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C o n f e r e n c e 2 0 1 5

Alberta Council of Disability Services

invites you to attend our 29th annual spring gathering!

April 29 – May 1, 2015 • Coast Plaza Hotel and Conference Center

Calgary, Alberta #acds2015

Whole People. Whole Lives.

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Whole People. Whole Lives. Disability, Creativity, and the Magnificent Art of Failure

Danielle Peers

Danielle Peers is a disability rights activist, Ph.D candidate, filmmaker, and former Paralympian who works towards creating more inclusive, meaningful and socially-just communities in Alberta and beyond. People who experience disability are usually only celebrated when they either achieve extraordinary success, or succeed at making themselves as normal as possible. Such inspirational success stories tend to ignore significant barriers and social injustice, or worse, tend to make people believe that we must personally overcome injustice rather than collectively changing it. In this talk, Danielle refuses to celebrate the successful overcomer. Instead she focuses on the importance of magnificent failure. She argues that failure and vulnerability are what sparks both learning and creativity. It is what builds engaged and supportive communities. It is what enables political action and self-advocacy. Through telling her own story, and through sharing the magnificent failures of others, she celebrates those who have failed to overcome or normalize, and who have instead demanded or created better worlds.

Bumping up Against Reality

Moderators: Brooks Hanewich, Ben Weinlick, Sue Manery

Join this panel presentation in a discussion on: What is inclusion? Where is it succeeding and failing? What is supporting or holding social inclusion back?

Courage to Make Your Difference

Faith Wood

Have you ever wished you had an invisible armour that could protect you from disappointment, pressure, cost-cutting, conflict and discontent? Developing your mental toughness will help you be more emotionally resilient, push you to go further and harder, and build that “armour to persevere” against the bullets that life fires your way. It's not just about "being tougher" though. "Mental toughness" is about the courage to keep strong in the face of adversity. It's the ability to stay focused and determined to make our difference in spite of any difficulties encountered. Sometimes there are decisions and events that are wholly out of our control that simply don’t align with our objectives. When this happens, it feels like an assault against all the good work we are doing. It feels like no one is listening and, perhaps, like no one cares. When things fail to go the way we'd like them to, mental toughness can help ensure that our passions and purpose remain unified and intact. Faith has relied heavily on the gifts of mental toughness to support her through some pretty serious conflicts and life stressors. In this presentation, Faith will REVEAL her engaging and energetic perspectives on what it takes to challenge the natural tendency to become overwhelmed and dis-enfranchised in our lives and in our professions and embrace the gifts of mental toughness as we re-ignite and stabilize our passions.

How you think affects how you feel and how you feel affects your decisions, actions and performances.”

Plenary Session: Wednesday, April 29, 2015

9:00 am - 12:00 pm

Registration desk open: April 28, 2015 from 7-8 pm April 29 at 7:30 am

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Concurrent Workshops: Wednesday, April 29, 2015 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Impact of Cognitive Sciences on Teaching and Learning

Bob Aitken 1A

Educators, trainers and human service workers will find this non-technical presentation about recent brain research very interesting and practical. Brain researchers tell us that 90% of what we know about the human brain has been discovered in the last 5 years. Recent brain research has important implications for all of us involved in teaching and learning.

We will examine practical ways in which we can apply the information from brain research and effective adult learning research to our work.

All Work and No Play! 1D

Robert Manolson

Make a commitment to your per-sonal and professional life and take a time out! Lose yourself in the laughter and interactions as you join Robert in an innovative and creative open play experience. This highly interactive workshop will generate a buzz of excitement and energy. Connect, smile, laugh, and cheer!

Designed for all fitness levels, but be aware there are no chairs in this room!

Get ready to re-charge, re-juvenate,

and re-energize.

Leading and Influencing in Integrity 1B

Faith Wood

Influencing people positively is a vital business and personal skill. In today’s fast-changing world, where traditional hierarchies are disappearing and demands for creative problem solving are on the rise, it will be those who can learn to be “ethical influencers” who will be most successful.

From your initial interaction through your ability to develop and achieve lasting rapport, your success can be assured if you understand some simple and effective influence strategies.

This introductory seminar is intended to help you begin to understand what influencing involves, and to discuss some key elements and techniques that are essential for you to actually become an influencer!

