By design and sometimes by default, people living with a disability often find themselves isolated from the outside world.
Throw in a global pandemic and the self-same community is finding itself even more detached from the outside world.
It’s for that reason that the Richmond Centre for Disability (RCD) is hosting its first ever virtual workshops next week, titled “Restart and Renewal.”
The daily events will focus on helping people with a disability navigate the new world we’re all living in, from reading the body language of someone wearing a mask to virtual job interviews.
“We’re basically trying to give our people a little more confidence in this new environment…to empower them,” said Dave Thomson, RCD’s community outreach coordinator.
“My father-in-law is blind. He has to touch everything. So part of (the workshops) can be about how to be a blind person during covid.
“What about your wheelchair? How do allow people to touch your wheelchair right now?
“How does PPE work when you’re reading lips? What about the people with autism? How do you read them when they’re wearing a mask?
“All you can see is the eyes. If you don’t react to verbal cues, that’s tough. So we will be talking about reading other body language and reading eyes, for example.
“There are so many challenges for the disabled community. Problems getting their wheelchairs serviced as no-one can come to their house.
“What about homecare or if you’re immune-supressed? Some people in the disabled community need help in their life every single day.”
Thomson had launched a monthly series of workshops earlier in the spring, pre-pandemic, only getting one off the ground.
With everything now going virtual, he decided to bring next week’s topic to the front of the line.
Thomson said there will also be sessions on virtual volunteering and going back to school.
And there will be relaxation and stretching sessions every day.
The sessions are open to the public, will be on the Zoom platform, and will run June 22 - 26, from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
For more information and to sign up, email Thomson at [email protected] or call 604-232-2404.
A detailed schedule will be provided at RCDrichmond.org.
