January 15^th, 2005

Education Articles

A World Of Opportunities

Let Us Be Your Gateway!

by Suzee Cameron

What�s new with the Neil Squire Foundation in the 21st century? We have a new look. We have a new employment training program. Our Research and Development Group has moved into a new lab at the British Columbia Institute of Technology.

What�s the same? We continue to assist people with physical disabilities to achieve their goals through education, technology and career development.

With extensive help from Brent Foote and Steve Hartley, we have "come out of the box" with a new logo and redesign of all of our materials across the country. Check out our rebuilt website at www.neilsquire.ca.

For 12 years, the Neil Squire Foundation has been delivering a pre-employment training program for people with physical disabilities. This program has a new name and feel as well. Employment Access Skills Enhancement (EASE) assists people with physical disabilities to develop employment skills and to find and sustain employment. EASE is delivered in six core modules that are designed to take into account prior personal learning and individual vocational objectives. These include: Career Development; Computer Exploration; Personal Development; Health and Wellness; Employment Liaison and Work Experience; and Workplace Adaptation and Accommodation.

In addition to the formal modules, our offices in Regina, Sask., Ottawa, Ont., and Fredericton and Moncton, N.B., offer literacy upgrading, and Greater Vancouver, B.C., Regina and Fredericton offer basic computer familiarization for people with physical disabilities.

The Research and Development (R&D;) Group researches and creates innovative assistive devices, technologies and products that facilitate an improved quality of life for people with physical disabilities, older adults and people recovering from illnesses or injury.

The Neil Squire Foundation and the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) received awards from the Canada Foundation for Innovation and the BC Knowledge Development Fund to establish the laboratory infrastructure to facilitate leading-edge research into and delivery of assistive technologies. This exciting partnership is the result of a collaboration among the Health Technology Research Group at BCIT and the Foundation�s R&D; Group. These teams share a common interest in researching and creating devices, technologies and products that facilitate an improved quality of life.

If you�re in the neighbourhood of any of our regional offices, please join us for an open house that will feature our programs and services and officially launch our new look on September 21 in Greater Vancouver, Regina, Ottawa and Fredericton. On September 20, we�ll see you in Moncton. Call our toll-free number, 1-877-NSF-INFO (673-4636), for the locations of our regional offices and the times of the open houses.

Special thanks to the Government of Canada, the provinces of British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Ontario and New Brunswick, corporate and private donations, B.C. gaming proceeds, grants from foundations and in-kind gifts that allow our work to continue.

HISTORY OF THE NEIL SQUIRE FOUNDATION

In 1981, at the age of 21, Neil Squire found his life suddenly and dramatically changed. A car accident left the university student and avid athlete unable to talk, move or feel from the neck down. Although severely limited in his physical ability, Neil was determined to achieve his goals.

Bill Cameron, Neil�s cousin and a dedicated engineer and product designer, worked with Neil in the development of a device that gave Neil hands-free access to a computer. Over the next few years, Bill and Neil worked with volunteer engineers and computer technicians to create technical devices and alternative computer access methods for persons who, like Neil, were faced with major physical challenges.

The Neil Squire Foundation was incorporated as a Canadian non-profit organization in the memory of Neil Squire, three months after his unexpected death in April, 1984. Today, the legacy of Bill and Neil�s vision is evident in virtually every product and service offered by the foundation.

(For more information, call 1-877-NSF-INFO (673-4636) or visit our website, www.neilsquire.ca.)