BCEdAccess Society

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

Category: Events

  • Sue Sterling-Bur presents on Indigenous Rights Within the World of Dis-ability – #AdvoCon2022

    Sue Sterling-Bur presents on Indigenous Rights Within the World of Dis-ability – #AdvoCon2022

    We’re excited to have Sue Sterling-Bur return again to present at AdvoCon2022, our 8th annual education advocacy conference held October 20th to 23rd online! We look forward to learning more about UNDRIP and the TRC and how they fit into advocacy for Indigenous students in #bced.

    Tickets available 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

    Sue Sterling-Bur is from the Nlakap’mux and Sto:Lo Nations and is the Vice President – Students for the Nicola Valley Institute of Technology, which is the only Indigenous public post-secondary in B.C.

    Sue is a Ph.D. Candidate at The University of British Columbia Okanagan Campus and also works as a Graduate Research Assistant with Dr. Jeannette Armstrong and Dr. Rachelle Hole in the areas of Indigenous research and disabilities. Sue’s doctoral research will provide an Indigenous perspective on the systems of belief for giftedness in children with disabilities. She will base her research on the Nlakap’mux Spilahem stories to identify the ethics, values, and beliefs that will guide and direct working with and supporting Indigenous people with disabilities. Sue is passionate about Indigenous Early Learning and Childhood Development and advocates to enhance the quality of life for Indigenous children and youth to ensure the best chance in life.

    Indigenous Rights Within the World of Dis-ability

    In this workshop, the speaker will discuss how we can use the Declaration of Rights for Indigenous Peoples Act (2019) and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: Calls to Action (2015) as advocacy tools for supporting an Indigenous Person with a disability.

    Sue is on Twitter @SueSterling6

    Read all the details about our conference here!

    AdvoCon2022 Site

  • Workshop: How to request, prepare for, run and follow up advocacy meetings – #AdvoCon2022

    Workshop: How to request, prepare for, run and follow up advocacy meetings – #AdvoCon2022

    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!

    GET TICKETS HERE

    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!

    AdvoCon2022 Site

  • Deadline to Apply July 7th – Canada Summer Jobs Youth Positions

    BCEdAccess has volunteer and paid job opportunities through the year.

    CURRENT EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

    You can apply for these positions by following the instructions on the job posting. Postings will be added as they become available and removed when they are filled. Thank you for your interest in working with us!

    DEADLINE TO APPLY: JULY 7TH – Canada Summer Jobs Program 2022 (8 week term, note start dates have been pushed to later – all of these are available to apply right now):

    BCEdAccess-Job-Description-Mobile-App-Developer-2022Download
    BCEdAccess-Job-Description-Remote-Broadcast-Coordinator-2022Download

  • #Advcon2022 – Save the Date and Sponsor this event!

    BC EdAccess is proud to be hosting our 8th annual educational advocacy conference. The upcoming event will be our third fully virtual AdvoCon, hosted online from Thursday, October 20 through Sunday, October 23, 2022. 

    The goal of AdvoCon2022 is to educate all supporters around the human right to equitable access to education and related issues, and to provide opportunities to connect with like-minded folks. This year will feature learning streams for beginners, systemic advocacy, history and storytelling, and an educator stream. BC EdAccess is pleased to provide captioning, ASL interpretation and Active Listeners during every presentation and workshop. As well as access to the live stream, during which attendees can engage in real time with the presenter, ticket holders will have access to the streaming of the entire conference after the live events to view at their convenience. This event will also have interactive features for attendees to get to know each other and sponsors/exhibitors.

    As a registered charitable organization, donors and sponsors are imperative to helping AdvoCon2022 succeed. We welcome financial and in-kind contributions from like-minded and supportive organizations.

    Sponsorships for AdvoCon2022 allow the conference to succeed by helping to cover costs like:

    • Paying our speakers and honoraria
    • Providing free and/or discounted conference tickets to people who are facing financial barriers
    • ASL Interpretation
    • CART (Communication Access Real-time Translation), a speech to text real-time captioning service
    • Graphic design and promotional support
    • Cost of the online platform 

    If you know of any organizations or businesses that may be interested in sponsoring this incredible event please reach out and share. This is an excellent opportunity to support a great cause while also receiving promotion to the BC EdAccess community and our supporters!