You will gain fresh insight into unique communication techniques that: build rapport, establish trust and exert influence in any situation; handle tough conversations with greater confidence and assurance; tap into and articulate your true value; ensure that you and your message are remembered for the right reasons; and explore the power of non-verbal communications and how to use it more effectively.

The Art of Every-Day Social Justice 1 C

Danielle Peers and Lindsay Eales

In this workshop, we will use disability theory, art, discussion, and collaborative activities to explore social justice and injustice. The workshop leaders will draw on their own personal experiences of disability and mental illness, as well as their own artistic practices, to further this exploration. Our workshop has four objectives. First, we will offer tools for understanding and identifying social (in)justice. Second, we will share innovative artistic and activist practices of social justice created by disability communities. Third we will play with art as a means of understanding and enacting social justice. Fourth, we will collaboratively develop manageable and meaningful strategies for practicing social justice in the workplace and in life.

“Sometimes equality means treating people the same despite their differences,

and sometimes it means treating them as equals by accommodating their differences”

Judge Rosalie Silberman Abella

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Plenary Session: Thursday, April 30, 2015 Workshops 9:00 am - 9:45 am

Wired to Connect 2A

Bob Aitken

Some ground-breaking research, by Dr. Matthew Lieberman shows that our brains react to social pain and pleasure in the same way as they react to phys-ical pain and pleasure. We are social animals. What implica-tions does this have for our work?

Bob will also look at ideas on how we can increase identifying with or experiencing empathy with others. We will look at the role that social media plays in helping and sometimes hinder-ing our ability to connect and develop empathy, etc. We will have a look at the research of Dr. Frans de Waal outlined in his book, The Age of Empathy where he explains how we can develop empathy and avoid apathy and sympathy.

From Oh No! to Ah Ha! David Hingsburger

One of the best things about being in human services is that, because of the depth and diversity or our interactions with those we support, we are required to grow. Growth comes from learning. And learning often comes from

making mistakes, acknowledging them, and apologizing for them. The only really acceptable apology, as we all know, is change. This keynote will look at how Oh No! leads to Ah Ha! and how we can all put ourselves on the path to

constant personal and interpersonal change.

Risky Business: an Interactive Learning Session 2B

Moderator: David Hingsburger

Rights, policy, practice and procedures all try to capture in black-and-white how to support a person with a disability to have a full life in the community. But real life seldom fits neatly into these on-paper descriptions. Every decision and every choice comes with the potential for risk and for reward.

A panel made up of people representing a variety of perspectives will explore complex scenarios from real-life stories so we can consider, share and learn what it really means to live a full life in the community as a person with a disability.

Parent: Jan Mason, Calgary

Self Advocate: Doug Eddie, Grande Prairie

GOA: TBA

Service Provider: TBA

Guardian/CET—Corinne Thomas

“Good Grief” 2C

Shelley Murdoch, SCOPE Journeys Program; Melody Evans M.Sc. R., Psych, RMFT

Journeying with older adults with developmental disabilities to the end of their lives means providing support to the individuals involved and easing the transition for them. This involves being creative, respectful and developing very individualized plans. It is also necessary to support the other people who are affected by the loss. This means finding effective ways to acknowledge, validate and celebrate the feelings of the individuals’ families, other clients and the team of staff who provided the care during this most difficult time. This session will talk about grief and loss, how these affect both people with disabilities and their supporters, explore available resources and outline creative and healthy ways to support grief and loss.

Concurrent Workshops: Thursday, April 30, 2015 Workshops 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

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Breakout Sessions: Thursday, April 30, 2015 Workshops 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

A Journey of Becoming – a Parents perspective 2F

Barbara Nish

Parents who have a child with disabilities travel a road that is no different than the one travelled by parents across the world. There are potholes, roadblocks and detours that can take them to places they did not expect, nor necessarily want to be. But, no matter the manner or length of travel, the journey is worth every step taken.

Barbara will share her very personal journey of becoming Andrew’s mother – the joy of Andrew, obstacles faced, supports that made a difference, learn-ings from working in the field, and the importance of relationships and har-mony in the journey.

