(dis)ability (2011) by jobpostings Magazine

7/31/2019 (dis)ability (2011) by jobpostings Magazine

1/36| fall2011 | careers. education. ideas. all of it

ArmedFor WorkTwo young Canadians have

invented a brain-controlled

prosthetic arm. What it

means for your career.

The LSATProbLem&

JobLifeThe Importance of

Showing Up

Universal Designfor Learning


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Canadas portal to awards

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L IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF THE WM. WRIGLEY JR. CO., OR ITS SUBSIDIARIES.


4/362 (dis)ability| fall 2011 | jobpostings.ca

4 /Success StoryNelson Garcia discusses his career with Canadian Pacic. Brought

to you by Rogers Wireless.

8 /CareerCupidDriving positive change through disability. Christine Fader shares

her story of how her invisible disability was suddenly made visible.

11 /ReachingUpA new and innovative prosthetic option for amputees. Minus the

$300,000 price tag.

16 /MoreThanaTest:The LSATProblemTo accommodate or not? A look at some of the hurdles students

with disabilities face when writing the LSATs

22 /Oneonone:Dr.GregorWolbringYou have an obligation to keep ghting. Future generations

depend on it.

29 /FocalPointWhen it comes to a career in social work, is it better to have a

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32 /JobLife:ShowingUpisHalftheBattle

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rogers.com/careers/campuslife

Where did you go to School? What

program did you attend?

I took the Corporate Readiness TrainingProgram at Bow Valley College in Calgary,Alberta. And before that, I attended theUniversity Jose Maria Vargas in Venezu-ela, where I studied Business Administra-tion and General Management.

What drew you to your current

position?

I started out at CP Rail in customer ser-vice. My passion and love for the trans-portation industry, along with business

and logistics, led me to my current role asa shipment planning coordinator.

Tell us a bit about your

responsibilities:

I provide information and updates onemergent conditions on the railway. Ialso care for our strategic customers andurgent situations on the off shift. Main-taining direct communications withcustomers and field operations is alsovery important to ensure traffic moves

smoothly across the network.What is the most challenging as-

pect of your position?

Definitely the shifts. I work 12-hour shifts,that vary. Right now, I work seven dayshifts during the first two weeks of themonth, and seven night shifts after that.It can be difficult adjusting, becausesleep and eating patterns are affected,along with the time you get to spendwith your family.

What is the most rewarding part

of your job?

The job itself is very interesting. When Isee results delivered and difficult situ-ations solved, it feels very good. I loveit when I see my traffic moving overthe rails and arriving to its destinationsafely and quickly.

What accommodations do you

use to help you succeed on

the job?

Since I drive daily to work, the access to apermanent parking space is a huge bene-

fit. Especially in the winter! The building Iwork in is quite accessible, with automat-ic and accessible doors and an automaticadjustable desk.

Can you tell us about the history

of your disability and how it has

affected your career?

It was always my hobby to race bikes. Backin 2006, I was riding my Yamaha R1000(motorcycle) when I crashed and broke myback at a T10 level. This resulted in a per-

manent spinal cord injury, which left meparalyzed from the waist down. Before myaccident, I was a custom broker in Venezu-ela. But after, I wasnt able to return to myjob due to my physical limitations and thelack of accessibility at the sea docks. I hadto rethink my options and see what I hadto do to once again become independent.This was important not only for myself ormy family, but for society as well.

Is there one accomplishment you

are most proud of to date?

Yes! Actually, I have two. The first is that Ihave a full time professional job with CPRail. The second is that Im able to stand upon my own, with the help of my leg braces,for an hour every day after work. Whenyoure paralyzed from the waist down,standing up is pretty impossible. But thereare ways around it. You have to do your re-search and find out what works for you. Inmy case, carbon fibre braces helped, alongwith a daily commitment to exercise.

What advice do you have for

students looking to land their

first job?

Its important to be realistic when itcomes to expectations. Be strategic in

your job search, and pay close attention tothe type of organizational environmentand industry you would like to develop

your career in. Be honest with yourself,consistent, reliable and always look to addvalue to any process.

Company

Canadian Pacific

Position

Shipment PlanningCoordinator

Length of employment

14 monthsDegree

Bachelor in BusinessAdministration

Sponsored by

successstories

NelsonGarcia

4


7/361 Extreme Text Messaging service is available to Rogers wireless prepaid and postpaid customers only as part of their wireless service. Visit rogers.com/extremetext for complete user details. Trademarks of or used under licensefrom Rogers Communications Inc. or an affiliate. 2011 Rogers Communications.