    Our sponsorship package can be seen here:

    Sponsorships-PackageDownload

    As we set up our online platform, more benefits to sponsors may be added.

    Any inquires can be directed to development@bcedaccess.com 

     #Advocon2022

  • International Human Rights Day 2021

    It’s International Human Rights Day today. Usually we try to have some kind of learning event on this date because our organization is focused on the human right to equitable access to education.

    However, we just finished our 8 Days Of Action For Access and our volunteer team is pretty spent 🙂

    So instead, we’re sharing the highlights from these days of action, but first, some information about human rights from the United Nations:

    Human Rights Day

    Know your rights and help spread the word:

    Learn about the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #4, to Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all:

    https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal4

    The 8 Days of Action for Access was an incredible grassroots effort, supported by many organizations:

    BC People First, BC Complex Kids Society, ACT Autism Community Training, Autism BC, Down Syndrome BC, GIRLS CLUB, Family Support Institute, Inclusion BC, BC Teacher’s Federation and Dyslexia BC

    Here are just a couple of photos from the Day 8 rally, we’ll add more as we get permission:

    photo of a white woman with long straight red hair in a long black coat speaking at a microphone. She is standing on the bottom step of a wide set of concrete stairs with columns behind her (the Vancouver Art Gallery) and a lion on a pedestal. huge banners behind her say IMAGINE DISABILITY RIGHTS. A person with a camera is just behind her off to the side, filming.
    Tracy Humphreys speaking at the Vancouver Art Gallery on December 3, 2021
    A white woman and an East Asian woman in masks stand next to each other, the white woman holds a sign that says HAVING A CHILD WITH A DISABILITY SHOULDN'T BE A TICKET TO POVERTY!
    Dec 3 rally attendee holding up a sign.

    And here’s the video of that rally.

    BCEdAccess Day 8 Rally for Disability Rights

    We’ll be uploading all of the Days of Action videos to our YouTube channel within the next few weeks! It helps if you like and subscribe!

  • 8 Days of Action For Access – The Time Is Now!

    8 Days of Action For Access – The Time Is Now!

    #AccessDelayedIsAccessDenied!

    Rally at the BC Legislature, Victoria – November 25th, 11:00 am – 2:00 pm

    Daily Online Lunch hour Teach-ins: November 26th – December 2nd, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

    Rally outside the BC Government Offices, Canada Place, Vancouver – December 3rd, 11:00 am – 2:00 pm

    Join people with disabilities and their families in a series of actions calling on the BC government to immediately remove barriers to access in education and all systems and enact the rights of disabled children, youth and adults. Access delayed is access denied!

    (Note:  This series of actions begins the day AFTER the ‘Rally In Victoria With The ASN’ on November 24th – if you are coming to Victoria for that action, please stay over if you can and join us!)

    Register on Eventbrite for the November 25th Day Zero rally here:

    Register on Eventbrite

    Please respect the comfort of others around COVID-19 protocols at this in-person event. Masks, physical distancing and other safety precautions are as important as ever.

    Follow the Facebook event for regular updates on the 8 Days of Action here:

    https://www.facebook.com/events/1947490105424352?ref=newsfeed

    Details:

    This series of actions is organized by volunteer community members of the BCEdAccess Society and a coalition of participating organisations, and powered by the community.

    Why:

    For far too long, disabled children, youth and adults, diagnosed and undiagnosed, have been denied equitable access. Not just to education but to all of the systems that are supposed to be there to support them, from early intervention, health care,  to community inclusion and everything in between. Service delivery systems are ableist and otherwise oppressive. We, as disabled people and those who care for them, have been trying to raise these issues for decades. There is no lack of clarity on what needs to be done – there is only lack of action and courage to take big steps to collaborate with and empower families. We want equity in representation to collaborate on making real progress toward equity for all.

