Neil Squire Society

Left to right: @workbcats.bsky.social Assistant Program Manager Leila Balmoral, Director of @makersmakingchange.bsky.social Justin Pezzin, and General Disability Practitioner Maribeth Malvar. [2/2]

Leila, Justin, and Maribeth at a Makers Making Change table with a 3D printer and assistive technology on display.

On Thursday and Friday, we attended the ASPECT BC Conference in Richmond, BC. A great opportunity to connect with other service providers from across British Columbia, and we're proud to be a sponsor of this year's conference. [1/2]

An image of an interact switch, with the text, "Interact Switch Update."

Everyone’s favorite switch has just gotten better! The Interact Switch has just gotten an update, making it easier than ever to build. [1/3]

An image of volunteers at a build event adapting toys. Text: Thank you Bourassa Savaria Foundation!

We want to give a huge shoutout to one of our major sponsors for this year’s Hacking for the Holidays campaign, the Bourassa Savaria Foundation. We’re incredibly grateful for their donation of $10,000 and their continued support of making play accessible for children with disabilities. Thank you!

“I can’t express my gratitude enough for the support that this program has provided me. My case worker was amazing, I am just so very thankful for the kindness, compassion and support I was shown throughout the process.” #WorkBCATS

A woman wearing headphones writes on a notepad while watching something on her laptop.

Our AT Help Desk team looks at Trinka, an AI-powered grammar checker and language correction tool specifically designed for academic, technical, and formal writing.

Read: buff.ly/R8fqZ8I

#NeilSquire #ATHelpDesk #AssistiveTechnology #Apps #DigitalLiteracy

An image of poppies, with the text, "Lest we forget."

Lest we forget. #CanadaRemembers

Images of switch-adapted toys and logos for Go Eng Girl and Worlds UNBound. Text says, "Toy adapting workshop with Worlds UNBound, Go Eng Girl"

Are you in Fredericton or Saint John, New Brunswick and want to adapt toys with Worlds UNBound's Go ENG Girl for our Hacking for the Holidays campaign? Sign up today!

Saint John: November 15 www.worldsunbound.ca/go-eng-girl-1

Fredericton: November 29 www.worldsunbound.ca/go-eng-girl

In October, our Prairie Regional Office donated Solutions for School assistive technology kits to six schools in Yellowknife Education District #1. Each kit contains upwards of $1,200 worth of assistive technology, allowing students to access and trial a wide variety of low- and high-tech solutions. As part of our Solutions for Schools initiative, our Prairie office fundraises to purchase assistive technology kits for schools. In addition to delivering the kits, with both English and French kits, our Solutions team also provided training to teachers and learning support staff at the schools.

The Solutions for School kits on their way to being delivered.

In October, our Prairie Regional Office donated Solutions for School assistive technology kits to six schools in Yellowknife Education District #1.

Read more: buff.ly/S0zfFqY

Sandra, Anmol, Radu, and Patty in front of a banner for the Western Canada Career Development Association.

On Friday, our Burnaby Creative Employment Options team attended the Western Canada Career Development Association (WCCDA) members gathering at the Vancouver Community College Downtown Campus.

Pictured left to right: Sandra Grib, Anmol Vig, Radu Girboan, and Patty Lavakittichaiyant.

One of my favourite classes today! We had the Neil Squire Society visiting and adapted toys for kids with disabilities so that they can be used with adaptive switches. These toys go to the IWK Halifax and other places and then get distributed to kids with disabilities just in time for Christmas ❤️

Curious about what toys are available for our #HackingForTheHolidays campaign? Shanelle gives us a sneak peek of the Peek A Boo Koala. To request a toy in Canada, check out our Hacking For The Holidays page of our website. Requests will close November 30th, 2025.

Request: buff.ly/YEyMXcw

Six students attended the session, along with several staff members who were interested in learning how to better connect their participants to available programs and resources. [3/3]

During the session, students had the chance to explore a variety of academic programs, ask questions, and learn about the support services available for individuals with disabilities or facing barriers. [2/3]

Neil Squire staff presenting to classroom full of people.

Yesterday, our Prairie Office coordinated a visit with a Student Recruitment Advisor and an Accommodations Consultant from Saskatchewan Polytechnic. [1/3]

Pictured left to right: Lukas Huhn with GVFB, Director of Makers Making Change Justin Pezzin, Case Manager Anmol Vig, Ashlyn Koebel with GVFB, Employer Outreach Developer Nate Toevs, and Creative Employment Options National Program Manager Patty Lavakittichaiyant.

On Tuesday, members of our Burnaby team had a great time touring the Greater Vancouver Food Bank (GVFB)'s new permanent facility in Vancouver.

Gretna Green students test their switches.

A teacher and a student work on a switch.

