VAD Society's Podcast

The Voice - WJS Canada Podcast

VAD Society

Join VAD as we talk with our membership about local resources available to VAD members and in the community.

In this podcast, we speak with Donna Phillips from WJS Canada about their services and programs.

00:00:00 Teresa Makarewich 

Welcome to the voice of Albertans with Disabilities, AKA VAD Society's October podcast of 2022. 

00:00:08 Teresa Makarewich 

I'm Teresa Makarewich your hosts and VAD program service manager. 

00:00:13 Teresa Makarewich 

Thanks for joining us today. 

00:00:15 Teresa Makarewich 

In today's podcast, we continue speaking with bad organizational members about the resources they offer the community, and how they work with individuals and disabilities. 

00:00:26 Teresa Makarewich 

WJS Canada has been a VAD member for many years and we are pleased to invite Donna Phillips, Regional Service Director of Disability Services to join me on the podcast. 

00:00:36 Teresa Makarewich 

Together we hold the power. 

00:00:38 Teresa Makarewich 

Please welcome Donna Phillips. 

00:00:40 Teresa Makarewich 

Hello Donna. 

00:00:42 Donna Phillips 

Hi Teresa, thank you for this opportunity. 

00:00:45 Teresa Makarewich 

Thank you for coming. 

00:00:47 Teresa Makarewich 

So we'll jump right in. 

00:00:48 Teresa Makarewich 

So according to your website, WJS Canada provides social services to children, youth, adults and families facing difficulties. 

00:00:57 Teresa Makarewich 

You take a personalized trauma informed approach to care in an environment of cultural respect and support. 

00:01:05 Teresa Makarewich 

Can you explain an overview of the services that your organization provides. 

00:01:09 Donna Phillips 

Sure, so WJS Canada has been nurturing change and healing in children, youth, adults and families and communities across Canada for more than 30 years. 

00:01:21 Donna Phillips 

All of our programs provide high quality, personalized and culturally responsive care in even the most complex cases. 

00:01:30 Donna Phillips 

Our dedicated and caring staff help those we serve, overcome their challenges and develop their strengths. 

00:01:36 Donna Phillips 

We forge friendships and a sense of belonging, encourage Community inclusion for all. 

00:01:42 Donna Phillips 

WJS Canada provides services in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario. 

00:01:48 Donna Phillips 

My role in the organization is Regional Service Director. 

00:01:53 Donna Phillips 

I always see the diverse ability services in Alberta. 

00:01:56 Donna Phillips 

Currently we provide services in Edmonton, Barrhead, Westlock, Fort McMurray, Slave Lake. 

00:02:03 Donna Phillips 

Bakerville, Bonnieville and Cold Lake area. 

00:02:06 Donna Phillips 

Our wide range of programs and services include supported homes, independent and semi independent living behavior, behavioral counseling, and mental and physical therapy. 

00:02:17 Donna Phillips 

Will offer community living, life skill coaching, career development, rest and relief for caregivers and family support for children with diverse abilities. 

00:02:28 Donna Phillips 

WJS Canada comes from a strength based approach to providing supports to persons with disabilities. 

00:02:35 Donna Phillips 

We look at the whole individual and their needs. 

00:02:39 Donna Phillips 

DJs Canada provides supports to persons with diverse abilities for the whole life cycle. 

00:02:45 Donna Phillips 

FSCD supports 2 children which include. 

00:02:48 Donna Phillips 

In and out of home respite residential and behavioral supports residential supports for youth through FSCD, who then can transition into PDD without having to. 

00:03:01 Donna Phillips 

We provide lifetime homes to adults with the developmental disabilities. 

00:03:07 Donna Phillips 

Individuals are encouraged to find housing of their choice and WJS will come in and provide the necessary staffing. 

00:03:15 Donna Phillips 

We also provide supports to individuals with brain injuries. 

00:03:19 Teresa Makarewich 

Wow, that's a lot. 

00:03:21 Teresa Makarewich 

That's awesome. Good job. 

00:03:23 Teresa Makarewich 

Your site says you help people with diverse abilities become active in their communities. 

00:03:28 Teresa Makarewich 

Voice of Albertans with disabilities believes in full participation in society. 

00:03:33 Teresa Makarewich 

How does WJS Canada fulfill this commitment to the community? 

00:03:38 Donna Phillips 

WJS Canada helps people with diverse abilities become active in their community, in your communities and reach the highest possible levels of independence. 

00:03:48 Donna Phillips 

WJS Canada encourages every individual we serve to participate in the development of their care plan, and we also invite family members. 

00:03:58 Donna Phillips 

And loved ones to become involved. 

00:04:00 Donna Phillips 

This way we can be sure the individual's unique strengths, personal goals and activity preferences are taken into account when the individual does not have an extended support system, WJS Canada staff advocates for them and ensures they are heard, valued, and treated with respect. 

00:04:20 Donna Phillips 

Most of our diverse ability services are offered in smaller communities in northern Alberta. 

