Why I Chose the DDRC (again!)

Posted on By Communications Team
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Johannson back at the DDRC.

Bonny Johannson began her career with the DDRC in 1997 as a Community Resource Worker (CRW). After working in several different departments within the agency, Johannson decided to try her hand at retirement in September 2014. Now, just over one year later, she is once again supporting clients on the front-line as a CRW with the South Team. Here’s what she has to say about her 17 years of experience with the agency, and why she just couldn’t stay away!

 

How did you first come to the DDRC?

I’d been working in a group home for adults with developmental disabilities for two and a half years when my partner and I decided to move from Red Deer to Calgary. Because I’d had such a positive experience working for this agency in Red Deer I really thought that’s what I wanted to do when I came to Calgary.

I came to the DDRC in 1997. I liked the agency from the beginning, and thought, “I want to be part of that.”

What positions have you held within the agency?

I began as a CRW and moved in to a Team Leader position. After about 4-5 years as a Team Leader, the agency received funding for a social marketing initiative (that was the beginning of the everyone belongs™ campaign), so I moved in to a role in Community Development. Later, there was a position open in Training and Development, and I thought I would be interested, so I joined the Human Resources team.

I don’t know that there are very many organizations where you can start in direct service, move to Communications, then to HR, and then back to direct service!

Why did you decide to leave?

My partner was retiring so I played around with the idea, too. Like lots of people, I knew that I might not retire and then “that’s it.” Many people retire in stages, and I thought that trying it could be fun and interesting.

What did you do during your year off?

It was fun! My partner and I left Calgary in early November, spent a couple of weeks in the Columbia Valley area and in Kelowna. Then we booked a flight to Vancouver Island; we were there for a couple of months.

We said that by January the 18th (I don’t even know what was significant about January the 18th) we were going to make a decision: are we moving to Victoria, or are we staying in Calgary? We decided to stay in Calgary. So we came back here and enjoyed the spring (I’m crazy about gardening) and summer.

Why did you decide to come back to the DDRC?

I thought, “we’re in Calgary, and I have good work available, so I think I should work.” I had said when I left that if I was going to look for work again, I would come here first. I liked my work here, and I respect the organization. There was an opening, so I signed on for the second time!

You came to the agency as a CRW in 1997, and now again in 2015. Have you noticed any big changes?

The thing that has stood out to me the most is how many clients carry personal communication devices (like smart phones). They have immediate access to all of the decision makers in their lives, and lots of information that they need or want. That’s cool!

The interest and the enthusiasm of the teams and of the agency is the same; that hasn’t changed at all. The faces have changed, there are some familiar and some new, but the spirit of the place is still the same. It’s still very positive.

Why the DDRC?

I think it’s the everyone belongs vision that ties me here the strongest. I’ve never worked in another agency, so I can’t say that other agencies don’t have a similar vision, but the DDRC was a leader at the time [that the vision was created], and I’m expecting that the DDRC will continue to be a leader in other areas. I’m a little bit curious about what the DDRC will do next, given that we have been on the edge of innovation in service provision. That, primarily, is the reason that I wanted to come back.

Holiday Stories at the DDRC

Posted on By Communications Team

The year feels like it’s just flown by, and we can’t believe it’s almost 2016! We know that December is a special month for many people, and for many different reasons. We believe that it is important to recognize diversity, and to help everyone celebrate in their own way. Here are a few of the holiday memories and traditions that some of our employees shared with us:

Shruthi R.“The holiday that holds a special memory for me is Diwali (Deepawali, or ‘Festival of Lights’). In India, this is celebrated in the grandest way possible with lights and firecrackers symbolising the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil, and hope over despair. At our home, we wear new clothes and our whole family used to meet up at my grandparents’ place to burst crackers. In the evening, we light our entire house with deepa (lamps and candles), and then have a family feast! We did this every year for a very, very long time!”
– Shruthi R., Client Service Coordinator

Angelica M.“Something that we really celebrate is Reyes (Día De Los Reyes), and that happens on January 6th. It’s a Spanish tradition where they celebrate the coming of the three wise men. Children tend to get gifts for that as opposed to Christmas.”
– Angelica M., Client Service Coordinator

 

Hebert T.“One tradition my parents started doing with us when we were little was a hide and seek activity. After or before opening the presents, my parents would have us search the house for five or six pieces of paper that contained clues for where to find the next clue and some money. So, after searching the house for these clues, we would be that much richer! Today, all of us are grown up, so we return the favour and hide clues with money around the house for others to seek out and find. I like to write my clues in ‘Yoda language,’ and it’s quite interesting to see people decipher them.”
– Hebert T., Quality Assurance Analyst

“[My cousin and I] went to Norway to spend Christmas Caitlin M.
with some friends of hers. They have this tradition there where on December 23, they eat rice pudding, and one person gets a blanched almond in their pudding. Whoever finds the almond wins a marzipan pig. It’s very specific. I didn’t win, but it was still fun.”
– Caitlin M., Senior Communications and Development Coordinator

Congratulations to the everyone belongs™ Toastmasters Club

Posted on By Communications Team
Crysta Trask holds a certificate presented by area and district directors from Toastmasters.
Crysta Trask holds a certificate presented by area and district directors from Toastmasters.

