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April 17, 2024
Many of you will recognize Joby Fleming as Empower’s Advocacy Services Manager, having worked with us for over 9 years! Joby has worked and volunteered in the disability community for 25 years and currently volunteers with the Town of Portugal Cove/St. Phillips Inclusion Committee.
Joby says “I am passionate about working to make our community more inclusive. I also take every opportunity to meet with community leaders to advocate for more inclusive practices. Over the years I have had many rewarding experiences and have worked with some amazing advocates both here in our province and across Canada. I have learned so much and supported so many along the way. Volunteering has opened so many doors for me and I found what I was meant to do in my career. I feel that both my work and volunteer experience is quite rewarding.
In my free time I like spending time with my friends/family, especially my wife and our two boys. I also enjoy going for walks with our dog, Bailey.”
April 17, 2024
Say hello to Paul Morgan. He became involved with Empower through CODNL and other people who had other disabilities. He’s been involved with us for over twenty years, serving on many committees, such as the Garden Committee, Governance and Nominations Committee, Peer Support, Volunteers, Board of Directors and now Acting Board Chair. He enjoys swimming, bowling and playing cards and other games.
“I was born and raised in Kelligrews, CBS and attended St. Peter’s until the teacher discovered that I could not see. In 1996, I went to the Halifax School for the Blind and learned braille and other subjects. In Halifax I was a Boy Scout, Adventurer and a Rover which was very interesting. I also did door duty and answered the telephone and assisted people that came into the school.
I volunteer because it is nice to interact with others with disabilities and help them out whenever I can.”
April 15, 2024
It’s National Volunteer Week, a time to recognize and celebrate every volunteer and the many contributions they make to strengthen our communities.
Empower staff would like to first thank our Board of Directors – we appreciate your tireless efforts and the unique skill sets you bring to the table in service of the governance of our organization.
We would also like to thank our many Empower and InclusionNL volunteers over the years, and all the ways you have helped our organization. Your work makes the lives of people with disabilities in this province better and we are humbled by your resilience and commitment!
Thanks and appreciation to all volunteers, everywhere – but especially to OUR volunteers!
March 27, 2024
Friendly Reminder for April!
With a busy schedule of activities and groups, many new in the last few months, our calendar is a great place to see everything that’s happening for Members in the upcoming months – check out our activities, topics for recurring groups and info on one-time events.
The calendar will be posted here every month and will show future months as well, to help you plan your participation!
Empower’s Member Services Calendar
For questions or information, please email Sherri or call 709-722-4031.
February 20, 2024
NEW! Monthly Peer Support Group!
Introducing a NEW offering from Empower’s Member Services – Peer Support Group!
Peer support is when people use their own experiences to help each other. There are different types of peer support, but they all aim to bring together people with shared experiences to support each other.
Empower Members are invited to gather together to provide informal support to one another. Empower will provide a space where you feel accepted and understood while treating everyone’s experiences as being equally important.
This group will happen monthly, on the last Thursday of the month. The first meeting will be held February 29th, from 6:30 to 8:00 pm, at 4 Escasoni Place (the Centre). Register to be a part of this group at Peer Support Group Registration Form
Questions? Contact Sherri at 709-722-4031 or Sherri@EmpowerNL.ca
February 7, 2024
NEW! Empower’s Member Services is starting a new ✴️Creative Skills Program✴️this month.
Each month, Members will come together to learn new creative skills. Some skills will be learned in one session, some will take a series of sessions to fully learn the foundations of the skill being taught.
This month we will be learning the art of card making. Members will learn about using different creative styles and media, including acrylics, pastels, and inks, while exploring abstract and mixed-media artistic stylings.
This is a fun activity meant to nurture individual creative expression. Members with all levels of creative skill are encouraged to participate.
Registration for each skill or series is required. Please complete the Creative Skills Program Registration Form to register for the Art of Card Making.
Have questions or need assistance? Contact Sherri by phone: 709-722-4031 or by email: Sherri@EmpowerNL.ca
January 29, 2024
Introducing Empower’s NEW Member Services Calendar!
A place to see everything that’s happening for Members in the upcoming months – check out our activities, topics for recurring groups and info on one-time events.
The calendar will be posted here every month and will show future months as well, to help you plan your participation!
Empower’s Member Services Calendar
For questions or information, please email Sherri or call 709-722-4031.
December 15, 2023
The recipient of the 2023 Business Award for Independent Living goes to Katherine Peddle, owner of Oral Health Centre and Mobile Smiles.
Katherine has been a business partner of InclusionNL for the last few years. She recently applied and was successful in receiving an EAP grant to ensure her new business, Oral Health Centre in Paradise is barrier free. The Centre is equipped with state-of-the-art accessibility features that support comfort, confidence, integrity, and independence.
Since the concept of her business was first formulated, Katherine immediately wanted to ensure her facility was accessible from many perspectives. Upon opening the Oral Health Centre, she has incorporated a sensory friendly room for those needing this space, a hydraulic lift and accessible seating for examinations, an accessible washroom with automated doors, a ramped entrance in the back of the location and leveled front entrance. She has commissioned a storyboard to be created of the dental hygiene experience and provides advanced orientation time if required by a patient to become more familiar with the Centre.
Congratulations Katherine!
December 14, 2023
The recipient of the 2023 Social Inclusion Award for Independent Living is Paul Power from Power Productions.
Power Productions is primarily focused on representing, teaching and expanding the overall disability, Deaf and MAD Arts culture. The company achieves this by producing and presenting theatre works devoted to disability themes and/or casting persons who self-identify as living with a disability, who are Deaf or hard of hearing or live with mental health disabilities.
Power Productions is committed to creating diverse and accessible theatre projects, professional development opportunities and community collaborations with a focus on strengthening the disabled, Deaf and MAD arts sector in Atlantic Canada.
They are a community catalyst and resource for sustainable change in the areas of accessibility, inclusion and diversity within the community.
Their shows like “Crippled”, bring more awareness to the talents and abilities of the community. Power Productions also raises its voice and creates relationships with municipal, provincial and federal stakeholders to increase opportunities, accessibility, inclusion and funding for the arts, especially as it relates to making theatre more accessible for everyone.
In 2022 Power Productions embarked on a mission to make local theatre more accessible for individuals with sight loss. Four individuals underwent a two-week intensive training for Live Audio Description, and Power Productions is now able to offer this service province wide through Power UP. This service has been offered for a number of shows in the province, including Don’t Give Up On Me Dad by Andy Jones and Come From Away in Gander.
Congratulations Paul!
December 13, 2023
The recipient of the 2023 Independent Living Young Leader Award is Kayla Warren.
Kayla Warren, who identifies as autistic, has been involved with disability advocacy since high school. In 2017 she volunteered with Autism Includes Me (AIM) in Port aux Basques on a pilot program for autism-friendly swimming lessons. During the pandemic, she volunteered making a digital catalogue of AIMs resources. During her university career at both Memorial (Behavioural Neuroscience) and Dalhousie (Occupational Therapy) Kayla volunteered in groups and organizations working to break down barriers, including the Blundon Centre at Memorial University.
She focuses on bringing a first-hand autistic perspective to her work to ensure autistic voices are elevated. A sample of Kayla’s involvements include:
MUN Research Exchange Group on Autism
Dalhousie OT Equity Committee
Autistic Researchers Researching Autism
Congratulations Kayla!