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Published by Passion Inc.

25 Imperial Street, Suite 100

Toronto, ON M5P 1B9

jobpostings.ca1-877-900-5627 ext. 221

jobpostingspublishes disability

issues twice a year. Issue dates are

September and January. 20,000

copies are distributed to over 100universities and colleges. Available

by subscription: 2 issues for only

$8.00 (plus HST). Contents of

this publication are protected

by copyright and may not be

reprinted in whole or part without

permission of the publishers.

on the cover:

Ryerson University/James Kachan

pblhNathan Laurie

[email protected]

aapblhMark Laurie

[email protected]

dJason Rhyno

[email protected]

a dSonya van Heyningen

[email protected]

wb dSimone Castello

[email protected]

nbMelissa Bolton, Wade

Brown, Christine Fader, Ross

Harrhy, Brandon Miller,

Kevin Nelson, Andrew

Williams,

nanalanmanagSarah-Lyn Amaral,

Mary Vanderpas

nnVlad Omazic, Alyssa

Ouellette, Andrew Williams

jobpostings

There are many battles youll ght

throughout your life, and theyll range

in size, and importance. For students

with disabilities, life can be a

constant battle.

Sometimes its a battle to get

accommodations for a test, like in More

Than a Test: The LSAT Problem, or gure

out a solution to a problem, like Michal

Prywata and Thiago Caires are doing

with their robotic arm. Other times,

the battle is much larger and somewhat

invisible like societys view of

people with disabilities and what they

are capable of. (Although, if you askme, the latter is changing, slowly, but

in the right direction.) And more often

than not, youll lose those battles or

feel like you lost. You havent.

What you have done is laid groundwork

for the people that will come behind

you. For a more specic example of

what I am talking about, read the

interview with Dr. Gregor Wolbring

Jason Rhyno

on page 22, and our story on getting

accommodations for the LSAT.

If you put your heart, soul and all of

your intellect into your work, into the

accommodations you ght for, youll

have made it easier for the people

that come behind you. Your employers

and colleagues will notice and it

doesnt matter if you win or lose. What

matters is that you showed up, and

you gave it your all.

This is my last issue as editor of this

publication. I have thoroughly enjoyed

working on this publication, and I

couldnt have done it without thesupport of the following people:

Frank Smith and the team at NEADS,

Christine Fader, Nancy Moulday of TD,

and all the people that called us up or

wrote in to say positive things. Please

keep it coming. This type of magazine

is important, and we cant do it without

the support of the community. Best of

luck were cheering for you!

editors

noteThe Work You do and What You Leave Behind


9/36 is a registered trademark of t he WM. Wrigley Jr. Co., Wrigley Canada Licensee. Skittles MD est une marque dpose do la WM. Wrigley Jr. Co., en ver tu de la licence de Wrigley Canada.


10/368

cAr

eercuPiddriving positive changethrough disability

Cant seem to

the interview?

We can help.

jobpostings.ca

make it past


11/369

One minute it was there and

the next, it was gone.

Im talking about my drivers

license. And no, it wasnt just

lost in the bottomless pit I call

a purse. The card was still there,

nestled in my wallet, but its

power was truly gone. My doctor

and some government ofcials

had decided I couldnt legally

drive until I had been episode

free for at least a year.

It was a major bummer to be

banned from driving because

of my disability. But I guess

fainting a bunch of times a daycan make people a little nervous

when they think of you behind

the wheel of a car

My job, at the time, was working

with people, none of whom had

a drivers license of their own.

Approximately 40% of my job

required me to drive clients

around to doctors appointments,visits with their relatives and to

pick up groceries.

When I had begun my job, I had

a drivers license, and then, one

Thursday afternoon, I didnt.

My invisible disability had

suddenly become very visible.

When employers think of people

with disabilities, they oftenassume something that is

permanent and always the same.

They accommodate it and then

you get on with the work, right?

by Christine Fader

Christine Fader works as a career counsellor at Queens University and is the author of the book,

Career Cupid: Your Guide to Landing and Loving Your Dream Job. She was a member of the Ontario

Governments Employment Standards Development Committee which created new legislation to

increase accessibility in Ontario by 2025. Visit her at www.careercupid.com

Wrong.

