In an effort to learn about the unique challenges people with disabilities face in Jasper, Naresh Bhardwaj held a roundtable discussion last week.
Bhardwaj is the associate minister of services for persons with disabilities with the provincial government. His stop in Jasper was one of 15 in rural communities, all with the same objective.
At the outset of the discussion, Bhardwaj expressed the government’s interest in seeing more people with disabilities in the workforce, noting that half a million people in Alberta are disabled and many of them would happily work.
“Employment provides people the opportunity to meet new people, learn skills and, above all, they tell us that they love getting the paycheque just like you and I,” he said, noting that the government is only asking people to work if they want to.
“We know that not every one of them is going to be able to work.”
But, he said, there are many who can and would, if they had the opportunity.
He then asked Kathleen Waxer, director of community and family services, what the employment opportunities are for people with disabilities in Jasper.
“We’ve worked with a variety of different employers and come up with a variety of different solutions,” said Waxer, describing how Community Outreach Services has worked with Rachel Baker and Cliff Brown, both of whom were in attendance at the roundtable.
“Rachel really wanted to work,” explained Waxer. So, with help from her outreach worker, who explored numerous positions and possible employers, Baker found employment working at the Lobstick Lodge.
“Carla [Gallop, the municipality’s middle childhood outreach worker,] was able to negotiate a position for Rachel to work in the laundry department,” said Waxer, noting that in order for Baker to be successful at work, Gallop accompanied her until she was comfortable and ready to do the job alone.
Baker has been with the Lobstick Lodge for a year, working nine hours a week.
Brown, who attended the roundtable with his parents, works with the municipality, keeping Jasper spotless during the summer season.
Initially his position was paid for by a grant, but after one season of hard work and obvious results, the municipality hired him on as a seasonal employee.
“He does an amazing job of being an ambassador, a welcoming person when people come to the community and he ensures that the town is kept absolutely clean,” said Waxer. “He does such an exceptional job.”
As he works, Brown receives support from the outreach office via handheld radios, to ensure that he takes breaks for food and refreshment and that he goes home at the end of the day.
“Our biggest challenge with Cliff is that he wouldn’t stop working,” said Waxer. “There’s no need to convince him to work. Our worry is always to ensure that he is diligent about taking care of himself.”
Bhardwaj said in every town he visits, he has heard a unique success story, and Jasper is no different.
But, he said, there is still work to be done to better utilize people with disabilities within the province.
As an example, he pointed to the suspension of the temporary foreign worker program in the service industry, and said there are jobs there that need to be filled and they could be filled by people with disabilities.
As well as employment, the May 2 discussion, which lasted 45 minutes, touched on education and housing.
Nicole Veerman
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