00:04:27 Donna Phillips 

Staff encourage individuals to be part of their community by volunteering and working. 

00:04:32 Donna Phillips 

WJS Canada also hosts community events for the people to attend, as well as a couple of summer camps which are opened up to other individuals with developmental disabilities from different communities. 

00:04:46 Donna Phillips 

This promotes opportunities for friendships. 

00:04:49 Donna Phillips 

Local community members have come out to volunteer at these camps to provide additional support. 

00:04:55 Teresa Makarewich 

Can you tell Me about the LEAP program that WJS Canada offers. 

00:05:00 Donna Phillips 

Sure, in Edmonton,  WJS Canada offers learning employment action plan for LEAP for short. 

00:05:07 Donna Phillips 

This is a free employment program for youth and young ages 15 to 30, which is funded by the Employment and Social Development Canada for the Youth Employment and Scale Strategy program with a focus on youth facing employment barriers. 

00:05:24 Donna Phillips 

The youth or young adults may be living with developmental and mental health challenges, physical challenges, or have any other barriers to employment. 

00:05:33 Donna Phillips 

By delivering strength based customized skills, development training, LEAP participants develop necessary skills and knowledge in order to overcome employment barriers and actively participate in the current and future labour market by obtaining real work for real pay opportunities. 

00:05:52 Teresa Makarewich 

Is there a referral program for that LEAP program? 

00:05:57 Donna Phillips 

Yes, so once you receive a referral, we complete a person-centered strength based planning process to create a personalized profile and identify ideal conditions of employment. 

00:06:10 Donna Phillips 

This profile includes hopes and dreams, learning style, communication, abilities, interests, preferences, strengths and capacities and support needs. 

00:06:21 Teresa Makarewich 

Oh wonderful, I see you work with residential options for adults with developmental disabilities. 

00:06:27 Teresa Makarewich 

Can you explain how that is different from independent living and family support, Residential support you provide? 

00:06:34 Donna Phillips 

Sure, WJS Canada personalized planning provides a wide range of residential options for adults with developmental disabilities. 

00:06:44 Donna Phillips 

From lifetime homes to supported and shared living options and residences for those with complex care and therapeutic needs, we tailor living experiences to each individual needs and encourage independence, social engagement, emotional and physical well-being. 

00:07:03 Donna Phillips 

Shared living supported homes are for individuals who are better served in a family environment than on their own or in a group home. 

00:07:10 Donna Phillips 

Our host families provide stable and safe places to live and the individual in their care becomes part of the family unit. 

00:07:19 Donna Phillips 

Those families receive training and support to ensure individuals receive the best care and WJS Canada Staff support access to daily activities, life skills and other programs. 

00:07:33 Donna Phillips 

Our resilient homes provide long term support to the individuals with high intensity behaviors. 

00:07:40 Donna Phillips 

That overwhelm traditional caregiving. 

00:07:43 Donna Phillips 

These individuals display behavior that is significantly more aggressive, self-harming or complicated by substance abuse, mental health, diagnosis or involvement with the law. 

00:07:54 Donna Phillips 

WJS Canada does not own the homes individuals went through in homes and choose where they want to live. 

00:08:02 Teresa Makarewich 

Wow, so you work with quite a few people who have some just different behavior disorders then. 

00:08:09 Donna Phillips 

Yes, yes, we’re very strength based and we really want to support all individuals. 

00:08:16 Donna Phillips 

So we have a variety of supports to help with that. 

00:08:20 Teresa Makarewich 

You mentioned that whose families get training? 

00:08:23 Teresa Makarewich 

What kind of training do they get, and is there a Cost for that. 

00:08:26 Donna Phillips 

So WJS has an Online learning program to that all our host families can access as well, which provides a wide range of opportunities as well as we also use open futures which is an online platform as well. 

00:08:45 Donna Phillips 

So all the training is free that we do provide to them. 

00:08:49 Teresa Makarewich 

Wonderful   you offer community  Living life, skill coaching, career development, rest and relief for caregivers and family. 

00:08:57 Teresa Makarewich 

Support for children with diverse abilities. 

00:09:00 Teresa Makarewich 

Are there other services for adults? 

00:09:02 Teresa Makarewich 

The WJS Canada offers as well. 

00:09:06 Donna Phillips 

WJS offers a wide range of programs and services, including resilient homes, supported homes, respite independent and semi-independent living. 

00:09:17 Donna Phillips 

Employment supports and community access options. 

00:09:20 Donna Phillips 

We also have our own clinical team to help with the complex needs of individuals. 

00:09:27 Teresa Makarewich 

Perfect. 

00:09:28 Teresa Makarewich 

Uhm, I really appreciate WJS ability to support and advocate in the community. 

00:09:34 Teresa Makarewich 

Is there anything I should be asking you about WJS Canada that I haven't asked? 

00:09:40 Donna Phillips 

I wanted to share a success story with you of an individual. We have served. 