In fact, many people with

disabilities may need

accommodations for a little

while, then cease needing

them (or need to change

them). Even in the case of a

more consistently-presenting

disability (think: visual disability,

deafness, mobility difference,

etc) accommodations often need

to change over time. Certainly,

they should be re-discussed with

changing work tasks and as the

person settles into a job or new

role and becomes more aware of

what would be helpful.

However, many peoples

disabilities are highly variable in

terms of their symptoms (think:

chronic illnesses such as Multiple

Sclerosis, Epilepsy, Colitis,

Macular Degeneration, etc) and

the environment theyre in (think:

learning differences, ADHD,

psychiatric and mental illness

etc). Often, the accommodations

that were initially discussed no

longer t the circumstances.

In my case, I had chosen not to

disclose a disability or discuss

accommodations when I rst

applied for and accepted the job

since my symptoms were not

going to affect my work (my bodyapparently had other ideas). My

employer didnt even know I had

a disability and then, suddenly,

I couldnt perform 40 percent of

my job!

What I soon realized was that I

wasnt completely correct. Yes,

I couldnt perform 40 percent of

my job the traditional way, but

I could perform it. My job was

to help people get to doctors

appointments, visits with relativesand to pick up groceries and thats

exactly what I continued to do.

In my case, and since it was such

a major chunk of my job, I chose

not to ask for accommodations

(although it was absolutely within

my rights to be accommodated

once I had disclosed that I had

a disability). Instead, I chose to

re-think how my job was done andproposed that to my employers.

I could accompany clients on the

bus, teaching them bus routes,

condence, money skills, and

behavioural skills along the way.

NOT having a drivers license

actually ended up making a huge,

positive difference in the lives

of my clients. People started

noticing and all of a sudden, the

phrase, drivers license required

was removed from all the job

postings in the agency.

Huh.

One minute it was there and the

next, it was gone. Just like my

license.

jobpostings.ca | fall 2011 | (dis)ability


12/36


13/36

Imag

e:RyersonUniversity/JamesKachan

r e A c

h i n g

u P

A Canadian-madebrain-controlled prosthetic

is in development and could

open up new career options

for people with amputations.

No invasive surgery, no

$300,000 price tag.

11jobpostings.ca | fall 2011 | (dis)ability



Michal Prywata was showing

a heart monitor device he

created at a Ryerson University

engineering open house in

2009, and one person in the

crowd stood out. A lot of

people were asking questions,Prywata says. But there

was this one guy asking very

specic questions that only

someone who knows what they

are talking about would ask.

That guy was Thiago Caires,

and the two started working

together shortly thereafter.

They founded BionikLaboratories housed at

Ryersons Digital Media Zone

in Toronto, a workplace for

young entrepreneurs and

have a number of projects

in the works, including the

Articial Muscle-Operated

Arm (AMO). While the AMO

Arm has already won a

number of awards, the OntarioEngineering Competition and

the Canadian Engineering

Competition being two

examples, it is not yet

available for purchase.

So whats all the

excitement about?

Currently, the only comparable

device that exists requires

invasive muscle re-innervation

surgery that is not performed

in Canada or covered by

provincial health plans. It also

reportedly costs $300,000,

though there is no set price.

The AMO Arms inventors are

hoping for something more

along the lines of $15,000,

which is at the upper endof the range for a simple

hook prosthesis covered by

insurance plans. What we

wanted to do is something

that is just as functional or

more functional as the arm

developed from the surgery,

says Prywata. But external.

Part of the appeal of the AMO

Arm is the fact that it might

be useful for those with full-

arm amputations in a way

that current articial limbs

are not. If you have a partial

arm amputation, you can still

send signals to the brain.

Finding a functional articial

limb is more difcult the

comPuTerS AregreAT equALize

by Brandon Miller

higher the amputation, says

Karen Valley, Director of the

National Amputee Centre with

The War Amps.

Valley says that shes interested

in the AMO Arm because it will

provide more options for those

with amputations. It might

also open new doors in the

workplace. Computers are the

great equalizers, she says. It

levels the playing eld

for (amputees).

The War Amps provides up-to-

date and accurate information

about prostheses to Canadianamputees, as well as nancial

assistance when it comes to

purchasing articial limbs.

Valley cant say for sure if

the AMO Arm would be a

limb they would cover, but

shes been following its

development and is hopeful.

I would be interested in

checking (the AMO Arm) out,

says Valley, an amputee who

currently uses a myoelectric

device. I would have to see

if it would benet me.

