(dis)ability (2011) by jobpostings Magazine

JobLife

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The Importance of Showing Up

Universal Design for Learning

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The LSAT Problem

Armed

For Work Two young Canadians have invented a brain-controlled prosthetic arm. What it means for your career.

| fall2011 | careers. education. ideas. all of it.

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one 4 / Success Story

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Nelson Garcia discusses his career with Canadian Pacific. Brought to you by Rogers Wireless.

Hey. Did you know that these companies have lots of entry level positions? Visit their websites to see a full list of positions available.

“Driving” positive change through disability. Christine Fader shares her story of how her invisible disability was suddenly made visible.

11 / Reaching Up A new and innovative prosthetic option for amputees. Minus the $300,000 price tag.

16 / More Than a Test: The LSAT Problem To accommodate or not? A look at some of the hurdles students with disabilities face when writing the LSATs

22 / One on one: Dr. Gregor Wolbring You have an obligation to keep fighting. Future generations depend on it.

29 / Focal Point When it comes to a career in social work, is it better to have a Bachelor’s or a Master’s?

32 / JobLife: Showing Up is Half the Battle

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(dis)ability | fall 2011 | jobpostings.ca

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successstories Nelson Garcia Company Canadian Pacific Position Shipment Planning Coordinator Length of employment 14 months Degree Bachelor in Business Administration

Where did you go to School? What program did you attend?

I took the Corporate Readiness Training Program at Bow Valley College in Calgary, Alberta. And before that, I attended the University Jose Maria Vargas in Venezuela, where I studied Business Administration and General Management.

What drew you to your current position?

I started out at CP Rail in customer service. My passion and love for the transportation industry, along with business and logistics, led me to my current role as a shipment planning coordinator.

Tell us a bit about your responsibilities:

I provide information and updates on emergent conditions on the railway. I also care for our strategic customers and urgent situations on the off shift. Maintaining direct communications with customers and field operations is also very important to ensure traffic moves smoothly across the network.

What is the most challenging aspect of your position?

Definitely the shifts. I work 12-hour shifts, that vary. Right now, I work seven day shifts during the first two weeks of the month, and seven night shifts after that.

It can be difficult adjusting, because sleep and eating patterns are affected, along with the time you get to spend with your family.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

The job itself is very interesting. When I see results delivered and difficult situations solved, it feels very good. I love it when I see my traffic moving over the rails and arriving to its destination safely and quickly.

What accommodations do you use to help you succeed on the job?

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Since I drive daily to work, the access to a permanent parking space is a huge benefit. Especially in the winter! The building I work in is quite accessible, with automatic and accessible doors and an automatic adjustable 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. Back in 2006, I was riding my Yamaha R1000 (motorcycle) when I crashed and broke my back at a T10 level. This resulted in a permanent spinal cord injury, which left me paralyzed from the waist down. Before my accident, I was a custom broker in Venezuela. But after, I wasn’t able to return to my job due to my physical limitations and the lack of accessibility at the sea docks. I had to rethink my options and see what I had to do to once again become independent.

This was important not only for myself or my 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 I have a full time professional job with CP Rail. The second is that I’m able to stand up on my own, with the help of my leg braces, for an hour every day after work. When you’re paralyzed from the waist down, standing up is pretty impossible. But there are ways around it. You have to do your research and find out what works for you. In my case, carbon fibre braces helped, along with a daily commitment to exercise.

What advice do you have for students looking to land their first job?

It’s important to be realistic when it comes to expectations. Be strategic in your job search, and pay close attention to the type of organizational environment and industry you would like to develop your career in. Be honest with yourself, consistent, reliable and always look to add value to any process. rogers.com/careers/campuslife

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jobpostings

edit or’s

publisher Nathan Laurie nlaurie@jobpostings.ca

associate publisher Mark Laurie mlaurie@jobpostings.ca

editor Jason Rhyno jrhyno@jobpostings.ca

art director

note

Sonya van Heyningen svanheyningen@jobpostings.ca

web editor Simone Castello scastello@jobpostings.ca

contributors

The Work You do and What You Leave Behind

Melissa Bolton, Wade Brown, Christine Fader, Ross Harrhy, Brandon Miller,

Jason Rhyno

Kevin Nelson, Andrew Williams,

There are many battles you’ll fight throughout your life, and they’ll range in size, and importance. For students with disabilities, life can be a constant battle.