Finding your Leadership GRIT 2G

Kathy Archer, Silver River Coaching

New research is emerging about the one trait that truly propels people for-ward. Beyond honesty, communication skills and confidence, the one trait you need to refine is Grit. Determination, perseverance and a doggedness that keeps people on purpose and task, Grit will make the difference for you in achieving your goals. By developing your Grit, you will be able to apply your strengths and skills long term for outstanding results. Grit will get you through challenges, threats, fears, stresses and overload that is so common place for today’s leaders.

In this session, Kathy will help you identify and access your own Grit. She will also teach you how to develop it not only in yourself, but in others. You can then not only stick it out when the going gets tough, but you will learn to access your own powerful self allowing you to have an impressive impact with your team and create your strong future in leadership roles.

Supporting Sexuality for

People with Disabilities

Becky Van Tassel 2E

Participants in this interactive and fun workshop have an opportunity to explore sexuality and how disabil-ity and sexuality may have been tra-ditionally portrayed. Participants will define sexuality in a broad context, explore their own attitudes about sexuality and receive practical sug-gestions for engaging persons with disabilities in conversations about their sexual health and wellbeing. This workshop will also help profes-sionals to become more comfortable talking about sexual health with indi-viduals, and will assist professionals in making referrals to help best sup-port them.

“From Service Planning to

Outcome Planning” 2D

Arlene Ehl, TBA

This session will provide an update on the PDD Service Design and Planning policy with a focus on clar-ifying roles and responsibilities to enhance collaboration among stakeholders. The session will in-clude a facilitated conversation to identify strategies for how we can work together to better support individuals to achieve their vision for the future.

Towards a Results-Based Budgeting Framework—

What Agencies Need to Know 2H

Ed Marchak, CA

Results-based budgeting is a legislated process to review all programs and services, including agencies, boards and commissions, to determine wheth-er programs are relevant and meet intended outcomes, and are delivered as efficiently and effectively as possible. PDD and disability supports programs were reviewed in 2013, and the resulting recommendations made are now being implemented. Agencies will be required to shift how they do things, but it is not clear exactly what these changes will look like to align with a “results-based budgeting” approach.

During this session, Ed will explain how Results-Based Budgeting processes are designed and what agencies need to know to be prepared for this shift in business-as-usual.

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Breakout Sessions: Thursday, April 30, 2015 2:45 pm - 4:15 pm

Making a Difference with Social Media 2J

Erin Waite, Connections Counselling; Jamie Post, ACDS Communications Coordinator

Two of Disability Services’ most prolific Tweeters will show you the value of a Tweet in promoting your organization, connecting our sec-tor, advancing issues and building awareness with the public, media and political leaders.

From creating an account, to hashtags, messaging, building a social media policy and Tweeting your MLA; Jamie and Erin will walk you through the basics, best prac-tices, who to follow and how to show the public why they should care about the work that we do.

The Power of Meaningful

Moments 2I

Cara Milne, M-Powered Planning Ltd.

This beneficial workshop will begin by discussing what it really means to be included, and how we can support people with disabilities to not to feel like a guest in their own lives! Those attending will leave with tangible ways to slow down and support people to have a day filled with meaningful moments.

Cara Milne will also take a look at how we can build dignity and self-esteem through supporting people to have the opportunity for genu-ine contribution and relationships within their own communities.

Be prepared to leave feeling encouraged and excited to try prac-tical and possible strategies for community building!

Human-Centered Design for Social Good 2K

Brooks Hanewich, Chrysalis; Ben Weinlick, SKILLS

To create new solutions to some of our most complex problems, both Chrysalis and SKILLS Society have turned to Human-Centered Design (HCD). The HCD process incorporates serious data collection, prototyping, and implementation strategy, while it maintains the focus centered on the people we're designing for. The process has pushed organizations to close-ly examine the challenges in their work and helped to broaden their think-ing. This session will take participants through the HCD process and shed light on the experiences of Chrysalis and SKILLS Society in using Human-Centered Design.

More Smoozing, Less Snoozing 2J

Bill Winship, Ed Burdon

A how to from two past ACDS board members on being an active partici-pant in your community and region. Using your voice as a volunteer to reach MLAs and Government Ministers, to support your organization, staff and families. Moving out of your comfort zone as board members, believ-ing you can make a difference and the excitement of acting upon it.