Giving more limb options to

an amputee means offering a

greater scope of career


15/3613jobpostings.ca | fall 2011 | (dis)ability

heS



choice. Every job has different

requirements and environments,

and an amputee often has to

nd ways to adapt to those

environments. Valley thinks the

AMO Arm could have an impact

on the types of jobs many with

amputations are physically

capable of undertaking.

But, even then, shes quick to

point out the resilience of the

community. Amputees seem to be

able to nd something to work for

them if they want to do a certain

activity, she says. If it is the

right (limb) for you, you will use

it, despite some of the limitations

aesthetics or weight.

The AMO Arm might not be theprettiest arm out there Valley

notes that the accompanying

headpiece might be a turn-off for

some but its functionality is

pretty inspiring. The technology

can allow the wearer to close the

hand, rotate the wrist, and lift

the arm up to shoulder level. It

can even lift 200 pounds, though

the inventors would recommend

sticking to around 50. It

will offer new options when

compared to the other devices in

its price range.

If someone needs their entire

arm and all they have is a hook,

how much can they do, no matter

what job it is? Prywata asks.

Maybe they can hold a notebook

with one hand and write with

the other, but thats about it.

Using the AMO Arm, a person

could easily handle fragile and

sensitive objects. Right now,

myoelectric arms allow people

to differentiate between grips,

but the technology does not.

Prywata and Caires have inventeda technology to sense different

materials that is designed for the

mechanical device itself. Lets

say you are about to pick up an

egg, it will sense what material

it is, Prywata says. It will set

a maximum pressure the arm

will exert on that object, so you

wont crush the egg.

Unless you want to a be baker

or a professional heckler, eggs

arent likely to t into your daily

work life, but it is easy to think

of other uses for an arm that cansense materials and adjust its grip

accordingly. Think of a scientist

trying to adjust glass slides on his

microscope, or an ofce manager

trying to screw in a light bulb

while holding the old bulb at the

same time. Those are not things a

person can do with one arm.

In addition to grip and therange of movement, the AMO

Arm also provides an added level

of efciency. Even if you are

working construction and you

want to drill something to a

wall, you could easily hold the

drill and adjust whatever you

need to on the wall, Prywata

says. You could hold the screw

and do whatever you need todo. Not only will the technology

benet employees, but it might

also decrease some of the

misconceptions that persist

about what an amputee can and

cannot accomplish at work.

The way we chose rehabilitation

(as our eld) was by looking

at gaps in technology, says

Prywata, who hopes the AMO

Arm will be available within the

next two years. Prosthetics had

the problem of being very simple

or very expensive. There was

nothing in between.

And while theres still nothing in

between, theres something on

the way.



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18/3616 (dis)ability | fall 2011 | jobpostings.ca


19/3617

T he Law School Admission Test

(LSAT), by its own nature as an

exam, is an obstacle that any

student must overcome if theywish to progress to a career in

the legal world. But for students

with disabilities, obtaining

the necessary accommodations

presents yet another hurdle for

them; something intended to

make the process accessible too

often becomes wrapped up in

bureaucracy, litigation, or short-

sightedness. There are various

accounts of students and the

Law School Admission Council(LSAC) having a courtroom

jousting competition when

Council administration fails

to accommodate a persons

disability. But lets not get too

hasty and make LSAC out to be

the Grinch who stole Christmas.

Accommodations are tools and

practises that allow persons

with disabilities to perform the

same tasks as everyone else.For the LSAT, these may include

extra time, large print or Braille

formats, a reader or assistant, a

separate room, and extra rest.

moreThAnA TeST

The LSAT Problem



In some cases, students can

request to have food or drinks

depending on their needs. There

have been some requests that

were, lets say, more unusual.

Back in 2004, Brian Carlise

took LSAC before a BC tribunal,

citing that he was denied his

right to smoke marijuana during

the exam. The plaintiff had a

physical disability that required

him to take medicinal marijuana

for treatment. LSAC argued

that because they operate

outside the jurisdiction of theprovince, (they were based in

Delaware), the LSAT, a not-for-

prot property, isnt liable.

Nevertheless, the presiding

tribunal concluded that because

the LSAT is administered

within provincial jurisdiction,

provincial legislation still

applies. Nonetheless, Carlise had

to drop the case, but he stillmanaged to prove that provincial

jurisdiction applies to the LSAT.