Sometimes it’s a battle to get accommodations for a test, like in More Than a Test: The LSAT Problem, or figure 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 society’s view of people with disabilities and what they are capable of. (Although, if you ask me, the latter is changing, slowly, but in the right direction.) And more often than not, you’ll lose those battles – or feel like you lost. You haven’t.

What you have done is laid groundwork for the people that will come behind you. For a more specific example of what I am talking about, read the interview with Dr. Gregor Wolbring 6

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 fight for, you’ll have made it easier for the people that come behind you. Your employers and colleagues will notice – and it doesn’t 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 couldn’t have done it without the support 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 can’t do it without the support of the community. Best of luck – we’re cheering for you! 

national account managers Sarah-Lyn Amaral, Mary Vanderpas

interns Vlad Omazic, Alyssa Ouellette, Andrew Williams

Published by Passion Inc. 25 Imperial Street, Suite 100 Toronto, ON M5P 1B9 jobpostings.ca 1-877-900-5627 ext. 221

jobpostings publishes disability issues twice a year. Issue dates are September and January. 20,000 copies are distributed to over 100 universities 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

(dis)ability | fall 2011 | jobpostings.ca

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cupid “driving” positive change through disability

jobpostings.ca 8

One minute it was there and the next, it was gone.

I’m talking about my driver’s license. And no, it wasn’t 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 officials had decided I couldn’t 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 day can 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 driver’s license of their own.

Approximately 40% of my job required me to drive clients around to doctor’s appointments, visits with their relatives and to pick up groceries.

When I had begun my job, I had a driver’s license, and then, one Thursday afternoon, I didn’t.

My “invisible” disability had suddenly become very visible.

When employers think of people with disabilities, they often assume something that is permanent and always the same.

They accommodate it and then you get on with the work, right?

by Christine Fader

jobpostings.ca | fall 2011 | (dis)ability

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 people’s disabilities are highly variable in terms of their symptoms (think: chronic illnesses such as Multiple Sclerosis, Epilepsy, Colitis, Macular Degeneration, etc) and the environment they’re in (think: learning differences, ADHD, psychiatric and mental illness etc). Often, the accommodations that were initially discussed no longer fit the circumstances.

In my case, I had chosen not to disclose a disability or discuss accommodations when I first applied for and accepted the job since my symptoms were not going to affect my work (my body apparently had other ideas). My employer didn’t even know I had a disability and then, suddenly, I couldn’t perform 40 percent of my job!

What I soon realized was that I wasn’t completely correct. Yes, I couldn’t perform 40 percent of my job the traditional way, but I could perform it. My job was to help people get to doctor’s appointments, visits with relatives and to pick up groceries and that’s 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 and proposed that to my employers.

I could accompany clients on the bus, teaching them bus routes, confidence, money skills, and behavioural skills along the way.

NOT having a driver’s 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, “driver’s 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. 

Christine Fader works as a career counsellor at Queen’s 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 Government’s Employment Standards Development Committee which created new legislation to increase accessibility in Ontario by 2025. Visit her at www.careercupid.com

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R e a c h i n g Up ďƒ?

Image: Ryerson University/James Kachan

A Canadian-made brain-controlled prosthetic is in development and could open up new career options for people with amputations.

No invasive surgery, no $300,000 price tag.

jobpostings.ca | fall 2011 | (dis)ability

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“Computers are t great equalizer 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 specific 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 Bionik Laboratories — housed at Ryerson’s Digital Media Zone in Toronto, a workplace for young entrepreneurs — and have a number of projects in the works, including the Artificial Muscle-Operated Arm (AMO). While the AMO Arm has already won a number of awards, the Ontario Engineering Competition and the Canadian Engineering Competition being two

by Brandon Miller

12

examples, it is not yet available for purchase.

So what’s all the excitement about?

higher the amputation,” says Karen Valley, Director of the National Amputee Centre with The War Amps.

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 Arm’s inventors are hoping for something more along the lines of $15,000, which is at the upper end of 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.”

Valley says that she’s 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 field for (amputees).”

Part of the appeal of the AMO Arm is the fact that it might be useful for those with fullarm amputations in a way that current artificial limbs are not. If you have a partial arm amputation, you can still send signals to the brain.

