On May 31 BC People First had their 2015 Conference and AGM.
We had some great presentations, here is a bit about them. My presentation was called Passion to Purpose.
This was a presentation on my personal experience with getting and losing employment.
I also spoke of how with a bit of support, everyone who wants employment with a diversablity should have an opportunity to get work and keep (and have multiple opportunities)
Gary Angus from Community Futures talked Self-employment and Entrepreneurs.
He told us about a guy who lost his business making beautiful wooden boxes for fly fishing tackle but with some help started a boat making business, he is now off PWD and supporting himself and his son.
We just found out Mike Gauthier contacted Gary and was able to get a small contract; way to go Mike.
Paula Grant came and told us about her new role as Advocate of Service Quality and asked us how she could make her position better.
Barb Goode came up with the idea of a pamphlet in plain language about the areas that you can get advocacy –Service Quality, Representative of Children and Youth and Family Support Institute. There was so much information sharde with Paula; I am looking forward to what she can do with it in this new role.
There was an Employment Game presented by Michelle Goos and Conrad Tyrkin.
This game focused on skills. It got people up guessing to figuring out the skills everyone had. It was lots of fun.
We learned who had what skills. It was positive and informative.
A great game to play to get people thinking, moving and motivated about employment and the skills self-advocates have. BC People first is thinking about making this game available to groups.
Lorie Sherritt presentation was call: Creating my own Work. Lorie has made a presentation about ‘Walking through the Medical System’.
She told us all the steps it takes to make a presentation people will want to pay for.
There were many hours a creating the presentation, practicing and calling her contacts to have people to present too.
I could relate to this presentation because of the number of hours I put in to creating my Passion to Purpose presentation.
Lorie made good points about respecting the audience; we as presenters need to be ready to make a good presentation; people are giving us their time.
I also think there needs to be respect from the audience because of all the work that needs to go in to a really good presentation.
The conference was not long but filled with really good information.
It would have been nice to have more people at the conference to hear this good information. We hope to see you next year.