This case was referred to when

Emma Arenson, a Masters

student at the University

of Western Ontario, had her

own run in with the Council.

Arenson has dyslexia and an

auditory processing disorder,

and among the things she

requested for her exam were

a computer, extra time, and

a reader. However, she wasnt

granted all the accommodations

she needed. It s like if youre

eating spaghetti and they

give you a spoon but no

fork, she illustrates. Partial

accommodations arent actually

accommodations, just an extra

thing to carry around in your

hands. After numerous attempts

of trying to learn from LSAC

why she was denied and whatshe could do to obtain her

accommodations, it became

clear that she wouldnt be given

the assistance she needed.

Eventually, she decided to get

an Ontario human rights tribunal

involved. Using tactic after

tactic and much negotiation

with LSAC, Arenson eventually

chose not to rewrite the LSATwith full accommodations,

but instead used the results

she already attained with

partial accommodations that,

thankfully, still allowed her to

get into Law school.

iTS Like iF youSPAgheTTi AndSPoon buT no


21/36

One concern is how

accommodations on a

standardized test can translate

into the eld. When students

with disabilities enter their

careers and are faced with real

life scenarios in their profession,

they may not always be permitted

the extra time or more breaks

in, say, a court room setting.

However, in many industries,

including for legal professionals,

accommodations dont need to be

that big an issue. The real worldis the world you make it, says

Arenson, and law is such a wide

eld. Not everybody chooses

to be a litigator, not everybody

chooses to work in a court room.

Some people are mediators,

some people work in [other legal

elds]. When it comes to the

court system she explains that,

depending on how understanding

the judge is and the time

sensitivity of case, there is some

exibility; the LSAT, as far as

shes concerned, doesnt have

that same exibility.

Michelle Morgan-Coole, a lawyer

and advocate for people with

disabilities, adds that although

she may not personally know

anyone in the legal eld with a

learning disability, it may well be

simply because shes not aware

that the person has one. She

explains that much of it is about

e eATinghey give you A

ork... learning strategies for yourselfthat allow you to do what youdo. I think when you get to the

point where youre practicing

law, she says, you know the

accommodations that you need,

you may not even consider them

accommodations anymore; its

just the way you do things

what you need to do to make it

work. Once you learn how to

cope with it, a disability isnt

something you need to publicise.

Standardized exams like the GRE

and SAT dont ag test results,

meaning they dont indicate

when a test was written with

accommodations. However,

the LSAT remains among the

few that still do. This doesnt

sit too well many students

with disabilities. According

to Arenson, it was decided

around the early 2000s that

agging doesnt allow a better

interpretation of test results.

[] if you received extra timeon your test and its agged, its

not put in with the standard

pool, and as such you dont

receive a percentile score, says

Arenson. It doesnt allow you to

see where you sat; it singles you

out and forces you to disclose

your disability. Your test scores

are taken out of the average and

treated differently. Youre made

to feel negatively special.

At least when it comes to

employment you shouldnt have

to disclose whether or not you

have a disability. But Morgan-Coole points out that this

presents a bit of a conundrum.

If you dont disclose,

how are you going to get

accommodations, and if you do

disclose (maybe not so much in

the context of the LSAT), youre

always concerned that its going

to have a backlash against you.

Its sort of like being between arock and hard place.

So what accounts for some of

the challenges that people with

disabilities are facing. Law is

a very conservative eld, says

Morgan-Coole. We look back to

19



the 1800s and England to tell us

what to do in many ways. But on

the other side theres the fact

that this is the legal eld. You

should be very aware youre not

discriminating against people.

She explains that the problem

that students with disabilities

face with the LSAT goes beyond

the institution. I would say

theres this attitude that weve

always done things a certain way,

therefore thats the only way

it can be done, and thats the

end of the story without beingable to look beyond that. We

see that whether were [dealing

with] elementary schools, and

to reach out to students by

improving the understanding

of how the accommodation

process works and making

the test more accessible.

Not only does LSAC provide

a section on their website

with resources such as videos,

forms, and demonstrations for

accommodated testing, they

also have a full team dedicated

to LSAT accommodations. They

have also done round tables with

students with disabilities as well.

