Partnering with Communities to Transform Inclusion through Collaborative Research with Dr. Tim Stainton and Karla Verschoor
There are so many people who want to do things for people but our values are that we don’t do things for people, we do things with people and that’s foundational to every conversation, every meeting, every research project, every conversation that we have with government, every play that we co-produce, film, and that is really modeling the world we want to live in as an Institute, as a community organization.
Karla Verschoor
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About the Episode
Dr. Tim Stainton, Professor Emeritus at the UBC School of Social Work and co-Director of the Canadian Institute for Inclusion and Citizenship, and Karla Verschoor, Executive Director of Inclusion BC, discuss their collaborative work advancing inclusion for individuals with disabilities in British Columbia. They reflect on the evolution of the Canadian Institute for Inclusion and Citizenship, including its policy advocacy during the Covid-19 pandemic. They highlight several projects, including exploring and addressing inequalities arising from the intersection of gender and disability, and how participatory theater productions help share lived experiences with a broader audience. The conversation also touches on the importance of people with disabilities as self-advocates and researchers to drive meaningful change.
Timestamps
1:11 – Get to Know: Dr. Tim Stainton
1:33 – Get to Know: Karla Verschoor
2:08 – The Evolution of the Canadian Institute for Inclusion and Citizenship
3:48 – The Role of Inclusion BC in Advocacy
6:08 – Policy Advocacy During the Covid-19 Pandemic
10:07 – Addressing Gender and Disability Inequalities
15:55 – The Impact of Participatory Theater in Advocacy
22:16 – Overcoming Funding Challenges for Sustainable Growth
26:50 – Expanding Research Streams at the Institute
29:51 – Building Long-Term Partnerships Through Shared Values
Mentioned in this Episode
Partner: Canadian Institute for Inclusion and Citizenship
Partner: Inclusion BC
Project: A Participatory Theatre Project: Sex, Lies & Citizenship
Project: A Participatory Theatre Project: Romance, Relationships and Rights
Initiative: Re-imagining Community Inclusion during the Pandemic
Our Guests
Karla Verschoor joined Inclusion BC in 2006, holding various positions before becoming the Executive Director in 2018. She brings a rights-based, person-centered approach and strives to be a connection point between people experiencing barriers to inclusion and those with decision-making power within our systems of support.
Dr. Tim Stainton is Professor Emeritus at the School of Social Work and Emeritus Director of the Canadian Institute for Inclusion and Citizenship. Prior to his academic career, he worked in the field of intellectual disability, and continues to lecture and consult nationally and internationally on issues of service delivery, structure, self-determination and individualized funding and other disability related topics.