Principle: Putting Children First

    • Learn about the past in the spirit of reconciliation.
    • Link Jordan’s Principle to substantive equality and child rights.  
    • Learn about the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal orders and their impact on Jordan’s Principle.  
    • Will have Q and A

    You can follow the First Nations Caring Society on Twitter @CaringSociety

    and learn more about their work here:

    https://fncaringsociety.com/

    Read all the details about our conference here!

    AdvoCon

  • IEPs – What You Need To Know – #AdvoCon2021

    IEPs – What You Need To Know – #AdvoCon2021

    Suzanne Perreault has delivered this popular presentation at every one of our conferences so far. Her IEP presentation is a can’t-miss opportunity with much needed information! We hope you will be able to make it to see her speak at AdvoCon2021, our 7th annual education advocacy conference held September 22nd to 26th online!

    Tickets on Eventbrite now – Facebook group members receive a good discounted rate and the first 100 purchased receive a care package delivered to their house!

    GET TICKETS HERE

    Suzanne is a mother of 3 and a Langley School District Trustee.  She is also the former Administrator of a Private Vocational School, and has worked as an SEA and a TEDx Talk speaker. She currently works as a Youth & Woman’s Counsellor in Langley, British Columbia, is a public speaker and the recent President of the Langley DPAC for 3 consecutive years. She has been attending to various committee’s such as SD35’s Inclusive Education working committee, Emergency Preparedness and has been nominated for both the Fraser Valley Diversity Award & BC  Excellence in Autism Awards. She has successfully worked alongside educators & parents creating positive changes in school climate as well as parent engagement based on focusing on the communication process as it interfaces with the journey having a child with needs. She has advised and worked on committees with the BCCPAC, the BCEdAcess Task Force and other agencies to help promote educational change in areas of Inclusion, wellness, leadership, motivation and parent engagement. Her primary focus is the success of the student by virtue of bridging educators and parents.

    Workshop: IEPS – What You Need To Know

    You will learn:

    -The IEP Planning Cycle

    -The importance of language

    -Advocacy and IEPs

    Suzanne is on Twitter @DecisionTree007

    Read all the details about our conference here, more information is being added every day!

    AdvoCon2021 Site

  • AdvoCon2021 Full Schedule

    The schedule is out and the content is amazing! Fully online again this year, we’ll have casual coffee connections in the morning and end of day hangouts. Workshops, presentations, panels, a film screening, and brainstorming discussions on educational transformation are happening over the course of the 5 day event. If you can’t make it ‘live’, as long as you have a ticket you’ll be able to access the recordings after. All sessions will have sign language interpreters and Communication Access Real Time Translation (CART) subtitles.

    Get tickets here:

    Register on Eventbrite
    Image of conference schedule with workshop names, dates and times - schedule readable by screen reader available at advocon.bcedaccess.com
    Image of conference schedule with workshop names, dates and times

    Find all the presentation details and more at advocon.bcedaccess.com!

  • Support AdvoCon

    Support AdvoCon

    AdvoCon is volunteer driven and is for everyone—self advocates, parents/guardians, educators, administrators and supporters of inclusion. BCEdAccess is proud to be providing captioning, ASL interpretation and Active Listeners during every presentation and workshop.

    From September 22nd to 26th, 2021, over 150 attendees from around BC will gather virtually for our seventh annual, and second fully virtual education advocacy conference. The conference will feature BC speakers with a passion for activism and educational equity, including presentations by the First Nations Caring Society on Jordan’s Principle and Lindsay Waddell on human rights for children and youth in education. In addition to accessing the livestream, during which attendees can engage with presenters in real time, ticket holders will also be able to view recordings of the conference after the live streams have ended.

    AdvoCon is always well-attended by parents and guardians, self-advocates, teachers, school trustees, educational assistants, psychologists, principals, inclusion agency representatives, and other professionals. Why? AdvoCon provides attendees with opportunities to learn practical information, earn professional development credits, and interact and network with peers, mentors, and sponsors. 

    As a non-profit organization led by volunteers, we look to the community to support our annual advocacy conference. AdvoCon is a great opportunity for businesses and organizations to reach our audience and let them know that you share their values. Our membership and follower base has grown significantly over the past few years, we’re reaching more people now than ever:

    The private BCEdAccess Facebook group has over 3,700 members and is very active with upwards of 10 posts per day, all of which receive significant engagement

    We have a significant amount of followers on social media with over 4,000 followers on Facebook and 2,500 followers on Twitter

    Our mailing list reaches over 1,000 subscribers

    On average, our blog posts have 3,000 visitors within 24 hours of being published

    Last year’s virtual AdvoCon had 170 attendees and we are expecting higher numbers at our 2021 conference due to our increased remote events throughout this past year

    We welcome financial and in-kind contributions from like-minded and supportive organizations.This year we have expanded our sponsorship options to include a Supporter tier beginning at $100.00 and Program Sponsor tiers for sponsoring specific accessibility services including Captioning and ASL Interpretation. Additionally, the benefits included in each tier have been updated from the previous years’ sponsorship packages. Check out our 2021 Sponsorship Package here and learn more about the benefits of each opportunity, or reach out to us at development@bcedaccess.com to ask questions and discuss your options.