Last week, the everyone belongs™ Toastmasters club members were visited by the area and district directors from Toastmasters International. The visit was made to provide congratulations to the club for their ongoing successes and the welcoming atmosphere that they foster.

Toastmasters, for those who are unfamiliar, is an international organization that allows people the opportunity to master the art of public speaking. For DDRC clients, this is a chance to speak out and be heard in a supportive environment.

The club is overseen by Crysta Trask, the DDRC’s Creative Coordinator. She believes that the success of the club represents the growing skills and confidence of its members.

“They go outside of their comfort zone each week to grow and develop skills that they can use in their day-to-day lives,” Trask said. “They represent everything that DDRC is supposed to be about: inclusion, perseverance, dedication, advocacy, and everyone belonging.”

Since the beginning of the year, 12 club members have earned their “Competent Communicator” designation. In order to earn this designation, members must prepare and deliver 10 speeches.

Part of the Toastmasters program is the International Competent Communicator Manual. To ensure the success of club members, Trask created a modified version of the document using plain language. The visiting directors were impressed with this idea, and hope to adopt it for other groups where members are individuals with disabilities or are learning English as a second language.

During the weekly meeting, Table Topics were introduced through the creative method of “Table Topic Jenga,” where members carefully picked a block from the tower with a question printed on it to start a conversation.

“I was just trying to think outside of the box and create a fun new way to present and practice our Table Topic skills,” Trask said. “It can be a challenge to come up with new Table Topic questions on a weekly basis.”

The directors were again impressed with the idea, and plan to share it with other Toastmasters clubs.

For Trask, the highlight of the weekly meetings is watching the progress of the clients involved.

“Seeing the pride and excitement when someone successfully completes a speech is always fantastic.”

For more information about the everyone belongs™ Toastmasters club, please see our article from April.

The 20th Annual Inclusion Awards!

Posted on By Communications Team

On September 24th, the DDRC celebrated the 20th annual Inclusion Awards! The event was a huge success with approximately 400 people in attendance. Throughout the evening, we recognized 13 deserving individuals with awards for their outstanding contributions to making Calgary a city where everyone belongs™.

The theme for 2015 was the 1920s, and everyone “put on the ritz” by donning some of the fun costumes at our photo booth. If you had a shot taken at the photo booth, you can e-mail us for information on how to download your free picture.

We would like to provide a heartfelt thanks to:

We appreciate each and every one of you. The Inclusion Awards couldn’t have happened without all of your support!

It’s never too early to save the date – mark your calendars for the 21st annual Inclusion Awards on September 22nd, 2016. We’ll see everyone there!

Election Awareness at the DDRC

Posted on By Communications Team
A red maple leaf with text reading: "Did you know? The 2015 election marks the 42nd federal election in Canada. The first election was held in 1867, the year that Canada became a country. On October 19, VOTE."
One of the facts in our “Did You Know?” campaign. These are posted around the DDRC office.

It’s been a year of elections for Calgarians, and the DDRC has been working to keep the conversation going about the importance of voting. With the federal election coming up on October 19th, we want to make sure our clients and staff members have the resources and information they need to cast their ballots.

Did you know that Canada is one of only four countries in the world that allows people with developmental disabilities to vote? It’s true. In 1993, Canada removed restrictions for individuals with developmental disabilities. Italy, Ireland, and Sweden are the only other countries with the same rules as us. This is one of the many reasons that we feel it’s so important to get our clients out on election day to make their voices heard.

We will be hosting a “Vote Pop-Up” for staff and clients on October 5th to help first-time voters or those who haven’t cast a ballot for awhile learn what to expect when they get to a real polling station on election day. We’ll go over what forms of ID they’ll have to bring with them, what accessibility options will be available, how to properly mark and cast a ballot, and more. Employees will have a chance to learn how to properly support someone while they vote. We’ll also take this opportunity to confirm whether or not individuals are registered to vote, and help them register if they still need to.

The DDRC has created an election guide for staff members and a plain-language workbook for clients to learn about what we’re voting for in this election, what the main parties are, and provide answers to some frequently asked questions. Interested in learning more yourself? You can access a copy of the guide and workbook to save and go over at home.

In the latest issue of Connection, we asked people around the office what they would do if they were the Prime Minister. If you haven’t had a chance to pick up a copy, take a look here.

 

OHS Week at the DDRC

Posted on By Communications Team

August 10th marked the beginning of Occupational Health and Safety Week at the DDRC! This was a great opportunity for us to educate clients and employees about important safety and health issues.

Each day of the week featured a theme, and a variety of workshops and activities were offered to help highlight the themes. We were lucky enough to have guest speakers from the Calgary Fire Department and YMCA come to talk to us, and we had many employees share their expertise on particular topics.

Here are some of our favourite moments from the week: