Success Stories

The Minister's Council invites you - city officials, employers, persons with disabilities, service providers and all those involved in the 10 by 10 Challenge - to share your success stories.

We want to hear how the Challenge is affecting positive change in your community. For example, tell us about:

committees that have been created to support the Challenge in your community or organization;
events and meetings that have been held;
jobs that have been filled by persons with disabilities as a result of the work your community or organization has done to meet the Challenge; and
employers who are doing a great job in hiring people with disabilities.

Your Success Story

We want to hear how the Challenge is affecting positive change in your community and invite you - city officials, employers, persons with disabilities, service providers and all those involved in the 10 by 10 Challenge - to share your success stories. For example, tell us about:

committees that have been created to support the Challenge in your community or organization;
events and meetings that have been held;
jobs that have been filled by persons with disabilities as a result of the work your community or organization has done to meet the Challenge; and
employers who are doing a great job in hiring people with disabilities

Read about the 10 by 10 successes other communities and organizations are experiencing across the province.

Success story! - City of Langley and The Township of Langley

10 by 10 recognized once again
Langley Advance – Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Encouraging partnerships between local businesses and people with disabilities has inspired a partnership between the Township of Langley and the City of Langley that is earning accolades around the province.

A Strategic Partnership Award honouring the "outstanding work" that the two municipalities are doing for the provincial 10 by 10 Challenge was presented at the Union of British Columbia Municipalities convention held in Penticton in late September. Read more...

The province issued the challenge in 2006 to encourage municipalities to increase the number of people with disabilities in the local workforce by 10 per cent by 2010.

"When the 10 by 10 Challenge was issued, we knew Langley would step up," said Township Councillor Mel Kositsky, who accepted the September award along with Township Coun. Grant Ward, City Mayor Peter Fassbender, and City Coun. Sharla Mauger. "There are a lot of people with great skill, talent, and enthusiasm, all of which are qualities that can benefit our local businesses."

The two Langleys accepted the challenge and created a committee made up of representatives from the Langley Association for Community Living, Stepping Stone Community Services Society, Kwantlen Polytechnic University, and Langley City and Township.

"We have an excellent team working to create these worthwhile partnerships within the community," said Mauger. "Great enthusiasm and a real spirit of cooperation is being shown by the two municipalities and all the agencies involved as we work together to meet the Challenge."

The Langley 10 by 10 Challenge Committee was also recognized in June by the Minister's Council on Employment for Persons with Disabilities for the spirit of cooperation between the Township and City in the program.

"These awards are a real testimony to the hard work and dedication demonstrated by the organizations who serve on the Langley 10 by 10 Challenge Committee," said Coun. Jordan Bateman, the Township's committee representative. "These groups are devoted to helping people with disabilities become part of a team and showcase all they have to offer, and to helping local businesses add valuable, hardworking employees to their staff. We are so appreciative of all they have done to forward Langleys' 10 by 10 Challenge initiatives."

"When you believe in something, it can be contagious," added committee chair Fraser Crinklaw, who is pleased to see businesses and municipalities throughout the province getting on board to help build more inclusive communities. "Since accepting the challenge, the Langley committee has made a point of sharing its successes and encouraging others to get involved.

"At its inception, there were just over 20 communities involved in the challenge. Now more than 70 communities have made the commitment, and we are proud to be part of that process.

Mauger made a presentation about the Langley 10 by 10 Challenge Committee's initiatives to the UBCM in Penticton, at the invitation of the Ministry of Housing and Social Development.

As well, the Langley Committee's efforts are featured in a WorkSafeBC video that spotlights the Langleys' 10 by 10 initiatives.

For more information on opportunities to hire persons with disabilities, contact Crinklaw at 604-599-3340.

10 BY 10 CHALLENGE PAYING OFF

The smile on his face says it all.

The 10 by 10 Challenge has its first Langley success story-Derek Harmsworth, a sander at the True North Furniture Company. Read more...

Earlier this year, Derek was hired by the Gloucester manufacturer after True North staff read an article on the 10 by 10 Challenge in the local newspaper.

"We had a job available that we felt would work well for an individual with a disability," said True North's Andrew Nasedkin. "With the job market being so tight, we are always looking to tap into new areas to find employees."