Arenson advises that studentsshould make preparations two

to three years in advance of the

LSAT. That way youll have enough

time to obtain and organize up

to date psychiatric evaluations,

assessments, and any other

medical documents needed to

submit for accommodations. Keep

in mind that backlogs can and do

happen, and could be up to three

years deep, so arranging all

your materials certainly

isnt something to be done

over the weekend.

keep it quiet. She admits she

might be cynical but she dislikes

it when another person comes

along only to ght the same

battle over again. One person

may get accommodations but the

next person who comes along is

denied. And thats part of the

reason why I like going public,

because when you accomplish

something for one person,

youre accomplishing it for

someone else as well. Arenson

was one of those people; she

managed to create a consentorder which mandates LSAC to

consider a students previous

accommodation records and

medical documentation, as

long as said documents arent

misrepresented.

Nevertheless, responsibility

shouldnt be placed solely

on organizations like LSAC.

Though Arenson and Sherman

may disagree, the Council may

sincerely be trying to help their

applicants. There should be an

equal amount of attention from

(and given to) law schools, Bar

societies, and the legal eld as

a whole, to better accommodate

individuals. Indeed, its a long

arduous process, but its all

about treading through the

ankle-deep snow. That way, those

who follow may have an easier

time on the path you cut.

by Andrew Williams

whether were dealing with

public community services to get

someone appropriate residential

housing as opposed to being

stuck in a nursing home.

Although LSAC declined to

speak with us, it must be said

that they have made efforts

No one ever desires for a

situation to escalate to the point

where it has to be brought before

a court or tribunal. But for

Morgan-Coole, she believes that

public pressure can sometimes

be the most effective method.

I see too much of [when] they

give something to one person

essentially to shut them up and



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minorits visibles poser leur candidature.


24/3622

interviewed by Melissa Bolton and Wade Brown

the variations ofDr. Gregor WolbringDr. Gregor Wolbring is a prominent

academic, biochemist, bioethicist,

health policy researcher, ability

scholar and assistant professor

in the University of Calgarys

Faculty of Medicine, Programme of

Community Rehabilititation and

Disability Studies. This interview

has been re-printed and edited

for length with the permission

of NEADS. For the full, unedited

interview, visit neads.ca

one

onone


25/36

jobpostings.ca | fall 2011 | (dis)ability



Q: What kind of disability do

you identify as having?

A: None. Well again, you have

to differentiate what you

mean by disability. You are

thinking of disability in terms

of impairment, and I dont I

have no legs, but I dont seethat as an impairment, but

rather as a variation.

Q: Thats a very good point.

Can you speak a little bit more

to that?

A: Well, I am very particular

about language, and I think

there is a problem that we use

the term disability for twodifferent discourses. One is

a body image discourse, and

one is for the social treatment

discourse. Normally when

people use the term disability,

they mean to identify a body

structure or function that is

labelled as an impairment

in relation to expected

body structures and ability

functioning. I do not identify my

body with this use of the term. I

might have no legs, but I do not

see this as leading to a mobility

impairment, but a mobility

variation. However if disability

is used with the second meaning

that highlights the social

discrimination one experiences

due to ones non-mainstream

body structure/functioning, I

see myself as disabled as many

places are still inaccessible for

wheelchair users.

Q: During your undergraduate

and graduate studies, did you

face any discrimination?

A: Sure, mostly building-wise,

where there were not a lot of

accommodations. You just had to

accommodate yourself, which I

could do. I am one of the lucky

guys. I can use a wheelchair, I can

use legs (prosthetics). There are

always tools. And I love to crawl.

Q: What kinds of things did

you do to advocate for those

accommodations?

A: I didnt. There was no time

for that. If you want to make a

career, you dont have time to try

to get people to change things,

because you will miss so muchtime. There is no time to sue

you just suck it up and do things.

And I was in a lucky position that

I could do things, modify myself

with all these different tools.

Q: How would you describe your

experience in getting to where

you are today, as a biochemist

and a professor?

A: Well, I think its as it is with

everyone. You have to work hard.

Its not like you are going to get

any slack. You have to work hard.

You have to perform, and you

have to get your results. If you

dont, then you dont make it.

Q: Is there any piece of advice

that you wish you had when

If people treat yoIts not because ofbecause they arignorant or stu



you were a student going

through this process?

A: Well I think, rst, dont

take any rejection personally.

Second, perseverance. And just

work hard. As I switch between

different tools, in this way I

am in a much better positionthan most people. I nd ways of

doing things. But not everyone

of course can do it like I did. So

everyone has to nd their own

solutions. And again, it depends

on where you go, different

faculties, different departments

will have totally different

willingness to adapt things. And

even if they do want to adaptthey often have trouble with

administration; even if professors

who run a biochemistry research

lab want to adapt the lab, they

very likely have no money to do

so. No one is really paying for

making a research lab accessible

in many countries.