“Finding a functional artificial limb is more difficult the

The War Amps provides up-todate and accurate information about prostheses to Canadian amputees, as well as financial assistance when it comes to purchasing artificial limbs.

Valley can’t say for sure if the AMO Arm would be a limb they would cover, but she’s 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 benefit me.”

Giving more limb options to an amputee means offering a greater scope of career

(dis)ability | fall 2011 | jobpostings.ca

the rs�

jobpostings.ca | fall 2011 | (dis)ability

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Unless you want to a be baker or a professional heckler, eggs aren’t likely to fit into your daily work life, but it is easy to think of other uses for an arm that can sense materials and adjust its grip accordingly. Think of a scientist trying to adjust glass slides on his microscope, or an office 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.

But, even then, she’s quick to point out the resilience of the community. “Amputees seem to be able to find 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 the prettiest 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 14

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 that’s 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 invented a technology to sense different materials that is designed for the mechanical device itself. “Let’s 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 won’t crush the egg.”

“The way we chose rehabilitation (as our field) 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 there’s still nothing in between, there’s something on the way. (dis)ability | fall 2011 | jobpostings.ca

Image: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

choice. Every job has different requirements and environments, and an amputee often has to find 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.

In addition to grip and the range of movement, the AMO Arm also provides an added level of efficiency. “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 to do.” Not only will the technology benefit employees, but it might also decrease some of the misconceptions that persist about what an amputee can and cannot accomplish at work.

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jobpostings.ca | fall 2011 | (dis)ability

Potential. Passion. Possibility.

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(dis)ability | fall 2011 | jobpostings.ca

more than

The LSAT Problem

Image: Simon Bremner/ Lifesize/Thinkstock

a test T he Law School Admission Test (LSAT), by its own nature as an exam, is an obstacle that any student must overcome if they wish 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 shortsightedness. 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 person’s disability. But let’s 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.

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In some cases, students can request to have food or drinks depending on their needs. There have been some requests that were, let’s 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

auditory processing disorder, and among the things she requested for her exam were a computer, extra time, and a reader. However, she wasn’t granted all the accommodations she needed. “It’s like if you’re eating spaghetti and they give you a spoon but no fork,” she illustrates. “Partial accommodations aren’t actually

“It’s like if you’r spaghetti and t spoon but no f physical disability that required him to take medicinal marijuana for treatment. LSAC argued that because they operate outside the jurisdiction of the province, (they were based in Delaware), the LSAT, a not-forprofit property, isn’t 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 still managed to prove that provincial jurisdiction applies to the LSAT. This case was referred to when Emma Arenson, a Master’s student at the University of Western Ontario, had her own run in with the Council.

Arenson has dyslexia and an 18

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 what she could do to obtain her accommodations, it became clear that she wouldn’t 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 LSAT with full accommodations, but instead used the results she already attained with partial accommodations that, thankfully, still allowed her to get into Law school.

(dis)ability | fall 2011 | jobpostings.ca

One concern is how accommodations on a standardized test can translate into the field. 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

Michelle Morgan-Coole, a lawyer and advocate for people with disabilities, adds that although she may not personally know anyone in the legal field with a learning disability, it may well be simply because she’s not aware that the person has one. She explains that much of it is about

interpretation of test results. “[…] if you received extra time on your test and its flagged, it’s not put in with the standard pool, and as such you don’t receive a percentile score,” says Arenson. “It doesn’t allow you to see where you sat; it singles you out and forces you to disclose your disability. Your test scores

re eating they give you a fork...”

Image: StockXcnhg.com

in, say, a court room setting.

However, in many industries, including for legal professionals, accommodations don’t need to be that big an issue. “The real world is the world you make it,” says Arenson, “and law is such a wide field. 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 fields].” 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 flexibility; the LSAT, as far as she’s concerned, doesn’t have that same flexibility.

learning strategies for yourself that allow you to do what you do. “I think when you get to the point where you’re practicing law,” she says, “you know the accommodations that you need, you may not even consider them accommodations anymore; it’s 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 isn’t something you need to publicise.