00:09:46 Donna Phillips 

A young man came into. 

00:09:47 Donna Phillips 

Our service is just Over three years ago, he was 680 pounds and when we. 

00:09:52 Donna Phillips 

Were approached to provide services The RCMP had asked that he moved to a rural setting. 

00:09:59 Donna Phillips 

Instead of living in the small community, had many challenging behaviors and the numerous complaints had been made from his neighbors, he was required to build a fence around his yard and when we started services, we had a 2 to one staffing model. 

00:10:18 Donna Phillips 

Several revisions to his Behavior support plan and a consistent approach with extensive training to both staff and the individual. 

00:10:26 Donna Phillips 

There was a decline in incidence 

00:10:29 Donna Phillips 

Today he is 500LBS and the RCMP just dropped by to say hi as they're not responding to any complaint. 

00:10:37 Donna Phillips 

He is down to a one to one staffing model and his relationship with his mom has been repaired. 

00:10:44 Donna Phillips 

She currently will come over and spend the evening or overnight with him with no staffing. 

00:10:50 Donna Phillips 

He is also starting to participate in the community. 

00:10:54 

So this is 1 Of many success stories we have seen, so I just wanted to share that with you. 

00:11:00 Teresa Makarewich 

That's amazing, well done. 

00:11:03 Donna Phillips 

Thank you. 

00:11:04 Teresa Makarewich 

What is an interesting fact about WJS Canada that everyone should be talking about? 

00:11:10 Donna Phillips 

WJS Canada is very unique as we're an employee owned company. 

00:11:15 Donna Phillips 

Therefore everything we do is inspired by the commitment and passion of our employees to provide not only the best programs and services to those in our care. 

00:11:25 Donna Phillips 

I've heard several times from staff how they feel. 

00:11:28 Donna Phillips 

WJS Canada is Like a family, we work together to think outside of the box to provide solutions to individuals we serve. 

00:11:36 Teresa Makarewich 

If I was a client who wanted to get involved with WSJ is there a referral service. 

00:11:41 Donna Phillips 

So most of our services are PDD funded so. 

00:11:45 Donna Phillips 

You say our referrals come through PDD. 

00:11:47 Donna Phillips 

We also have a brain injury program in Edmonton which is a self-referral process. 

00:11:54 Donna Phillips 

We also provide supports to FSCD which again is through. 

00:12:01 Donna Phillips 

You get a referral and then family seek supports through us. 

00:12:05 Teresa Makarewich 

OK, and just to touch back on the advocacy. 

00:12:09 Teresa Makarewich 

What kind of advocacy in the community do you guys offer? 

00:12:14 Donna Phillips 

We encourage our individuals to be fully integrated into the Community, and with that our staff will come. 

00:12:21 Donna Phillips 

Like I said, we host community events which you know our individuals are participating in. 

00:12:28 Donna Phillips 

They are usually involved in any of the day-to-day activity, so it is very common, especially in smaller communities where people who grocery store, at the bank, all know our individuals and they are there to help support their day-to-day needs. 

00:12:46 Donna Phillips 

So our staff are just. Yeah, providing support, but our individuals do the actions if they're capable of. 

00:12:54 Teresa Makarewich 

Perfect. 

00:12:56 Teresa Makarewich 

Well, Donna, thank you again for joining VAD’s podcast. 

00:12:59 Teresa Makarewich 

I appreciate your time and commitment. 

00:13:01 Teresa Makarewich 

Is there anything else that we need to? 

00:13:03 Teresa Makarewich 

Know I don't. 

00:13:04 Donna Phillips 

Think so. 

00:13:05 Donna Phillips 

I just want to thank you for this opportunity. 

00:13:08 Teresa Makarewich 

Well, thank you for coming on and talking about WJS Canada. 

00:13:12 Teresa Makarewich 

So voice of Albertans with disabilities is a cross disability nonprofit organization oven for people with disabilities. 

00:13:21 Teresa Makarewich 

WJS Canada is an organizational member of VAD and their web link is available on our website at vadsociety.ca/resources. 

00:13:30 Teresa Makarewich 

Donna, can you tell us? 

00:13:31 Teresa Makarewich 

How to get ahold of you and. 

00:13:33 Teresa Makarewich 

Get involved in the different services your organization offers. 

00:13:37 Donna Phillips 

I can be reached through our website at WJSCanada.com or through e-mail at dphillips@canada.com or we have a toll free number at 1-800-867-1987. 

00:13:56 Teresa Makarewich 

Perfect thank you very much. VAD is guided by the principles of full participation, accessibility and equity. Learn about VAD services on our website at vadsociety.ca or call 780-488-9088 For more information e-mail myself VAD@vadsociety.ca. 

00:14:17 Teresa Makarewich 

Podcast topic ideas, speaker suggestions or your feedback? 

00:14:22 Teresa Makarewich 

Signing off for the day. 

00:14:23 Teresa Makarewich 

Together we hold the power.