Q: What advice would you give

those students who might not

be able to navigate around the

actual physical setting?

A: I would say you have to

change your expectations. You

have to know what you will face.

You can complain all you wantbut, as unfair as it is, you still

have to perform. Because later

on you may have gotten the

degree, but you are so old that

no one will hire you anymore.

So you have to be aware of the

barriers that exist in different

settings at different universities,

in different faculties, in different

departments. So, you should berealistic with what you will face.

Even if you think that everything

needs to be adapted for you,

what you want and what you get

are a whole different story. And

I dont think it does any good to

come in with the mentality that

they have to adapt everything,

knowing that you wont get

everything. That might be good

for activism, but it doesnt do

you any good for your career as a

biochemist. If activism leads to

changes, you can do more things;

indeed disabled people can do

more now in university than

they could do 40 years ago. Butthe ones who fought for it very

likely did not directly benet.

You dont have the time to wait

to win a lawsuit before you

actually change things. I do a lot

of disability activism so disabled

people have it easier, but for

myself I simply had to adapt.

It never occurred to me that I

couldnt do what I wanted to do.But I am in a position where I

can adapt myself. If people are

not able to do so, then they have

to do more research and they

have to be much more realistic of

what they can do and what kind

of adaptations, accommodations

you get, within a given system.

Buildings do not change fast.

Q: Do you have anything else

that you think is important

for students with disabilities

within the science and

technology felds?

A: Never take anything personal.

If people treat you badly, its not

because of you, its because they

are bad or ignorant or stupid

badly,you,itsbad or

id people.



people. They just dont get it and

they will do the same to others.

If someone treats you badly

because they are a bully, they

will also bully other people. So

never take it personal. Because

then you just become bitter and

then you are cutting into your

enjoyment of life.

Q: How did you manage to cope

with that?

A: My parents gave me this

message: You follow your dreams

and dont take anything personal.

Focus on the good people. My

parents are wonderful, what

can I say. You just have to step

back and not take things too

personally. All the time I say that

my wheelchair is a pretty good

pre-screening tool. People who

cant cope with me wont treat

me as an equal in the wheelchair,

so people who can see beyond

the wheelchair are normally less

prejudiced. Stay loyal to those

who are good and just ignore the

others. You cant do anythingabout them anyway. I do a lot of

activism work, but you can never

take it as a personal thing. You

do it for the group, especially if

you have certain abilities that the

group doesnt have, you can add

to the capacity. But if you do it as

a personal vendetta, then you are

I benefItedfrom otherswho wantedto help make a

dIfference, so IthInki have anobligation tohelp others.

just hurting yourself. I think that,

because I made it in the system,

I have an obligation to do stuff

for those who did not make it

into the system, or who are yet to

come. I beneted from others who

wanted to help make a difference,

so I think I have an obligation

to help others. We often have a

problem with those who make itinto the system who disengage

from the movement. And I

absolutely do not agree with that.

There are enough people who did

not make it into the system and

need help, and I think that if you

make it into the system you have

an obligation to give back.



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At some universities, however,

its not necessary to have a

Bachelors in Social Work to enter

the masters program. A lot of

people come from psychology,

political science or womens

studies backgrounds, or even

other professions, such as law,

nursing or teaching,observesAndrea Litvack, Director of the

Masters of Social Work program

at the University of Toronto. The

rst year of our two year masters

program is generic, introducing

students to various subjects that

are important. By the end of the

rst year, however, the playing

eld is pretty level. Those with

a Bachelors in Social Work enter

the second year of the program.

One of the differences between

obtaining a masters and a

bachelors in social work is

the question of focus. The

bachelors is a generalist degree

that prepares students to work

in a variety of settings, while

the masters is characterizedby particular areas of

specialization, says Sandys.

The masters curriculum includes

theories, policies and practices

relevant to a students major area

of social work practice. This is

also the case at the University

of Toronto. Our masters offers

a specialized understanding of

social work, explains Litvack.

For example, if you choose to

pursue a specialization in mental

health, youll have a much

better grasp of issues, work and

research in that area. Its not

all theory, however, as Social

Work is one of the more applied

areas of the social sciences. AtRyerson, our masters program

includes 450 hours of eld

experience, conrms Sandys.