Standardized exams like the GRE and SAT don’t flag test results, meaning they don’t indicate when a test was written with accommodations. However, the LSAT remains among the few that still do. This doesn’t sit too well many students with disabilities. According to Arenson, it was decided around the early 2000s that flagging doesn’t allow a better

are taken out of the average and treated differently. You’re made to feel negatively special.”

At least when it comes to employment you shouldn’t have to disclose whether or not you have a disability. But MorganCoole points out that this presents a bit of a conundrum.

“If you don’t disclose, how are you going to get accommodations, and if you do disclose (maybe not so much in the context of the LSAT), you’re always concerned that it’s going to have a backlash against you.

It’s sort of like being between a rock and hard place.”

So what accounts for some of the challenges that people with disabilities are facing. “Law is a very conservative field,” says Morgan-Coole. “We look back to

19

whether we’re 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 20

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 students should make preparations two to three years in advance of the LSAT. That way you’ll 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 isn’t something to be done over the weekend.

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

keep it quiet.” She admits she might be cynical but she dislikes it when another person comes along only to fight the same battle over again. “One person may get accommodations but the next person who comes along is denied. And that’s part of the reason why I like going public, because when you accomplish something for one person, you’re accomplishing it for someone else as well.” Arenson was one of those people; she managed to create a consent order which mandates LSAC to consider a student’s previous accommodation records and medical documentation, as long as said documents aren’t misrepresented.

Nevertheless, responsibility shouldn’t 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 field as a whole, to better accommodate individuals. Indeed, it’s a long arduous process, but it’s 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

(dis)ability | fall 2011 | jobpostings.ca

Image: iStockphoto/Thinkstock

the 1800s and England to tell us what to do in many ways. But on the other side there’s the fact that this is the legal field. You should be very aware you’re not discriminating against people.”

She explains that the problem that students with disabilities face with the LSAT goes beyond the institution. “I would say there’s this attitude that ‘we’ve always done things a certain way, therefore that’s the only way it can be done, and that’s the end of the story without being able to look beyond that.’ We see that whether we’re [dealing with] elementary schools, and

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jobpostings.ca | fall 2011 | (dis)ability

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one

on

one interviewed by Melissa Bolton and Wade Brown

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the variations of Dr. Gregor Wolbring Dr. Gregor Wolbring is a prominent academic, biochemist, bioethicist, health policy researcher, ability scholar and assistant professor in the University of Calgary’s 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

Image: Š Olya Krasavina

jobpostings.ca | fall 2011 | (dis)ability

“ If people treat you it’s not because of because they are ignorant or stup 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 don’t — I have no legs, but I don’t see that as an impairment, but rather as a variation.

Q: That’s 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 two different 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 24

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 one’s 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 didn’t. There was no time for that. If you want to make a career, you don’t have time to try to get people to change things, because you will miss so much time. 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 it’s as it is with everyone. You have to work hard.

It’s 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 don’t, then you don’t make it.

Q: Is there any piece of advice that you wish you had when (dis)ability | fall 2011 | jobpostings.ca

u badly, you, it’s

e bad or pid people.” you were a student going through this process?

A: Well I think, first, don’t 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 position than most people. I find ways of doing things. But not everyone of course can do it like I did. So everyone has to find 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 adapt they 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.

jobpostings.ca | fall 2011 | (dis)ability

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 want but, 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 be realistic 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 don’t think it does any good to come in with the mentality that they have to adapt everything, knowing that you won’t get

everything. That might be good for activism, but it doesn’t 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. But the ones who fought for it very likely did not directly benefit.

You don’t 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 couldn’t 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 fields?

A: Never take anything personal.

If people treat you badly, it’s not because of you, it’s because they are bad or ignorant or stupid 25

“ I benefited

from others who wanted to help make a difference, so I think I have an

obligation to help others.” people. They just don’t 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 don’t 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

26

personally. All the time I say that my wheelchair is a pretty good pre-screening tool. People who can’t cope with me won’t 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 can’t do anything about 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 doesn’t have, you can add to the capacity. But if you do it as a personal vendetta, then you are

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 benefited 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 it into 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.