    If you are an individual interested in supporting AdvoCon, here are some additional ways to show your support:

    • Do you know a local organization or have connections with a business in your community that may be interested in supporting AdvoCon? Have them take a look at our sponsorship information here or contact us at development@bcedaccess.com for more information.
    • We are always thrilled to accept donations from individuals. If you are interested in supporting this event, you can donate here and please be sure to select AdvoCon on the form to direct your donation towards the event.

    2021 has been a pivotal year for our organization as we have recently been granted Charitable Status by the CRA. Charitable tax receipts will be issued to the name and email provided in the sponsorship agreement or at the donation link. BCEdAccess is proud to be a registered charity.

    BN: 723648317RR0001

  • #AdvoCon2020 Workshop: Embrace Your Story

    Join Madeline Kean and Lisa Wallace as they bust the myths surrounding people with diverse abilities. We hope you will be able to come learn and participate at AdvoCon2020, our 6th education advocacy conference held September 17th to 23rd online, with recordings available after to ticket holders.

    Tickets available here:

    AdvoCon2020 Tickets

    Lisa Wallace is an educator who embraces the opportunity to learn with and from people every day.

    Madeline Kean is an advocate for people with diverse abilities, sharing her story and changing mindsets!

    Embrace Your Story

    In this session, we will bust the myths that we have encountered as a family around the notion of people with diverse abilities. We will explore how to create communities of belonging. Participants will leave feeling a sense of empowerment.

    You will learn:

    ‘Normal’ is a fluid concept.

    Belonging is created through community.

    Labels can be superpowers.

    Learn more about Madeline and Lisa at

    www.embraceall.ca

    Follow Lisa on

    Twitter – @LisaWallaceBC

    Instagram – @lisawallacebc1

    Read all the details about our conference here:

    AdvoCon2020 Event Site

    Or…

    Get Your Tickets Now!

  • #AdvoCon2020 Education as a Human Right

    #AdvoCon2020 Education as a Human Right

    Laura Track is a human rights lawyer with Community Legal Assistance Society (CLAS) with excellent knowledge and perspective on human rights in education.  We hope you will be able to come learn and participate at AdvoCon2020, our 6th education advocacy conference held September 17th to 23rd online, with recordings available after to ticket holders.

    Tickets available here:

    AdvoCon2020 Tickets

    Laura is a human rights lawyer and the Director of Education in CLAS’s Human Rights Clinic. She advocates on behalf of people who have experienced discrimination and assists complainants to navigate BC’s human rights process. Laura also has a strong interest in making legal knowledge accessible. She delivers workshops and presentations to a wide variety of audiences to help people understand their human rights and comply with their legal obligations.

    Laura earned her law degree from UBC in 2006, and holds a Masters in International Human Rights Law from Oxford University.

    Prior to joining CLAS, Laura worked with several other legal non-profits in Vancouver, learning much along the way about the law’s potential to advance equality and social justice. She is on the Advisory Committee of the Rise Women’s Legal Centre and a volunteer yoga teacher and Board Chair of Yoga Outreach, a charity providing free yoga classes to disadvantaged communities.

    Education as a Human Right

    You will learn:

    -Your rights

    -Your child’s rights

    -Legal advocacy do’s and don’ts for parents of children with special needs

    You know your child best. But how well do you know the school system? Or the legal system defining your child’s educational rights? This workshop will help give you a clearer understanding of your child’s right to access education along with information about how you can enforce those rights when things go sideways, as they often do.

    Learn more CLAS at

    https://clasbc.net/

    Follow her on Twitter

    @lktrack

    Read all the details about our conference here:

    AdvoCon2020 Event Site

    Or…

    Get Your Tickets Now!

  • #AdvoCon2020 Workshop: Advocacy During a Pandemic

    #AdvoCon2020 Workshop: Advocacy During a Pandemic

    Join BCEdAccess chair Tracy Humphreys for an overview of advocacy steps during typical times and during the COVID-19 pandemic. We hope you will be able to come learn and participate at AdvoCon2020, our 6th education advocacy conference held September 17th to 23rd online, with recordings available after to ticket holders.

    Tickets available here:

    AdvoCon2020 Tickets

    Tracy has ADHD and is a parent to three children with disabilities. An entrepreneur in her business life, she has also been an active volunteer in BC schools for over 20 years and was awarded the 2019 Victoria Community Leadership Award in Lifelong Learning by BC’s Lieutenant Governor Janet Austin. She is currently the founder and chair of the BCEdAccess Society, advocating for equitable access to education for children and youth with disabilities.

