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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1986-08-13, Page 18L • Entertainment • Features • Religion • Family • More SECTION Employment SProgram disabilities li It - � � PQSiSCRIPT 1, i By Susan Hundertmark BY PAUL HARTMAN For most of us the week -to -week routine of going to work and returning to our own homes at nicht. is lust that — root'!.. But for Goderich residents Dave Tebow and Violet Keller and others with learning disabilities, the implementation of such a routine is an accomplishment, a genuine source of pride and happiness. "I've never been as happy in my life as I am now," Dave says of his new-found in- dependence. And Violet echoes his sentiments. Both are former employees at Suncoast Enterprises in Goderich, a workshop for the learning disabled. They are now the proud owners of full-time jobs, thanks in part to the Employment Support Program set up by the Goderich and District Association for the Mentally Retarded GDAMR ). The program, explains Helen Watson of the GDAMR, is designed to find, in con- junction with the local Canada Employ- ment Centre, jobs for people like Dave and Violet. Provincially funded, it's been in operation for just over a year. "So far, there are 26 people working full or part time in the community under the program," says Watson. "But we still have about 40 employed at Suncoast." "Some that are still there would like jobs in the community. But others are, understandably, a bit frightened at the prospect. It does mean a big change in life." For Dave, now employed at Business Air Services Ltd., a plane refinishing and charter firm located at Sky Harbour Air- port, the experience of starting a job in the community after being employed at Sun - coast was a bit disconcerting. "I was nervous, a bit tense, when I ' started but there," admits the 29 -year-old, "but once I got into the routine, I was okay." $Ie's been working with the com- pany to a year. • Violet had it somewhat easier, starting out as a volunteer at the Lady Diana Nursery in Vanastra, and then moving into a full-time position in mid-February. Both are enthusiastic about their employment after getting over some in- itial concern. Violet's eyes brighten when asked about her work. "I love it, I love the, children, and I hope to be staying there for a long time," she says of the nursery which cares for children with disablities. Dave expresses similar feelings. "I real- ly ly enjoy my work and the money's better too," he remarks, referring to the .below - minimum wage that he received at Suncoast. Dave is la janitor .at Business Air. He David Tebow sets some aircraft parts on shelves prior to repainting at Business Air Services Limited. Dave, formerly employed at Sun - coast Enterprises, got his job at Business Air through the Employ- ment Support Program. The program is designed to provide dmployment in the community for persons with learning , isabilities and it has already placed 26 people. It is run by the 4 oderich and District Association for the Mentally Retarded and is ggrovincially funded. (Photo by Patti Hartman) dicativ� of ame change :is in change in direction` for association BY PAUL HARTMAN When the Goderich District Association for the Mentally Retarded (GDAMR) held its annual meeting in June, one of the top priorities of the group was to . change its name. In a unanimous decision, the GDAMR, following the lead of other groups in Canada, passed a motion frau, the board of directors to change the name of the Goderich association to "Community.Liv- ing —Central Huron." "It's s corniiti «more attd more apparent that eople late d wit °the tel tyi 'Mental- ly retarded' don't like it," explains a en:; Wats Oh of the s a discriminatorylabe that carries allkinds of ne alive connotations." "Commune Levin en raHuron on the other hand hi mates more of.a sense of direction. It's a more positive term:' that disabilities are "participating-" in the away from a person's individuality. ' community." "For those people that do need support; "They're working in the community and we can hire support workers on contract. they're living in the community. And' Otherwise, we're trying to get people out that's, the way it should be. Just because into the connmunity." you have a disability. doesn't mean' you Watson 'says GDAMR is also trying'to can't be a contributing member of socie- eliminate terms such as "handicapped" ty." Watson points to Violet Keller and and `f mentally retarded" from everyday Dave Tebow for examples (refer to main speech and written, p__ "We're 1 c.7cll1,dL11/11D. n'c i G story). \ - truing "to -get everyone into the habit of talkin • i about people that .they know, not The GDAMR awarits:appcoval from the about !imps of people." r p p p Ministry of Game chi and; Corporate an- Era icati.ng.