Focusing on the ability Editor’s Note: Over the month of May, The Kemptville Advance will be printing a four-part series on Community Living of North Grenville and the work it does. This week we look at how CL focuses on the individual’s ability instead of focusing sole attention on their disabilities. Nathan Jahn Advance Staff He enters the room using a walker and rests himself in the chair across from me; decked out in a Ottawa Senators’ cap and jacket with a Team Canada jersey underneath, it’s obvious where his loyalties lie. He greets me with a smile and firm handshake; he trades verbal jabs with Shelley Gerber and Brenda Dillabough, both clearly enjoy his company. Meet Jason Payne. Twenty-one and working steadily towards his Advanced Web Designer Certificate, Jason still lives with his parents but spends his spare time taking his girlfriend-of-16months Suzie out to dinner and a movie or bowling two to three times a week. Jason is your typical 21-year-old with dreams and aspirations. Jason also has an intellectual disability.
Finding employment
“We don’t focus on the disability,” said Dillabough, manager of day support at Community Living of North Grenville. “Sometimes it takes a bit longer – but it pays off. You have to focus on the ability.”
Courtesy photos
Jason Payne, front and centre, stands beside his worker Bill Duncan (left) and CTV’s Max Keeping during last May’s pancake breakfast at the Kemptville Legion. Jason has had the opportunity to meet Keeping many times through his ambassadorship with Easter Seals.
not knowing anyone and in a new place. Jason didn’t know anyone because all of his friends were going to Kemptville-based schools. Since then, Jason has moved through the ranks and accomplished more than a vast majority of people without intellectual disabilities facing them: he completed a co-op with the Municipality of North Grenville as the Recreational Coordinator Assistant; became president of People’s First, a selfadvocates organization operated solely by individuals in Community Living (with one staff member sitting on the executive to act as a go-between); he completed the Web Designer Certificate program at Algonquin College (where he still attends part-time for his advanced certificate); and he recently completed several websites for which he was paid. Jason has, in fact, done so much in 21 years that it simply won’t all fit in one article. “Life’s good,” he said. “Community Living has really helped me a lot.” He hopes to become a professional web designer – working in the mornings (“my time”) and spending his afternoons with Suzie – and “just keep building up” his résumé and portfolio. But he may never leave home, he said, unless his mother “stops cooking with cheese.” To view some of Jason’s work, please visit Girl’s Inc. of Brockville www.girlsincuppercanada.org or the Upper Canada Occasional Teachers site at www.uppercanadaot.com. He has also designed portions of Community Living of North Grenville’s website, which can be viewed at www.communitylivingnorthgrenville.ca.
And that’s exactly what the passionate The success of Jason individuals at Community Living do on a Jason connected with Community Living daily basis: focus on the ability of those when he was 16 and preparing to make the they support. monumental leap from high school to an “Where I’ve helped is the connections,” adult life. said Shelley Gerber, employment superviHe went to school at Kemptville Public sor and intake coordinator with Community School, but was forced to bus to South Living of North Grenville. “I key in on Grenville District High School because of employment needs and interests of the job accessibility issues with North Grenville seeker with the needs and interest of the District High School. employer … on both sides you have to Jason didn’t hesitate for even a fracmake sure the need fits.” tion of a second when asked if he was ever Both ladies were on hand during the picked on; “Yes.” Join us next week as the series continues interview with Jason to fill in the holes “The first year was tough,” he said. “But in Part 2 as we look at more success stories in his knowledge of how things work, after the first year things got better (and) but Jason is one of the first people to go it was a great experience.” Of course, we stemming from the hard work and dedicathrough the Youth in Transitions support all remember the first day of Grade 9 – tion of Community Living staff. that Community Living offers to young people with intellectual disabilities. The Youth in Transitions support, run by Nancy Fischer – who is also the residential shift supervisor – acts as a way for youths with intellectual disabilities to set goals and develop a plan for when they come out of the public school system. It is a “fairly recent” support where Community Living staff will meet with individuals who are around 13-14-years-old and start the process of coming up with a plan, in conjunction with the family. “It is a person-centred plan that identifies their strengths, likes, dislikes, goals and support requests,” wrote Fischer since she was unable to attend the interview with The Advance. “A plan is then developed around the person’s wishes. The plan empowers the youth and motivates their supporters; it will draw on their strengths, be based on their likes and goals, and sup- On the left, Jason sits with Nancy Fischer, the Youth in Transition Coordinator and portive of their needs.” Residential Shift Supervisor, during a function earlier this year. On the right, he attends a Ottawa Senators’ game in 2007 with his father Carl.