Igniting the Partnership Experience 2L

Panel Moderator: Elaine Yost

Panel members will include parents from across the lifespan, and service providers representatives.

Having a positive working relationship between families and agencies can impact the outcomes for the individuals we support. The relationship can sometimes be fraught with challenges, both for the family, the service pro-vider and for the staff. Sometimes it truly is a partnership that enriches everyone involved. The unique experience of a family’s journey, the sup-port and involvement of extended family, siblings, their relationship with their adult child, agency policies, limited resources, training and diversity of staff, all impact the development of that partnership.

How do we address these issues and move forward? What support is re-quired for all involved? What is working well and what is not working well? How do we achieve a mutually right relationship to best support the indi-vidual to achieve their dreams?

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Board to Board Event Board to Board Event Board to Board Event (2N)(2N)(2N) Thursday, April 30 7:00 pm Thursday, April 30 7:00 pm Thursday, April 30 7:00 pm --- 9:00 pm 9:00 pm 9:00 pm

Politics, Democracy and Citizen Participation

Join the ACDS Board and a special guest ...

As a board member you are the champion and advocate for your organization’s mission!

This is a critical role for you to play. Is this a role you are comfortable with? This evening event will build the confidence of board members around their roles in the art and science of advocacy and making a lasting impression — Convince the public and the media why they should care! We will help you to utilize the power of being a volunteer and the difference between paid staff and volunteer advocacy when communicating with MLAs and decision-makers. Boards need to advocate and influence policy in order to best serve their clients and the sector. You will learn about best practices and specific examples on how to go about it, creating a safe environment for staff leaders to do the same. You’ll leave with a better understanding of your role, your ability to influence change and how to create a safe environment for your agency’s staff leaders to do the same. This is a opportunity to connect with other Agency board members and get your questions answered.

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Thursday, April 30, 2015

Coast Plaza Hotel and Conference Centre

5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

NOT your NORMAL AGM! JOIN US FOR: Draws, Fun, Entertainment!

What does it take to be a professional? It can be summed up in two words: knowledge and commitment.

Commitment. Professionals are committed to many things. They are committed to learning and using “best practices” in their work. They are committed to doing the best they can to ensure that those they provide services to have the best life possible. They engage in reflective practice to ensure that their own as-sumptions, beliefs and actions do not limit the possibilities for the individuals to whom they provide services. Professionals are com-mitted to a set of values they share with other disability profes-sionals: respect, integrity, competence and fair-mindedness. Pro-fessional disability workers are committed to being trustworthy, and demonstrate this by respecting privacy and following through on their promises. They show integrity by being honest about their abilities, their mistakes and possible conflicts of interest. Professionals are committed to the welfare of their peers and the quality of practice in the profession. They share their knowledge with others and show appreciation of good work. They encourage people to recognize the rights of individuals with disabilities as fellow human beings and to treat them with respect.

Knowledge. Professionals have acquired a body of knowledge needed for their work through a combination of education, training and experience. As professionals, disability workers use a variety of means to learn about the individuals they provide services to—their history, interests, talents, goals, needs and relationships with others. As professionals, they make sense of what they have learned from spending time with people and listening to them or reading about best practices in or-der to make and carry out support plans. Disa-bility professionals draw on their knowledge to help people become part of their community and exercise their rights, prevent and solve problems, and seek help or more information when they don’t know enough to figure out the best action to take.

Everyone Welcome! www.adwa.ca

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Pilot Projects and Innovation presented in 20 slides X 20 seconds

If you came to the conference for inspiration, this is the session for you. We’ve invited people from all over the province to introduce you to their pilot project, innovative idea, or best practices. But there’s a catch: presentations will be PechaKucha style. What is it? PechaKucha was invented in 2003 as a way to share creative ideas, but in a structure that ensures presentations are short and catchy. There are now PechaKucha events all over the world and they all use the same format. Presenters have just 20 slides with each slide shown for exactly 20 seconds – the entire presentation is 6 minutes and 40 seconds. This PechaKucha (Japanese for chit chat) will focus on pilot and other innovative projects, resources and best practices in the disability sector. A fast and engaging session for the audience, you’ll have the opportunity to hear about what’s going on all around the province. Topics are wide-ranging, from advocacy and intercultural diversity to accreditation tools, from arts and apps to employment and…well, there’s more, so you need to see it for

yourself. There’s always room for more: contact doreen@acds.ca if you have a PechaKucha presentation to share. We accept live appearances or recorded presentations for anyone who can’t attend. There are lots of links on-line to learn how to create and deliver a PechaKucha – have some fun with it!