<soine• of the terminology "fairs for the name change lain Watson'an khat has beettw<attached .to:..persons.:.with> ',ticipates+litifi probleit �� i.. disabilities will be a major step,in getting p rid Anne of the'zliscr-imination that they works from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., five days a 1 k t " 1 H 1 The name change is also indicative of a rid off tolerate, 'Watson says. weekgetting a ride to and from work with h GDAMR "I t' change in for the GDAMR: An at q "They fact that we had an institution for a friend who's employed there. He sweeps 1 h t kid tempt is being made to: phase out special the disabled up the<road has helped pro floors, organizes shelves, removes the g services. longsomestereotypes," Watson observes, masking from. planes that have been g C t l "We've found that people don't reallyyp painted, and generally provides help when need them," notes Watson. Fitting people People have to realize that'd disability p ust affectsyour ability to learn. It does. any of his co-workers ask for it. h t into programs, she. explains,' is un i y "All the guys have been very good to me. reflects the fact that people with necessary., and that process also takes . .not affect your whole life." It's become like a second home for me out • th ore than satisfied with Dave i doing," says Keith Ro ma ager of Business Air. to o whatever ask ery enthusiastic about eree' eO le Dave's a ployers are happy as well. � G We're ' 'th the ndeau, work able "He's •h. s _. - with disabilities general ed hilt been able rights O � O � doing........... ...._ ... <<P Livingunder apartheid first" will protect the to and been it.". Business Asir is so happy with Dave' that they've hired Russel MacDonald from Suncoast Enterprises to train under Dave as his assistant. Dave is glad to be employed in a full- time job in the community but he doesn't begrudge his time at Suncoast Enter- prises. "I needed that time to think about my life," Dave reflects of the two years he. spent at the workshop after he left home. "It was like a family for me." "But when I left, it was a whole new ball game. I had to start thinking ahead to what I was going to do rather than thinking about my past;" Violet's job at the nursery in Vanastra runs from 8 a.M. to noon, five days a week She works ', closely with disabled children, organizing their daily routine, helping them with crafts and the like. She too is happy with the response and en-- couragement she's received from co- workers. And the feeling is mutual. Cheryl Nuhn, director of the Lady Diana Nursery and the Tuckersmith Day Care Centre, is very happy with the job Violet has been doing. "Every assignment that has been given to her has beenompleted satisfactorily, Nuhn remarks.' "And the staff and the children have re Ily accepted her well.'-' Violet is in th process of learning sigd language so th t she can better com- municate with he children. She's also been taking som night school courses .at the Goderich h gh school in reading, writing and mat . The higher wagsS that each receive have done much to change the way they live. Perhaps most importantly, they are each living on their own in the community, something that they were unable to do before they left Suncoast due to financial constraints. Again this is part of the GDAMR's focus on integrating those with disablities into the community on both the employment and social fronts. Integration is also one of the areas of con',centration of "People First" a' self-advo�eacy group that Violet and others are trying to establish in Huron County (see sidebar). What's the result of the Employment 4 Support Program and theafurther integra- tion suggested by ',People First" and the GDAMR? Wgitsonums it up well. "Before, people had no control over their lives; They were doing the same things over and over. They didn't' have a future. Now they do." BY PAUL HARTMAN You may not have heard of an organiza- tion known as "People First'''but chances are you'll be hearing about it in the near future. "People First" is a self -advocacy group participated in by, and designed to help, those that have been labelled, and thus discriminated against, by society. It is a Canada -wide organization, with chapters in many centres, working on behalf of in- dividuals with learning disabilities. Violet Keller, a Goderich resident, is one of the driving forces behind the move to establish a "People First" group in Huron County. Though we often take our freedoms for granted, most Canadians have a lot of them. In Goderich, we live here because we choose to. We're usually among our family and friends and many of us work productively at jobs which provide us. with an adequate, if not comfortable, standard of living. Usually, we live in peace and harmony with our neighbors. If not, we enjoy a political system which allows us to vote for change and a justice system which acknowledges our ability to fight for our rights and freedoms. , In most cases in our community, choice is the operative word. But, whati .. ; the rules were different? Imagine a society where 70 per cent of the population is denied what we take for granted as our rights and freedoms. Im- agine if the majority of people can no longer vote. And, imagine a situation when most,of us are denied even the most basic choice of living together with our families in the location of our choice. Consider instead, a system which re- quires the majority of people to carry a permit. regulating where they live and work. These permits are difficult to ob- tain especially for women whose labor is not in great demand by the ruling minority. The permits must be renewed, sometimes as often as once a week, with a day -long hassle with bureaucrats and their red tape ( when, of course, a day of work must be missed.) But, the hassle must be endured. Police raid the community regularly checking permits. Without a permit, im- prisonment is 'likely and banishment from your community to a reserve full of other permit -less people