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Once again this winter the Lower Mainland and much of B.C. find themselves under a healthy blanket of snow. For the Lower Mainland, however, a dump of snow can quickly become problematic and the region essentially shuts down. The weather quickly shows how independence is hampered not just by snow, but by a city’s inability …

Well, what can we say? 2021 was spent in relative bubbles again as COVID-19 continued to dominate our lives and headlines. If you feel like it’s getting too hard to take, you’re definitely not alone. Here, as we step gently into 2022, we find ourselves again at the mercy of restrictions as governments scramble to …

December 3rd is International Day of Persons with Disabilities. A day created by the United Nations to inspire countries around the world to ensure inclusion and accessibility for everyone. It’s a day to recognize the amazing diversity we all share and the contribution of people with physical or cognitive differences. The reality is not everyone …

Our Winter edition of the DDA STAR MAGAZINE 2021 is here! Click below to take a peek at the variety of stories we have! Rhetoric Meets Reality Cards of Encouragement DDA Tech Review DDA STAR MAGAZINE 2021

By Alanna Hendren The United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (UNCPRD) was adopted on December 13, 2006 in New York and was opened for signatures by member countries in March 2007. All countries have at least signed the Convention except the USA, Surinam, Libya, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kyrgystan, Tajikistan and NorthKorea. Canada …

For all us of it’s been a long two years as we grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic. For our healthcare professionals, without a doubt, it’s felt even longer. When the pandemic began and we all realized the incredible sacrifices healthcare workers were making we proudly gathered at 7 pm every night and banged pots and …

By Alanna Hendren, Executive Director DDA The recent Ministry of Children and Family Development (MCFD) announcement related to new “hubs” that will support families of children with disabilities who may or may not have a specific diagnosis has caused quite a stir in the special needs community.  Families of children with autism are concerned their …

For Development Disabilities Association and many others, it was a challenging year. Re-invention has been the key to providing the best support for the people we care for. We are proud of the staff who made it happen. This year was also a year of creativity, persistence and professionalism. Our priority was to support front-line …

By: DDA Executive Director Alanna Hendren Just when we thought a viral, global epidemic that only the likes of our distant ancestors had experienced, fires caused by Global Warming are raging through North America, Europe, Siberia, North Africa and Israel like they never have before. Fires had already destroyed parts of Australia during their summer …

In April 2021, a boy with autism and limited ability to communicate went missing in Vancouver and was later found, unharmed, by the VPD. To further understand the police department’s protocol around investigating missing persons cases that involve individuals with disabilities, DDA’s Communications Manager, Evan Kelly sat down with Lori Hemm, Program Coordinator with the …

In 2019, Timothy started in a joint program with the Vancouver School Board and DDA where he had a combination of classroom training and community exposure to learn all the skills necessary for success after high school. This lead to a volunteer experience at Belkin House where he learned the basics of how a commercial …

Even though it never truly felt like 2020 ended, we are nearing the start of the 2021-2022 school year. And while all schooling will continue to be in-person this September, the challenges that arose from COVID-19 are undoubtedly still present. Especially for children with disabilities and their parents, September can bring a variety of intersecting …