    Advocacy During A Pandemic

    In this session, we’ll go over basic steps and tips to advocate for your child or youth with disabilities in K-12 education. I’ll explain their rights and your rights as a parent/guardian, and I’ll share the specific guidance to school Districts from the Ministry of Education during Covid-19.

    You will learn:

    About the complaints and advocacy process in the BC K-12 education system

    About student and parent rights

    About the Covid-19 specific guidelines to School Districts from the Ministry of Education

    Learn more about advocacy and conflict resolution at:

    https://bcedaccess.com/2020/02/13/advocacy-and-conflict-resolution-for-students-with-disabilities-in-bc-education-a-rights-based-primer/

    Follow Tracy on

    Twitter – @TracyCareQ

    and follow BCEdAccess on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram:

    @BCEdAccess

    Read all the details about our conference here:

    AdvoCon2020 Event Site

    Or…

    Get Your Tickets Now!

  • #AdvoCon2020 Setting the standard for Education Assistants in B.C.

    #AdvoCon2020 Setting the standard for Education Assistants in B.C.

    Join this session to learn about recommendations generated from various educational stakeholders that call for the provincial government to establish a standard of practice for education assistants in B.C. We hope you will be able to come learn and participate at AdvoCon2020, our 6th education advocacy conference held September 17th to 23rd online, with recordings available after to ticket holders.

    Tickets available here:

    AdvoCon2020 Tickets

    Cindy Dalglish is well-known education advocate supporting true investment into our education system. As a vocal advocate, Cindy continues to present and push all levels of government to increase financial support and update education policy with a focus on the K-12 system. In her professional capacity, Cindy is an instructional designer, curriculum developer, and post-secondary instructor across a broad spectrum of programs and topics. She holds a BA in Communications from Royal Roads University.

    Ryan Kappmeier has dedicated over fifteen years of his career to working with marginalized and diverse learners in education and youth justice systems in B.C. and Ontario. Leveraging experiential learning tools and positive behaviour interventions, Ryan has supported a variety of educational programs including outdoor adventure therapy, day treatment, and traditional elementary and high school classrooms. He holds a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership and Management from Royal Roads University, where he focused on a re-envisioning of the role that education assistants can play in improving outcomes for underserved learners in B.C

    Setting the standard for Education Assistants in B.C.

    This session will explore recommendations generated from various educational stakeholders that call for the provincial government to establish a standard of practice for education assistants in B.C. We will share insights into current EA training policies, which risk increasing educational inequities for underserved learners and explore opportunities for leveraging research findings from international jurisdictions to propose solutions for systems improvement.

    You will learn:

    – The history and current status of efforts to implement EA standards in BC.

    – That employment requirements to be an EA across BC are varied and with the current on-going shortage of EAs, school districts are implementing in-house training programs ranging in length from 4-6 months and recently a 2-week bridging program.

    – About international research and evidence demonstrating the need for a standard of practice for EAs to ensure diverse learners receive an equitable education to that of their neurotypical peers.

    Follow them on Twitter:

    Cindy Dalglish- @CindyDalglish

    Ryan Kappmeier- @KappmeierRyan

    Read all the details about our conference here:

    AdvoCon2020 Event Site

    Or…

    Get Your Tickets Now!

  • #AdvoCon2020 Panel: Work & Economic Justice for Parents/Guardians

    #AdvoCon2020 Panel: Work & Economic Justice for Parents/Guardians

    This amazing discussion will be led by Andréa Coutu, who will be joined by entrepreneurs and leaders to discuss gender roles and systemic oppression. We hope you will be able to come learn and participate at AdvoCon2020, our 6th education advocacy conference held September 17th to 23rd online, with recordings available after to ticket holders.

    Tickets available here:

    AdvoCon2020 Tickets

    Andréa Coutu, MBA, is the CEO of Trustmode Marketing, an entrepreneurship coaching and consulting company that works with small businesses, incubators and accelerators and non-profits to build businesses. She is also the founder of Consultant Journal, a leading resource for independent consultants, and she is the author of Consulting Fees: A Guide for Independent Consultants. Andréa has taught for SFU, UBC and other universities, been interviewed by national and local media, and written for outlets ranging from local magazines to USA Today. Andréa works from a trauma-informed model and leans into both her professional and lived experience. She is the mother of two teen boys and has navigated education, health care, social services and other systems, while somehow making a lot of friends.

    Work & Economic Justice for Parents/Guardians

    You will learn:

    How underfunding of education, childcare and other systems affects work/career

    How oppression and expectations around gender roles and other identities affects work careers

    Hope, suggestions, and ideas for turning this around

    Learn more about Trustmode Markeing and Andréa at

    https://www.trustmode.com/

    Follow her on

    Twitter @andrea_coutu

    Instagram: @Andreacoutumba

    Read all the details about our conference here:

    AdvoCon2020 Event Site

    Or…

    Get Your Tickets Now!

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