As far as preparing to undertake

a masters, there are some

important things to keep in

mind. Its an intellectually

demanding degree, so the best

way to prepare is through diligentwork at the undergrad level,

Sandys advises. Students should

develop skills in critical analysis

and reective practice, and good,

clear writing skills are a major

asset. Also, experience working

with diverse populations is a

must the more, the better.

A masters degree can be

a valuable asset for recent

graduates and experienced social

workers alike. It enhances ones

employability in the short run,

says Sandys, and increases

the likelihood of moving into

supervisory roles in the future.

Of course, the decision to pursue

further education should always

be subject to a persons view

by Kevin Nelson

of the big picture. I think

its important to have a clear

understanding of what social

work is, and why a student is

choosing social work as a career,

as opposed to law, sociology

or another related eld, says

Litvack. A persons academic

and practical background shouldalso factor into the decision.

Consider whether youve had

a solid enough experiential

background to get the benet

from advanced study, cautions

Sandys. Students need to have

a solid understanding of the

societal factors that lead to

the marginalization of certain

groups within society, and be

deeply committed to issues of

social justice and equity. This

commitment is important, as the

stakes are high and the road is

long. I would urge prospective

students to consider whether

theyre up to the difcult but

rewarding task of working to

promote change, continuesSandys, even it requires years of

dedicated effort.

V


33/36

YOURDOG

thanMOREFOLLOW

ERS

careers. education. ideas. all of it



with Ross Harrhy

If my dad taught me one thing

over the years, its always been

that you have to work hard for

success. When I was a kid it

seemed like my dad was always

working he made time for us

kids, no worries there, we just

went to work with or for him

but he was ALWAYS working. He

would get calls late at night that

would drag him out to a work

site and he wouldnt return until

early the next morning, crash on

the couch fully dressed, and wake

up again a couple hours later to

shower, change, and head back

out. He still does that now, even

though hes getting older and

the kids have all (but one) moved

out. Hes still out and moving,

now in charge of the company

hes helped build to what it is

today. Hes smart, hes got the

skills, but the biggest reason

I think hes found success in

his own way is the fact that he

shows up! He always shows up.

Ive taken this to heart with each

and every job or position Ive

taken. For me, its imperative that

if you want the job, and you want

the people who count to see you

mean it, you show up, you staylate, you do whatever it takes to

get the job done. Often, its the

time you put in during the rst

few months that count the most:

youre learning the basics of your

new job, the type of working

environment that you are in, and

proving that you should stay past

the probation period.

Show up early, and staylate. This is crucial for makinga good impression; it shows that

you want to be there getting

your work done. You may not

be able to do it all the time,

but I think you should never

let your boss be in the ofce

before you, and if you can help

it, you should rarely leave beforehe or she does. When your boss

walks in and sees you sitting

at your desk already knee deep

in the days projects, they are

bound to notice. When they

sign off for the night and you

are just nishing up another

project, they will know that

you are serious about what you

do. Of course, you shouldnt be

staying late because youve been

dawdling all day on your regular

tasks, but this is a great time to

go the extra mile. Try it, youll

be surprised how many of your

colleagues dont use this simple

practice to their advantage.

Show up for EVERYTHING.

When I started my current

position, I was showing up early,

leaving late, sweating streams

at my desk as I pumped through

project after work project and

tried to overcome what I didnt

know and make better what Idid, and if I was invited into a

meeting or presentation I made

sure I was there, and if I needed

to make up the time afterwards

at my desk, I did. Then the

annual dinner came up where

all of our customers attended

as well as staff. It was a big

to-do where relationships could

be grown from formal meetings

into casual conversations and

friendships. And I got sick. Now,

I know what I said a minute

ago, but at the time everybody

was scared of Swine Flu and

so nobody wanted me around

them let alone eating dinner

and drinking wine with them. I

can understand that but themissed opportunity came up all

the time at meetings only letting

up once I was able to attend the

following year. So for an entire

year I was null on conversations

about the dinner, how good it

was, funny things that happened,

and of course everybody seemed

to forget I was sick; in fact, I

felt people just thought I didntshow up because I must not have

felt like it. It just took that much

longer to build and work on my

relationships both within the

company and out. So Im telling

you, you have to work hard, but

showing up is half the battle.

show-ing up ishalf the

battle

*jobLife


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(dis)ability (2011) by jobpostings Magazine

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Transcript of (dis)ability (2011) by jobpostings Magazine