The BC Government wants your feedback on how to reduce poverty. Please come to our feedback event, and we will tell the government your ideas. Your comments will be anonymous: your name will not be used in the feedback report. This is not only for PWD or low income as this is for anyone to welcome share feedback.
Date: Tuesday, April 25 Time: Drop-in anytime between 4-6:30PM (you can come late!) Place: IDHHC Victoria office on Quadra St.
Today we share some information about changes to some of the services at IDHHC.
Over many years IDHHC has developed numerous partners in delivering services on Vancouver Island. Specifically within our Family and Community Program:
We partner with BC Family Hearing Resource Society (BCFHRS) to provide ASL to families with Deaf, DeafBlind and hard of hearing children under the age of 5 years.
We have a contract with Provincial Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services (PDHHS) to deliver services to families with Deaf, DeafBlind and hard of hearing children ages 5 to 23 years.
We work in partnership with Deaf Well Being Program (WBP) to assist individuals on Vancouver Island in accessing mental health supports and services.
Our Family and Community Program has staff members Alex Walker in Nanaimo, and Leslee Scott and Susanne Harnden in the Victoria office. The Family and Community Program has been funded for many years by the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) and the money comes through our contract with PDHHS. The funding that is received through this contract pay wages for these three staff members in our Victoria and Nanaimo offices.
Recently PDHHS told us they will terminate the IDHHC contract in September 2023.
Loss of this funding means we need to let our three Family and Community Program staff members go from their positions. Susanne Harnden will be finished in her role as Outreach Worker at the end of April. Alex Walker and Leslee Scott will both retire at the end of the summer.
So here at IDHHC we will have to make some changes. We will maintain our work with BCFHRS. We will continue to have our Deaf ASL instructors teaching ASL to families with Deaf, DeafBlind and hard of hearing children under the age of 5 years.
IDHHC will continue our close relationship with Deaf Well Being Program as we work together over the next few months to determine what services and supports are required on Vancouver Island.
PDHHS has hired a family navigator here on Vancouver Island that will provide enhanced services to families with school aged Deaf, DeafBlind and hard of hearing children. Services to Vancouver Island families will be led by the PDHHS team with transition support from IDHHC team until September.
For IDHHC some of these changes will happen quickly, others will happen over the next few months. During this time of transition we ask for your patience and flexibility as we all go through this process.
With a 30 year history, our goal at IDHHC is to ensure the unique needs of Deaf, DeafBlind and hard of hearing individuals and families are supported. Exactly how those supports are delivered will look different in the days ahead.
Transition and change can be difficult. Change can also provide an opportunity to explore new ways of doing things. IDHHC will continue to provide updates and information as soon as it becomes available.
Join UBC’s Language Sciences Institute and Douglas College’s Interpreting Program for a screening of the 2021 Academy Award winning film, CODA. The screening will be followed by a panel of CODAs and experts moderated by ASL specialist and interpreter, Nigel Howard. ASL-English interpretation will be present at this event.
DATE: March 9, 2023 TIME: 6 – 9PM LOCATION: Michael J. Fox Theatre @ 5455 Rumble Street, Burnaby
Dear Island Deaf and Hard of Hearing Centre,
On behalf of the UBC Language Sciences Institute, I would like to extend an open invitation to all staff and the community members of the Island Deaf and Hard of Hearing Centre to an upcoming film-screening and expert panel event on Thursday, Mar. 9, 2023, from 6:00pm-9:00pm at the Michael J Fox Theatre, 5455 Rumble St, Burnaby.
The UBC Language Sciences Institute and Douglas College’s Sign Language Interpretation Program will present a screening of the 2021 Academy Award winning film, CODA, followed by a moderated panel of CODAs and experts. ASL-English interpretation will be present throughout this event.
For those who are unable to attend in-person, there will be an option to tune-in virtually to the panel portion of the event.
We graciously ask that you distribute this invitation to the Island Deaf and Hard of Hearing Centre community. You will find an event poster attached with a QR code linking to the event registration webpage.
We look forward to seeing your presence, along with those within your surrounding community, on Mar. 9th!
Sincerely, Nigel Howard ASL Interpreter and UBC Linguistics Adjunct Professor
IDHHC is partnering with the City of Victoria and the Comox Valley Regional District to offer an accessible Babysitting Course for Deaf and hard of hearing teens ages 11 to 15 years. This Canadian Red Cross Babysitting course covers everything from managing difficult behaviours to essential content on leadership and professional conduct as a babysitter. Babysitting promises to deepen and enhance the responsibility that older youth feel when caring for younger children. The updated curriculum, complete with new science, also provides improved learning when it comes to give the appropriate care in the event of an emergency.
Victoria: Saturday, April 22 We are partnering with Crystal Pool to offer a one-day course on April 22. Please save the date and watch for our next newsletter for all the details or contact leslee@idhhc.ca for further info.
Comox Valley: To be confirmed We are partnering with the CVRD and Teachers of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (Katelin Miller and Kerry MacLaren) to offer a two-day format of this course. Please watch for our next newsletter for all the details or contact alex@idhhc.ca for further information.
Each newsletter issue, we will interview one of our team members from IDHHC. This issue, we’d like to introduce you to Carmen Sarich, our Audiologist in Nanaimo.
News
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Posted: April 21, 2023 by IDHHC
Poverty Reduction Feedback
The BC Government wants your feedback on how to reduce poverty. Please come to our feedback event, and we will tell the government your ideas. Your comments will be anonymous: your name will not be used in the feedback report. This is not only for PWD or low income as this is for anyone to welcome share feedback.