The 10 by 10 Challenge is a provincial government initiative to increase employment for people with a disability by 10 per cent by 2010. Intrigued by the program, Nasedkin's company contacted Tami Logan of the Langley Association for Community Living to see if she had any suitable candidates.

Derek Harmsworth immediately came to Logan's mind. An H.D. Stafford grad, Harmsworth has always enjoyed woodwork. The three-day-a-week sanding job has been a perfect fit.

"I like the people here," Harmsworth said. "They're very nice."

Nasedkin and Logan set up an interview and a work experience leading to employment. Over the course of a few weeks, Logan assisted Harmsworth to learn the job and interact with True North staff.

"Tami was here throughout that time, so we didn't have to dedicate any extra staff to training," said Nasedkin. "After that, Derek knew the job and has been doing great."

The Langley Association for Community Living is a non-profit organization that provides services to children with special needs, adults with developmental disabilities, and their families. Its Partners in Employment Services assists individuals with developmental disabilities in the pursuit and attainment of their career goals by offering employment planning, marketing, job training and maintenance, and liaisons with employers and participants.

"It has to be a good job match for something like this to work," said Logan. "True North has been absolutely excellent in assisting Derek. They have scheduled his shifts to accommodate transportation and taken time to ensure Derek is part of their team."

This spring, both the Township of Langley and the City of Langley accepted the Province's 10 by 10 Challenge to increase the number of people with disabilities in the local workforce by ten per cent by 2010. A joint committee was formed with several agencies, including the Langley Association for Community Living, Stepping Stone Community Services Society, the Regional Disabled Person Society, Kwantlen University College, and the Rick Hansen Foundation.

The 10 by 10 Committee, chaired by Kwantlen's Fraser Crinklaw, is currently developing a plan to meet the province's target.

"Stories like Derek's are why we took this challenge," said Jordan Bateman, Township of Langley Council's representative on the 10 by 10 Committee. "Over the next few years, we expect to hear more and more good news as the efforts of our community bear fruit."

Success story! - District of Vanderhoof

The District of Vanderhoof is cooperating with the Nechako Valley Community Service Society on funding applications to put in a drive thru window and provide physical accessibilty to their Bean on Burrard Coffee House project. This project is designed to provide flexible and supportive employment to persons with disabilities and marginalized youth.

Success story! - City of Abbotsford

Success marked in Measuring Up, people with disabilities in workforce
Abbotsford News – Saturday, November 22, 2008

A group formed to increase the number of people with disabilities into the Abbotsford workforce has reported a perfect 10 so far.

Annette Borrows, the co-chair of the Measuring Up Working Group, has told Abbotsford council that Abbotsford businesses have responded well in the provincial 10 by 10 challenge. That initiative challenges communities to increase the number of people with disabilities in the workforce by 10 per cent by 2010. Read more...

Success story! - Municipality of Whistler

Council accepted the 10 by 10 Challenge, on behalf of the Whistler community, to increase the number of employed persons with disabilities by 10 percent by 2010. The Whistler's Accessibility Committee has endorsed the challenge and while the Resort Municipality Of Whistler may not be able to meet the challenge on its own, the Chamber of Commerce will work with their members to help meet the challenge.

Success story! - City of Armstrong

Mayor and Council received a presentation from Mr. Eric Greenwood, Member of Armstrong Rotary as well as an Employment Counsellor from North Okanagan Outreach Services Society, which is under the organizational umbrella of the Kindale Developmental Association, in which Mr. Greenwood advised Council that the Armstrong Rotary Club has partnered with Kindale Developmental Association to support their initiative entitled "Disabilities Employment Network: Promoting Employment for People with Disabilities". Mr. Greenwood introduced Mr. Peter Burton who has been hired through North Okanagan Outreach Services Society to specifically implement this program.

Rotary has an example of a very successful program like this being sponsored in Alberta and are very pleased to support the initiative, Mr.Greenwood said. "Council was asked to show our Communities support by passing the 10 x 10 Challenge Resolution and signing the proclamation".

Council passed the Resolution that night and Mayor Oglow was pleased to sign the Proclamation. Our Community has now been registered as accepting the 10 x 10 Challenge. This has been reported in the local media.

The Rotary intends to assist Kindale and Mr. Burton further by co-hosting a Job Fair and a Community dialogue using the 2010 legacies Now Measuring Up Guide.



last updated: December 17, 2008