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The Douglas College Newsletter ¢

New Westminster Campus, David Lam Campus & Thomas Haney Centre

as

Douglas College

Finding a new focus for training
people with disabilities

Adult Special Education
Programs Coordinator Bob
Logelin’s back on campus
after completing a two-year
project with the Ministry for
Children and Families. While
the purpose of his
secondement was to help the
provincial government
refocus programs for people
with developmental
disabilities, Logelin found the
experience also gave him a
fresh perspective on his work
at Douglas College.

“It helped me realize how
progressive we are in terms of
support for people with
disabilities. And it also made
me realize how different the
future will be, and how
important it is for all of us to
stay ahead of the changes.”

Because of his experience in
community development and
supported employment,
Logelin was asked to work

with the Ministry’s
Community Living Branch
on its Training and Support
Refocus Project. The
restructuring will change the
way all day programs for
people with developmental
disabilities are supported,
which means a direct impact
on a $77 million service
delivery sector serving
approximately 7,200
individuals.

Logelin’s project
responsibilities included
directing a province-wide
consultation on service
delivery, developing best
practice standards for adult
programs, restructuring
funding streams and
recommending transition
strategies for the changes to
come. He is also pleased to
have worked with the
Employment Standards
Branch to implement
legislation designed to protect

workers with disabilities.
“BC was the first province or
state in North America to
provide full protection
through its Employment
Standards Act for people
with disabilities. The
legislation has been in place
for over two years without
being rescinded, which tells
me that it was well done.”

Logelin found fun as well as
challenge helping community
agencies and Ministry staff
examine their philosophy and
develop the trust needed to
implement change. “I think
we’ve established a good
relationship with the
Ministry in this area, and to
be involved in change at this
level reflects well on the
College. And of course, it’s
been gratifying for me to
work on a progressive project
to benéfit individuals and
families across BC.”

 

Basic Occupational Education student Todd Haynes (left)
shows Bob Logelin (right) the ins and outs of electronic

assembly.

    

 

College-UBC cooperation something to smile about

 

Inaugurating the new UBC
Faculty of Dentistry Clinic at
Douglas College are (left to
right) A.C. Potter, Dr. Jim
Stitch, Linda Symington,
Diana Hiebert, Dr. Nathan
Maltz and Dr. Lex MacNeil .

 

Quote of the Month

The College’s Dental
Assisting Program and the
UBC Faculty of Dentistry
have embarked on a pilot
project that should give
everyone something to smile
about.

The two institutions have
joined forces to provide
expanded dental services at a
lower cost to members of the
Douglas College community.
“Our goal is a long-term
partnership that will benefit
our students, UBC students

and local residents,” says
Linda Symington, who
coordinates the program with
Diana Hiebert. “Our patients
are those who may not
otherwise have access to
dental care.”

The Faculty of Dentistry
already offers reduced-cost
dental treatment through its
100-chair facility in
Vancouver. Because of recent
upgrading to its eight-chair
facility, the College’s Dental
Assisting Program is now
able to work with UBC to
offer a full-service dentistry
clinic at the New
Westminster Campus.

The new arrangement will
allow second-year dentistry
students, under faculty

supervision, to expand UBC
services beyond the Point
Grey campus. By the fall of
1998, College dental assisting
students will be able to
practice with them in an
improved clinical setting.
“The trend in dental care is
towards greater team-work,”
says Symington. “So the more
that this is part of educational
practice, the better.”

Preliminary screening for the
program has now taken place,
and this month operations
shift into high gear. Starting
January 5, full-scale clinic
services will be available
Monday, Tuesday,
Wednesday and Friday
afternoons. Those interested
in receiving dental treatment
or more information about
the program should call 521-
1391. 8

My advice to you is not to inquire why or whither, but just enjoy your ice-cream
while it’s on your plate—that’s my philosophy.

Thornton Wilder