is almost inevitable. On the reserve, employment oppor- tunities are almost nil and you must rely on. family members with permits to'sup- port you and your children. The reserve is eroded and barren land that is over- crowded with women and children who have been separated by law from their husbands and fathers who must continue to work for the minority-owned in- dustries to suppdrt their families. And, even if you're fortunate enough to obtain a permit and therefore, find employment, the wages are so low 'that you must live in a shack made of 'cor- rugated iron and cardboard and your { children must often do without formal education. ° Violent strikes erupt in which scabs are beaten and killed by strikers and strikers are beaten and killed by police. When the minority -run government demands an end to the strike, police con- duct door-to-door searches for workers whom they drag out of their homes to work. And, When you've had enough and decide to revolt against this repressive, .system,. your.,neighborhood becomes a war zone where homes are destroyed by fire bombs and friends and family are murdered in the streets. Police imprison and brutalize anyone they suspect of speaking out against the system or, if the !. known subversives are in hiding, their family members are arrested. This scenario is not taken from the Twilight Zone. It is not borrowed from a speech from U.S. President Reagan on the horrors of communism. And, it is not an Orwellian nightmare prophesy of a future society. It is reality for the blacks of South Africa who live under the racist system of apartheid. It describes the past. 40 years of existance of black South Africans as outlined in the book "Poppie Nongena," based on the life of a black woman living in South Africa today. "Poppie Nongena" is a revealing and important book- because it introduces us to the real people who suffer under apar- theid. It provides the families, the culture, the frustrations and the dreams of the blacks struggling and often dying under its discriminatory system. And, it helps us understand how, placed under the same repressive regime,- we too would be moved to rebel. ' The book also helps us feel the heat of passionate outrage radiating from, the fiery speeches of Bishop Desmond Tutu when he urges the rest of the world to help fight against apartheid. It's a book that should be required reading for world leaders especially U.S. President Reagan„ and British " Prime Minister Thatcher, who should read it again if they've already skimmed through it once. Because, after reading the book along with daily news reports from South Africa, it's hard to understand how anyone who believes in human rights and freedoms, could not respond by doing everything in his or her power to end such a system. That's why I applaud Canada and the other Commonwealth nations who are leading the way, in international sanc- tions against South Africa. And, I heap scorn on Britain and the United States who refuse to impose sanc- tions despite the fact that British and Americans war veterans sacrificed much to fight a similar system of hatred, discrimination and oppression in the Se- cond World War.. Apartheid must- end. And, I hope Canada continues to do what it can to that end. "After talking to Beth French, the organizer of People First in Toronto, we decided that we wanted to start a group here," she says. "People First" in Huron County is still in its infancy stage. The group is looking for someone in the community to help organize and plan for the future. The organization, once established, will have several functions, • the most impor- tant of which is to serve as a watchdog to ensure thatpersons with disabilities are. not. being discriminated against. It will also aid these same people in getting a job in the community and help them find a place to live. The group will also concentrate on pro- , curing funds for government programs for the disabled and educate society to the position of the disabled. The basic thrust is similar to the one GDAMR has been concentrating on, recently -- t� integrate those with disabilities into society. In this case however the integration is- being ac- complished by those with disabilities. Dave Tebow of Goderich who worked at Suncoast Industries for two years and now has a job at Business Air Services Ltd., sees integration as positive and necessary. "It's something that they (people still at Suncoast) have to do. They've got to learn what society is like today and the only way they ckn do that is to get out and work in the world." On the other hand, Dave explains, in- tegration will help society understand him and others like him. And both Dave and Violet express a hope that others will at- tempt to look at the world from their perspective and try to understand their positron. "People have got to put themselves' in my shoes and see what it's like," urges Violet. Both also sense, that people's attitudes are changing for the better towards those Violet Keller helps a child enjoy a ride down the slide at the Lady Diana .Nursery where with disabilities —a situation which can on - she's employed under the Employment Support Program. Violet is also a driving force for ly improve as "People First" gains a self -advocacy rr....s�,:M+. those With foothold _ t.. td in Huron County.the establishment in Ht�irou County of "People P" learning disabilities.(Pboto by Paul Har roan) "ta 4. )