Date: Tuesday, April 25
Time: Drop-in anytime between 4-6:30PM (you can come late!)
Place: IDHHC Victoria office on Quadra St.
Zoom link (if you can’t make it in person): https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85797114075
If you instead want to fill out the survey by yourself, you can go here:
Poverty Reduction Strategy Survey (gov.bc.ca)
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Posted: April 18, 2023 by IDHHC
Update from our Family & Community Services, April 2023
Today we share some information about changes to some of the services at IDHHC.
Over many years IDHHC has developed numerous partners in delivering services on Vancouver Island. Specifically within our Family and Community Program:
Our Family and Community Program has staff members Alex Walker in Nanaimo, and Leslee Scott and Susanne Harnden in the Victoria office. The Family and Community Program has been funded for many years by the Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) and the money comes through our contract with PDHHS. The funding that is received through this contract pay wages for these three staff members in our Victoria and Nanaimo offices.
Recently PDHHS told us they will terminate the IDHHC contract in September 2023.
Loss of this funding means we need to let our three Family and Community Program staff members go from their positions. Susanne Harnden will be finished in her role as Outreach Worker at the end of April. Alex Walker and Leslee Scott will both retire at the end of the summer.
So here at IDHHC we will have to make some changes. We will maintain our work with BCFHRS. We will continue to have our Deaf ASL instructors teaching ASL to families with Deaf, DeafBlind and hard of hearing children under the age of 5 years.
IDHHC will continue our close relationship with Deaf Well Being Program as we work together over the next few months to determine what services and supports are required on Vancouver Island.
PDHHS has hired a family navigator here on Vancouver Island that will provide enhanced services to families with school aged Deaf, DeafBlind and hard of hearing children. Services to Vancouver Island families will be led by the PDHHS team with transition support from IDHHC team until September.
For IDHHC some of these changes will happen quickly, others will happen over the next few months. During this time of transition we ask for your patience and flexibility as we all go through this process.
With a 30 year history, our goal at IDHHC is to ensure the unique needs of Deaf, DeafBlind and hard of hearing individuals and families are supported. Exactly how those supports are delivered will look different in the days ahead.
Transition and change can be difficult. Change can also provide an opportunity to explore new ways of doing things. IDHHC will continue to provide updates and information as soon as it becomes available.
IDHHC Staff and Board of Directors
April 18, 2023
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Posted: April 4, 2023 by IDHHC
Spring/Summer 2023 Newsletter
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Posted: February 14, 2023 by IDHHC
CODA Film Screening & Expert Panel
Join UBC’s Language Sciences Institute and Douglas College’s Interpreting Program for a screening of the 2021 Academy Award winning film, CODA. The screening will be followed by a panel of CODAs and experts moderated by ASL specialist and interpreter, Nigel Howard. ASL-English interpretation will be present at this event.
This is a free event. Registration is required.
Scan the QR code or click here to learn more and RSVP today!
DATE: March 9, 2023
TIME: 6 – 9PM
LOCATION: Michael J. Fox Theatre @ 5455 Rumble Street, Burnaby
Dear Island Deaf and Hard of Hearing Centre,
On behalf of the UBC Language Sciences Institute, I would like to extend an open invitation to all staff and the community members of the Island Deaf and Hard of Hearing Centre to an upcoming film-screening and expert panel event on Thursday, Mar. 9, 2023, from 6:00pm-9:00pm at the Michael J Fox Theatre, 5455 Rumble St, Burnaby.
The UBC Language Sciences Institute and Douglas College’s Sign Language Interpretation Program will present a screening of the 2021 Academy Award winning film, CODA, followed by a moderated panel of CODAs and experts. ASL-English interpretation will be present throughout this event.
For those who are unable to attend in-person, there will be an option to tune-in virtually to the panel portion of the event.
Registration is required for this free event. Please use the link below to learn more and access the registration webpage:
https://languagesciences.ubc.ca/news-events/events/aug-23-2022-coda-film-screening-expert-panel
We graciously ask that you distribute this invitation to the Island Deaf and Hard of Hearing Centre community. You will find an event poster attached with a QR code linking to the event registration webpage.
We look forward to seeing your presence, along with those within your surrounding community, on Mar. 9th!
Sincerely, Nigel Howard
ASL Interpreter and UBC Linguistics Adjunct Professor
Event Poster PDF
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Posted: January 27, 2023 by IDHHC
Red Cross Babysitting Course
IDHHC is partnering with the City of Victoria and the Comox Valley Regional District to offer an accessible Babysitting Course for Deaf and hard of hearing teens ages 11 to 15 years. This Canadian Red Cross Babysitting course covers everything from managing difficult behaviours to essential content on leadership and professional conduct as a babysitter. Babysitting promises to deepen and enhance the responsibility that older youth feel when caring for younger children. The updated curriculum, complete with new science, also provides improved learning when it comes to give the appropriate care in the event of an emergency.
Victoria: Saturday, April 22
We are partnering with Crystal Pool to offer a one-day course on April 22. Please save the date and watch for our next newsletter for all the details or contact leslee@idhhc.ca for further info.
Comox Valley: To be confirmed
We are partnering with the CVRD and Teachers of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (Katelin Miller and Kerry MacLaren) to offer a two-day format of this course. Please watch for our next newsletter for all the details or contact alex@idhhc.ca for further information.
Leave a Comment
Posted: January 25, 2023 by IDHHC
Nice to Meet You, Carmen!
Each newsletter issue, we will interview one of our team members from IDHHC. This issue, we’d like to introduce you to Carmen Sarich, our Audiologist in Nanaimo.