Connecting the disabled to the world

Ottawa Citizen
Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Page F4

By Linda Mondoux

Photo by Wayne Cuddington

Posted with permission from the Ottawa Citizen.

Have you ever wondered why some people walk down the sidewalk with their eyes staring straight ahead, refusing to acknowledge your presence, while others make a point of smiling your way, offering up a cheery "good morning?"

The answer, I think, is curiosity.

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, curiosity is both good and bad. On the positive side, it describes curiosity as "the desire to know." Seeking knowledge can only be good, right? But curiosity is also defined as "an inquisitive interest in others' concerns: NOSINESS." That nosiness is set apart in capital letters has got to be a warning. After all, isn't that how the cat got killed?

Deciding which definition to adopt as your own depends on how you choose to live. Do you care about your community and the people who populate it enough to learn about their joys and sorrows? Or do you play it safe and keep your nose out of other people's business, caring only for yourself?

I was mulling this over recently when I ran across a small item in my weekly community newspaper: volunteer tutors sought by the Neil Squire Society for a program that offers people with physical disabilities the chance to learn how to operate a computer -- from writing e-mails to surfing the web. Neil Squire Society? I never heard of it, but I decided to find out more.

I'm glad I did.

My investigation led me to an office building on Colonnade Road, where the Ontario chapter of the non-profit Neil Squire Society resides. At the rear, past the small boardroom, I was ushered into another room, this one with a couple of computers set up side-by-side and specialized equipment displayed on a table nearby.

It's here that a handful of workers do what they do best: help people with physical disabilities use computer technology to remove the barriers that can keep them on the fringes of our community, socially and economically.

The organization's main focus is its Employ-Ability Program, a free 12-week course whose aim is to help people with disabilities get into the work force.

"We're all about empowerment and finding positive results," says Joanne Ahern, one of the program's instructors.

And while the number of people who have so far gone through the program in Ottawa is minuscule compared to other employment programs, the impact on the lives of participants is huge.

Imagine losing your hand in an industrial accident. In the Neil Squire Program, you will be trained to use the computer with the aid of assistive devices -- a one-handed key pad, for example, or the sip-and-puff Jouse, which translates the user's breath into Morse code.

What makes this program different from other employment agencies, Ms. Ahern says, is that once a graduate has found a job, the Neil Squire Society experts will go to the job site and set the new employee up with whatever devices are needed.

Having the tools is but one step. While Ms. Ahern says things are getting better, she admits that "more awareness needs to happen in the business community" when it comes to hiring people with physical disabilities.

The Employ-Ability Program, which recently expanded to Pembroke, receives about 65 per cent of its funding from the federal government. The rest must come from fundraising. That's the reality for non-profit organizations.

Volunteers also play an important role. It's the society's Computer Comfort program, the one I read about in the community notice, that needs the volunteer tutors. Call 613-723-3575 if you can help.

Kimberly Hamilton, who co-ordinates the program, says there is a waiting list of participants for the three-month computer course, which is partly funded by the Community Foundation of Ottawa. For some physically disabled participants, it's "a connection to the world, their families, their friends." For others, she says, it's a stepping stone to the Employ-Ability Program.

There were no classes on the day I dropped by, but Nadine Larabie, who had completed the Computer Comfort course, was there for a refresher session and to check her e-mail.

The 68-year-old, who contracted polio in 1953, is among those who signed up for the program for its social benefits. "And it's good to learn new things," she says.

As I drove away from the Neil Squire Society office, I couldn't help but wonder what other good causes -- and good people -- are hidden inside other unassuming office buildings across our community.

According to Charity Village, there are about 150,000 registered charities and non-profit organizations operating in Canada. They're what make our communities livable. And I expect all of them could use money, or volunteers, or both. Maybe we should find out. Nosy can be a good thing.

Linda Mondoux is a Citizen copy editor.

© Ottawa Citizen 2006