Friday May 1, 2015. 9:00 am to 11:30 am

Powered by PechaKucha

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Breakout Sessions: Friday, May 1, 2015 9:00 am - 9:45 am

How to Become a Person

Centered Team 3A

Tammy Ouellette

We are not able to be person cen-tered with the people we support if we are not person centered within our own teams first.

Retaining great staff is key for your organization’s success. Show your staff that they are valued in your organization, that they are your most important resource, and that you want to know what is im-portant to them and how they truly need to be supported. This session will introduce you to a number of skills and tools that will assist you in creating and manag-ing adaptable person centered teams.

Answers May Vary 3B

Belle Auld, Candace Witkowskyi, Jayna Layden

The Answers May Vary Guidebook workshop will provide participants with an easy-to-use manual detailing literacy strategies, resources and effective practices they can use in their day-to-day lives to help their clients improve their reading, writing and other essential skills. This workshop will be interactive, with hands-on activities where participants can explore different strategies. Based on interviews with Bow Valley College teachers and tutors who work with adults with developmental disabilities, Answers May Vary captures the expertise and experiences around literacy skills building, focusing particularly on those activities that can be incorporated into daily life. Participants will leave the workshop with handouts.

Art as a Teaching Tool 3D

Jill Staines, Donna Bernreuther

This will be a fun, interactive seminar outlining various creative approaches for using the arts as a means of treatment for persons with disabilities. Jill Staines, a local art instructor for OPTIONS, will take us on a journey to explore the fundamental aspects behind the therapeutic art process. Through the use of visual representation, Jill will touch base on aspects such as how to coordinate individualized and group sessions, and how to develop project ideas, facilitating techniques, and support strategies. She will also share success stories based on her experience with local artists within the disability community. The seminar is creative in nature but not limited to persons with artistic interests. This session will also emphasize how one could successfully go about coordinating and facilitating specialized programs for individuals wanting to expand their interests.

Know Your Rights! Human Rights for All Albertans 3C

Sharon Rempel and Cam Stewart

Join Southern Alberta Individualized Planning Association (SAIPA) and the Alberta Human Rights Commission to discuss the rights of all Albertans. This session will feature and showcase a resource that was developed in the South Region to teach rights, responsibilities and advocacy to people of all abilities. The presenters will review the partnership developed between SAIPA and the Alberta Human Rights Commission, the resource develop-ment process, the resource itself and next steps.

PechaKucha

Begins (3E)

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Breakout Sessions: Friday, May 1, 2015 10:0 am - 12:00 pm

PechaKucha

Continues (3F)

Plain Language for Multicultural Employees 3H

Terri Peters 3H

Not sure if your writing and documents are easy for everyone to understand? Then this workshop is for you!

The power of plain language is in providing your reader with clear, concise information. During this workshop, you will learn how to choose words care-fully and format documents so that they are easier for everyone to read. Did you know that a document written in plain language is also much easier to translate into other languages if needed? Come and learn valuable tips, techniques and tools for putting plain language to work in your organization.

Family Managed Services: The Edmonton Experience 3I

Cindy de Bruijn and Betty Hahn-Sidor

Since 2006, Gateway Association in Edmonton has been providing supports to families who choose the Family Man-aged Services (FMS) option. After forty years of working with families and nearly a decade of supporting FMS, we will share what we have learned through the experience. We will discuss how the family is supported throughout the process, review the workshops provided to Funds Administrators and the direct staff, and describe the Individual Service Planning process that we undertake with families. We will also share the evolution of our supports and what we forecast as future needs.

Neurodiversity: Integrating ASD into the Workplace

Sarah Taylor 3 G

Recent statistics indicate that almost 85% of people identified as living on the autism spectrum are unemployed or underemployed. Spectrum Advantage is a new program in the city of Calgary aimed at educating companies to see the advantages of employing people who live on the autism spectrum, and empowering individuals on the autism spectrum to gain and successfully maintain appropriate employment. This presentation is geared toward generating discussion around how to help individuals on the spectrum overcome employment barriers, why employers are hesitant to hire individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and debunking some myths associated with an ASD diagnosis. Furthermore, it will highlight the advantages of diversifying the workplace for employers, individuals with ASD, and society alike.