(dis)ability | fall 2011 | jobpostings.ca

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27

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(dis)ability | fall 2011 | jobpostings.ca

V

focal

point As the backbone of the Canadian social infrastructure, social workers are on the front lines, offering key services to people at risk. It can be a demanding line of work, and preparing to face the challenges that arise on the job takes a lot of mental and emotional stamina. University degrees in social work give a student the necessary skills, and the theoretical and practical background needed to grapple with real-world problems. But knowing how far to pursue

jobpostings.ca | fall 2011 | (dis)ability

education to achieve one’s career goals can be a dilemma in itself.

If ‘Master’s or Bachelor’s?’ is a burning question in your mind when considering your career in social work, read on!

It’s important to note that policies and programs differ from school to school in Canada, or even in Ontario alone. “At Ryerson, we offer a one year Master’s program to those who’ve completed a Bachelor’s in Social Work,” says Judith Sandys, Interim Director of the School

of Social Work at the university.

When screening applicants for the program, there are some important factors that come into play. “We look for students who have demonstrated a high academic achievement in the Bachelor’s program,” she continues. “Also, ideally, people with substantial social work experience.”



29

V At some universities, however, it’s not necessary to have a Bachelor’s in Social Work to enter the master’s program. “A lot of people come from psychology, political science or women’s studies backgrounds, or even other professions, such as law, nursing or teaching,” observes Andrea Litvack, Director of the Master’s of Social Work program at the University of Toronto. “The first year of our two year master’s program is generic, introducing students to various subjects that are important. By the end of the first year, however, the playing field is pretty level. Those with a Bachelor’s in Social Work enter the second year of the program.”

One of the differences between obtaining a master’s and a bachelor’s in social work is the question of focus. “The bachelor’s is a generalist degree that prepares students to work in a variety of settings, while the master’s is characterized by particular areas of specialization,” says Sandys.

“The master’s curriculum includes theories, policies and practices relevant to a student’s major area of social work practice.” This is also the case at the University of Toronto. “Our master’s offers a specialized understanding of 30

social work,” explains Litvack.

“For example, if you choose to pursue a specialization in mental health, you’ll have a much better grasp of issues, work and research in that area.” It’s not all theory, however, as Social Work is one of the more applied areas of the social sciences. “At Ryerson, our master’s program includes 450 hours of field experience,” confirms Sandys.

As far as preparing to undertake a master’s, there are some important things to keep in mind. “It’s an intellectually demanding degree, so the best way to prepare is through diligent work at the undergrad level,” Sandys advises. “Students should develop skills in critical analysis and reflective practice, and good, clear writing skills are a major asset. Also, experience working with diverse populations is a must — the more, the better.”

A master’s degree can be a valuable asset for recent graduates and experienced social workers alike. “It enhances one’s 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 person’s view

of the big picture. “I think it’s 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 field,” says Litvack. A person’s academic and practical background should also factor into the decision.

“Consider whether you’ve had a solid enough experiential background to get the benefit 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 they’re up to the difficult but rewarding task of working to promote change,” continues Sandys, “even it requires years of dedicated effort.”

by Kevin Nelson

(dis)ability | fall 2011 | jobpostings.ca

t h RS an

E W O L L O F MORE

G O D R U O Y

careers. education. ideas. all of it.

*jobLife with Ross Harrhy

showing up is half the battle If my dad taught me one thing over the years, it’s 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 wouldn’t 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 he’s getting older and the kids have all (but one) moved out. He’s still out and moving, now in charge of the company he’s helped build to what it is today. He’s smart, he’s got the skills, but the biggest reason I think he’s found success in his own way is the fact that he shows up! He always shows up.

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I’ve taken this to heart with each and every job or position I’ve taken. For me, it’s imperative that if you want the job, and you want the people who count to see you mean it, you show up, you stay late, you do whatever it takes to get the job done. Often, it’s the time you put in during the first few months that count the most: you’re 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 stay late. This is crucial for making a 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 office before you, and if you can help it, you should rarely leave before he 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 finishing up another project, they will know that you are serious about what you do. Of course, you shouldn’t be staying late because you’ve been dawdling all day on your regular tasks, but this is a great time to go the extra mile. Try it, you’ll be surprised how many of your colleagues don’t use this simple practice to their advantage.

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 didn’t know and make better what I did, 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 the missed 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 didn’t show 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 I’m telling you, you have to work hard, but showing up is half the battle.

Show up for EVERYTHING. When I started my current (dis)ability | fall 2011 | jobpostings.ca