A student works on a switch.

When students at Gretna Green School learned they would be building switches for kids with disabilities for our Hacking for the Holidays campaign, they felt inspired to take it one step further, taking the initiative to raise over $500 for our campaign.

Read more: buff.ly/zIz9nnd

Tammy sitting at her desk in the new office.

Our Halifax employment services office has moved! We're now at 22 Fielding Ave in Dartmouth. (Our @makersmakingchange.bsky.social program remains at 5475 Spring Garden Road in Halifax).

Here's Job Developer Tammy Hiltz at the new office!

#NeilSquire #CreativeEmploymentOptions #Employment #Halifax

Coralee credits #WorkBCATS staff with being “very kind, patient, and willing to help” throughout the process, and says that she has already recommended the program to others.

“Just a big thank you to all involved for [the] support and making a difference in peoples lives, mine for one.”

A performer dressed as Snow White. The event info text says that the event will take place at the Conexus Arts Centre in Regina, Saskatchewan on March 14, 2026 from 2 pm to 4 pm.

REGINA: Swing into Spring with us on March 14th, 2026, at our sixth annual Princess Ball fundraising event! Spend an afternoon with your favourite storybook Princes and Princesses and support people with disabilities in Regina.

Get your tickets: buff.ly/Xq3GLfw

An image of volunteers at a build event making switches. Text: Thank you Canada Life!

We want to give a huge shoutout to one of our major sponsors for this year’s Hacking for the Holidays campaign, Canada Life. Canada Life has donated $10,000 for Hacking for the Holidays, and have been a longtime supporter of our work at Neil Squire. Thank you!

Bev at the Neil Squire table.

Last Wednesday, Atlantic Regional Director Bev Grasse attended “Unlocking Potential: How Inclusive Hiring Builds Stronger Businesses and Communities” for Disability Employment Awareness Month.

#NeilSquire #CreativeEmploymentOptions #Empower3D #Employment #Disability

"We Have Solutions" logo, with an image of a broadcast microphone, noting that it is an AT Help Desk podcast.

#TechTuesday: In a video episode of our AT Help Desk team’s podcast, “We Have Solutions,” our team tests a variety of chatbots ability to generate homework and study material. We used Gemini, Co-Pilot, Claude & ChatGPT to test a variety of spelling and math homework prompts.

Watch: buff.ly/MozfO9t

Tyler in his office.

Our Accessible Gaming Lead Tyler Fentie was recently on the Over Coffee podcast to talk about the GAME Kit and more.

Listen: twomaverix.com?p=33408

Mercy at a Neil Squire booth with posters on display for our Creative Employment Options program.

Last Wednesday, Mercy Beilem, Job Developer and Career Facilitator at our Yellowknife office, attended our community partner CDÉTNO's Employment Café, which saw nearly 100 participants gathered to meet with 25 companies and organizations offering job opportunities.

#CreativeEmploymentOptions

An image of an Indigenous woman, Text: "November is Indigenous Disability Awareness Month."

Neil Squire Society would like to join countless provinces, organizations, and communities across Canada and internationally in declaring the month of November as Indigenous Disability Awareness Month.

Read more: buff.ly/LXK39nZ

Neil Squire Regina staff dressed up, including as Buffy, Lizzy Maguire, Luigi, Cher, Steven Seagal, and Waylon Jennings.

The Burnaby Creative Employment Options team dressed up.

Fredericton office, all apparently dressed as witches, riding their brooms.

Fredericton office staff dressed up.

Happy Halloween from all of us at Neil Squire!

Mercy and Nikki in front of a sign for the NWT Career Centre.

Mercy, Nikki, Chelsea, and Amanda at a diner.

Nikki presenting to stakeholders.

Nikki engaging in a discussion with stakeholders.

Last week, members of our Prairie Region Team from Regina and Yellowknife attended a Disability Employment Awareness Month (DEAM) stakeholders meeting in Yellowknife with our community partners including MentorAbility NWT, Inclusion NWT, and CDÉTNO.

Read more: buff.ly/7tXNo7y

#DEAM #DEAM2025

Neil Squire team at the VanDusen Botanical Garden.

Neil Squire Executive Director Gary Birch talks at the BC SCI Network Gathering

A shot of the crowd at the BC SCI Network Gathering.

On Friday, October 17th, our BC team attended the 11th annual BC Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Network Gathering at the VanDusen Botanical Garden, connecting with our friends and partners in the BC SCI Network. It's always a great opportunity to connect, learn, and share ideas.

Read: buff.ly/WX7olpj

Do you have a disability and are you between the ages of 15 and 30? Are you having a hard time starting your career? We’ll help you find employment that works for you.

Learn more about our Empower3D program: www.neilsquire.ca/empower3d/