The BC Brain Wellness Program is one of 133 youth-led projects across Canada dedicated to disability inclusion that will receive new funding totaling $1 million from the federal government.
Canada’s Minister of Employment, Workplace Development and Disability Inclusion Carla Qualtrough announced new funding for UBC’s Djavad Mowafaghian Center for Brain Health on Friday morning.
Established in 2019, the BC Brain Wellness Program (BWP) is an interactive online program establishing lifestyle approaches to complement medical treatment at clinics at the Djavad Mowafaghian Center for Brain Health, according to its website.
Qualtrough was joined by Vancouver Granville MP Taleeb Noormohamed and BWP members including Co-Founder Dr. Silke Appel-Cresswell and BWP Senior Program Assistant and MSc student in Speech Language Pathology from the UBC, Katy Chen.
The BWP received funding of $9,982 to purchase communications technology and create a teaching kitchen accessible to people with disabilities. The program also received $9,999 to purchase technology such as webcams and microphones for instructors to improve the accessibility and quality of virtual programming.
Federal funding for these projects is distributed through the Youth Innovation Stream of the Accessibility Fund (EAF), a federal program dedicated to funding projects that make communities and workplaces more accessible to people with disabilities. EAF launched a call for proposals on June 3, seeking funding for youth-led accessibility initiatives.
Qualtrough, a visually impaired former Paralympian, congratulated the grant recipients and highlighted the need for accessible infrastructure and technology in public spaces and work environments. She thanked the team and student accessibility leads behind the BC Brain Wellness Program for their efforts.
Appel-Cresswell spoke about BWP’s online virtual resources and outreach across BC, describing the various opportunities for using the equipment the ministry has obtained to further its outreach and wellness initiatives. .
She thanked the EAF for its contributions to the programme.
“We have already seen benefits for our participants and will use the funding to further improve the accessibility and reach of the program,” she said.
Kolby Hughes, a participant in the BWP program, said it has improved his motor skills and cognition – especially when struggling with physical ailments during the pandemic – and said he felt healthy enough to participate in physical activities with his family accordingly.
“Since I started with UBC Brain Wellness, my condition has gone away,” he said. “This program has given me a new perspective and a new chance to interact with the community. It really gave me a new lease on life.
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