In this podcast, I chat with Andy Willemsen, a developmental service worker and community living advocate, about four key areas of knowledge that parents can equip themselves with in order to help support their child’s educational needs: knowledge about your own child, knowledge about the way the system functions, knowledge about the different actors within the system, and knowledge about what your options are going forward. We also chat about the importance of equity, empathy, teamwork, and transition planning to reach achievable, flexible goals that will evolve with your child.

This bonus podcast episode is the audio recording of David Lepofsky's YouTube video on tips for parents about school advocacy.  If you want to watch the video, you can find that at goodthingsinlife.org/david and that will direct you over to the Osgoode Hall Law School YouTube site, which is where David originally published the video. In this episode, David shares some practical suggestions and strategies for parents to try out to ensure that your child is fully included and fully benefits from the education that's offered in your school system.

David Lepofsky, lawyer and disability rights activist, discusses how knowledge is power when it comes to advocating for inclusion in school. Understanding the system means parents can better navigate the issues and work with the school to achieve inclusion goals.

A sneak peak into the tragedy and grief, joys, wins, contributions, successes and massive strains of 2020 for host Genia Stephen and Good Things In Life. Plus, a "where we are headed" look into the future. 

Join Inclusion Academy here. 

Email [email protected] if you have an idea for a podcast episode or want to be a guest host. 

Every parent has dreams for their children. Yet, when our kids have disabilities, we need to make those dreams clear. We need to create a vision and then act to make it happen. Darcy Elks shares the pathway to making our dreams a reality.

Angela Breeden and Julie White tell the story of the On Purpose Project, a community group that brings neighbours with and without disabilities together for civic improvement projects and creates opportunities for meaningful work and a sense of belonging along the way.

Joe Clayton survived years of abuse while institutionalized at the now-closed Rideau Regional Centre. Now an artist who runs Nature Natives Art Gallery, he tells his story with immense courage and strength in order to prevent others from living through what he did. #Triggeralert: this episode contains discussions of sexual assault and physical abuse. It also contains a story of moving through hurt and trauma toward community.

Faith Clarke is an organizational health and teamwork specialist who has developed a structured, principled approach to onboarding, training and supporting support workers.

In this episode, we talk about how to build a home health team that really works for your family.

Institutionalization hurts the person institutionalized, the family, and our community. Marilyn Dolmage, Vici Clarke and Victoria Freeman discuss their experiences of having their sibling with a disability institutionalized as a child. #triggeralert. 

Victoria Freeman’s book “A World without Martha: A Memoir of Sisters, Disability and Difference” is fundamentally about what it means to live in a world where only some people are deemed worthy of love. On the podcast, Victoria and I read excerpts from the book and explore the themes of this all-too-real story.

This podcast comes with a #triggeralert. It also comes with the opportunity to use Victoria’s story - and Martha’s story - as motivation, fuel, learning to make life better for those in our community who are othered and excluded.

Access the transcript and full show notes here.

If you are enjoying the Good Things in Life Podcast, I would so love it if you would rate and leave a review on iTunes. The more ratings and reviews the podcast gets, the more likely that others will see what Good Things in Life Podcast has to offer.