    Schedule

    Land Acknowledgement

    We would like to acknowledge that we are holding the November 25th rally on the stolen ancestral territories of the Lekwungen Peoples, the Esquimalt and Songhees First Nations. The December 3rd rally will be held on the stolen and ancestral territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations. All of these First Nations Peoples have lived on and taken care of this land since time immemorial.

    We acknowledge historical and ongoing injustices that Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Métis and Inuit) endure in Canada, and recognize our shared commitments to taking care of this land, and to rebuilding and renewing respectful relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. In particular we are committed to following the lead of Indigenous rights-holders in their work on decolonizing education and closing the significant educational, employment, and health outcome gaps that exist between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.

    Accessibility

    ASL translation and captions will be available at each event

    We’ll post physical access to in person spaces soon! If you have specific accessibility needs for the in person or online events please email us info@bcedaccess.com asap and we will do our best to accommodate if possible!

    Day 0 – Thursday, Nov.25th, 2021 11-2pm

    Rally at the Victoria Legislature, on the stolen lands of the Lekwungen Peoples, the Esquimalt and Songhees First Nations. Also broadcast online.

    Everyone from all over BC is invited to join people with disabilities and their families at the Victoria Legislature for a rally on access to education and other supports and services for disabled people, to kick off 8 days of action for access!

    Days 1 through 7 – Friday, Nov 26 – Thursday, Dec 2 

    “Lunch hour Teach-ins” 12-1 pm

    Live Online discussions each day with organizations and families sharing how the barriers to access to equitable education intersect with all the other systems. Please let us know if you want in! 

    Day 8 Friday Dec 3 – International Day of Disabled Persons

    Rally at the BC government offices in Vancouver, on the stolen lands of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations, led by youth and adults with disabilities. Also broadcast online.

    This day will be led by BC People First, convening youth and adults with disabilities – we hope the whole province will join us in person and online!

    How you can help! 

    Share this event with your friends, groups and organizations! We need everyone to participate!

    Donate to help us pay for signs, ASL interpreters and other costs!

    See our Action Toolkit for 8 big areas to help with the 8 Days of Action For Access!

    Donate to pay for signs, ASL interpreters, etc

    Action Toolkit – What Can I do?!

     Contact us: info@bcedaccess.com

    Current participating or supporting organizations include:

    * BC People First

    * BC Complex Kids Society

    * ACT Autism Community Training

    * Autism BC

    * Down Syndrome BC

  • GIRLS CLUB

  • Family Support Institute

  • Dyslexia BC

    • More will be listed as they give permission!

  • Instagram Live Oct 26 With BCEdAccess and the EA Standards Working Group

    Instagram Live Oct 26 With BCEdAccess and the EA Standards Working Group

    Date: Tuesday, October 26th

    Time: 6:00-7:00 pm

    Where: Instagram Live! Follow us to get notified: @BCEdAccess

    Come join Chantelle Morvay-Adams and Tracy Humphreys of BCEdAccess, for a LIVE discussion with Cindy Dalglish, lead facilitator of the EA Standards of Practice Working Group, and & Natalie Taylor-Lane, amazing education assistant! Get notified when we go live, here:

    Follow BCEdAccess On Instagram

    We’ll be talking about what the EA Standards Working Group is, and what it’s been up to! We’ll also be talking about:

    -Why Standards of Practice for education assistants are so important

    -Why this matters especially now

    -How we can come together to make it happen in a way that benefits British Columbia students, EA’s, families, school staff, and society as a whole

    Your call to action:

    Share the BCEdAccess budget proposal with your MLA, local media, the Premier, and anyone you can get on board – it contains the recommendation for EA Standards of Practice as well as many others that will help to improve education in BC.

    BCEdAccess-cover-letter-2022-Budget-ProposalDownload
    Budgetary-ProposalDownload

    Learn more about the EA Standards Working Group here:

    http://eastandardsbc.ca/

    Connect with them on social media:

    Twitter @EAWorking

    Facebook and Instagram @EAStandardsOfPractice

  • INClusive childcare and the early learning framework with the inclusive education partner group at #AdvoCon2021

    Led by Angela Clancy of the Family Support Institute of BC, the Inclusive Education Partnership Group will present a discussion about the move of childcare into the Ministry of Education, and change coming in about 2 years.in We hope you will be able to make it to be a part of the conversation at AdvoCon2021, our 7th annual education advocacy conference held September 22nd to 26th online!