FASD –In Conversation 3J

Madelyne Porter, Debbie Collins

This two-part presentation is designed to get audience members talking about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). First, we will provide an overview of FASD and its effects, explore the strengths and challenges of affected individuals and their families/caregivers, and explore current challenges in facing the local FASD community. Second, we will shift the conversation to FASD prevention, and then to learning and practicing how brief, non-judgmental conversations can reduce the incidence of alcohol-exposed pregnancies in Alberta.

“Acting like an

organization,

but thinking

like a movement”

Tamarack Institute

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Wednesday, April 29, 2015

PLAY IT UP!

Dinner and Dance... Dress in a style that honours your cultural

heritage!

Cocktails at 6:00 pm Dinner 7:00 pm

Extra tickets are available!

Rate includes

3 lunches &

Wednesday Dinner

Onsite restaurant as well as

fast food restaurants within

walking distance of hotel

Alberta Council of Disability Services

(ACDS)

Doreen Hogarth 403-250-9495 Ext 234

or

Christine Walker Ext 228

training@acds.ca or doreen@acds.ca

Registration forms available online

at: www.acds.ca

Exhibitors Wanted

Are you interested in having a display table at this event?

Rates:

Corporate $500

Non-profit/quasi: $200

Member agency: $100

Quick Overview

Wednesday, April 29, 2015

9:00am - 12:00pm Opening Plenary 12:00pm - 1:00pm Lunch 1:00pm - 4:00pm Workshops 6:00pm - 9:30 pm Dinner and Dance

Thursday, April 30, 2015

9:00am - 9:45am Morning Plenary 10:00am - 12:00pm Workshops 12:00pm - 1:00 pm Lunch 1:00pm - 2:30pm Breakout Sessions 2:45pm - 4:15pm Breakout Sessions 5:00pm - 7:00pm ADWA AGM 7:00pm - 9:00 pm Board Event

Friday, May 1, 2015

9:00am - 9:45 am Breakout Sessions 10:00am - 12:00pm Breakout Sessions 12:00pm - 1:00pm Lunch 12:45pm - 1:45pm Closing Plenary

All Plenary sessions are in the Main Ballroom

and everyone will be together so there is no

need to register.

Several workshops and breakouts session

run concurrently.

You will need to pre-register for these events.

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Room Rate: $135.00 and up!

Call Reservations: 403-248-8888

or Global Reservation: 1-800-663-1144

Or use our online Group booking: http://coa.st/58l3

Space at this rate is limited so book early!

The group rate will not apply after April 13, 2015

Conference Closing Plenary May 1, 2015 12:45 - 1:45 pm

A TOAST!

David Hingsburger

This highly interactive plenary session will look at the biggest challenge we all face in providing service to people with disabilities. It will suggest how, if we understand the first and most primary boundary in life and in service provision, we can create opportunities for people to grow, develop and individuate. The session will end with a powerful lesson on welcoming and celebrating communication.

Dave is the Director of Clinical and Educational Services for Vita Community Living Services and a primary consult-ant for the Sexuality Clinic at York Simcoe Behaviour Management Services. He provides direct services to people with intellectual disabilities and also works in private practice as a consultant for schools, parents and agencies in a variety of areas regarding service provision to people with intellectual disabilities, focusing primarily on problem-atic sexual behaviour, understanding problem behaviour and abuse prevention.

Dave has published over 30 books, has lost count of the number of articles he has had published in magazines, newspapers and journals. He has appeared a number of times on television as a “talking head” regarding disability issues. Dave wrote and narrated the controversial radio documentary “Life, Death and Disability” for the CBC. Dave lectures extensively. He has given keynote presentations nationally and internationally.

Educationally, Dave earned his B.A. in psychology at the University of Victoria in British Columbia, a certificate in Human Relations from Ryerson in Toronto, and his M.Ed. from the University of Toronto. In the fall of 2009, Dave was inducted into the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame.

Coast Plaza Hotel and Conference Centre

1315 - 33rd Street North East, Calgary, Alberta