    Tickets still available on Eventbrite now – sessions are recorded and viewable after the event for ticket holders!

    GET TICKETS HERE

    The Inclusive Education Partnership Group (IEPG) is a network of provincial organizations that come together around their interest to raise awareness, support and improve inclusive education in our province. We ground our understanding of inclusive education within Article 24 of the UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities according to which all children have the right to the support they need to access education on the basis of equal opportunity. This network includes organizations that consider inclusive education from a variety of perspectives including non-profit provincial and community organizations, post-secondary programs, unions, and service providers.

    Workshop: Letter Writing and Other Advocacy Communications

    With the movement of child care to be the responsibility of the Ministry of Education, we want to ensure inclusion of children with disabilities is not forgotten. Access to inclusive child care within the Early Learning Framework and before/after school care within the Seamless Childcare Framework means that children with disabilities and diverse learning needs that require additional support will have a supported spot. This will allow them to be part of the community, just as they will also become part of the learning community as they transition to their K-12 education. We, as the Inclusive Education Partners Group, acknowledge that all changes will involve the development of policy and sufficient funding to support full implementation. This session will explore a range of questions to ponder and shine a light on to help explore solutions and/or raise as this transition occurs.

    Read all the details about our conference here, and remember to share!

    AdvoCon

  • Workshop: letter writing and other advocacy communication with TINA DAM at #AdvoCon2021

    Workshop: letter writing and other advocacy communication with TINA DAM at #AdvoCon2021

    Tina Dam is a truly amazing person who works with Inclusion BC, and she’ll be conducting a workshop on advocacy and communication, so key in the work we do to ensure supports for our children and youth. We hope you will be able to make it to see her at AdvoCon2021, our 7th annual education advocacy conference held September 22nd to 26th online!

    Tickets on Eventbrite now – members of the BCEdAccess Facebook group receive a significant discount, don’t delay, event starts soon!

    GET TICKETS HERE

    Tina Dam is an Advocate at Inclusion BC. Tina has extensive knowledge about supports, services and resources that exist in BC for people with intellectual disabilities and their families. She is a problem solver who is passionate about helping people. Before joining Inclusion BC Tina spent 8 years supporting people with people with intellectual disabilities to live full lives in the community.

    Workshop: Letter Writing and Other Advocacy Communications

    Find out effective ways to communicate with the school team including people at the district level that is clear and concise and able to motive change and collaboration. We will also discuss contacting your MLA and speaking with the media.

    You’ll learn:

    • The power of language, context and possibility
    • Stating your feelings is important
    • Why being curious is a game changer
    • How to clearly ask for what is needed

    See Inclusion BC’s work here:

    HERE

    Read all the details about our conference here, and remember to share!

    AdvoCon

  • #AdvoCon2021 – our emcee, Heidi Vinois

    #AdvoCon2021 – our emcee, Heidi Vinois

    The amazing Heidi Vinois is always the emcee of our annual education advocacy conference!

    Read all the details about our conference here:

    TICKETS

    This year the conference is being held online from September 22 to 26. Heidi brings us all together and grounds us through the experience, and then closes us off with prize giveaways and a meaningful wrapup that reflects the importance of connections and education advocacy. 

    Heidi is a parent to 5 children. Besides advocating for her own children, she works very hard behind the scenes to support families and strengthen inclusion both in her local school district, and also province-wide through her work as one of the members of the advisory board of the BCEdAccess Society. Even in her public role as conference emcee, her whole job is to support and elevate the voices of others.

    Heidi really knows how to bring a room together, and she’s pretty fun, too! We hope you will come see her in action and maybe thank her along with us at this year’s conference!

    See you online!!

    • Recent Posts

    All posts

    Translate

    Support Our Work

    Donate

    Top Posts & Pages