When I started working in Manitoba four and a bit years ago, I used to think there are only a few of conductors working in Canada, in Winnipeg, in Toronto and in Nova Scotia. Since then the numbers have grown and I have learned that there are way more of us conductors. Some of us are working self-employed or employed and some who have stopped working as conductors altogether for various reasons. I have been lucky to have contact with some of them. But I would love to hear about more experiences working in Canada.
A couple of days I learned about another place, where two more conductors are working. I received a google alert reporting about a fundraiser run by FACE (Families of Alberta for Conductive Education). Until then I was unaware that there is an active program in Calgary, Alberta. In fact last summer we had a client from Calgary in Winnipeg, who worked with a conductor, who was employed by the child development centre, but there were no groups only individual sessions. FACE however seems to have been around for a little bit and consistently growing. Well done, FACE!
It is really empowering to know that there are more of us out here in Canada. Yes, there is a lot of distance between all of us but it feels good to know there are more fighting for the same thing.
So that is what I know so far, how much Conductors/ Organizations are out there.
BC: 2 conductors mainly working independently, one traveling to different centers to work.
Alberta: FACE in Calgary with two conductors, one conductor working for the child development centre.
Manitoba: Movement Centre with two conductors
Ontario +Nova Scotia: March of Dimes 7 conductors (maybe one or two more??) Ability Centre in Picton: two conductors?;; I know of two other programs one is STEPS – not sure that they are running anything right now but they employed two conductors at one point and S.WO.N.T. also mainly running summer programs.
Have I forgotten anyone??? Slowly it looks like things are happening in Canada. Let's hope it does.
NOTES:
http://www.calgaryherald.com/health/Fundraising+boosts+kids+with+cerebral+palsy/4101902/story.html
Anne,
ReplyDeleteYes, I got this Google alert too about FACE and I have also been reading again recently about the work of March of Dimes conductor, Beth Brydon, out in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and have received information from other conductively brought up young adults in Calgary.
It is good to see conductive work is increasing in Canada.
There has been Conductive Education in Calgary for a very long time.
I was working there in 1997 and at that time there was another organisation too that was well established. Probably FACE, but I do not remember. I will try to find.
I actually bumped into the conductors from this centre when I was on top of a mountain being a tourist one weekend, they recognised me from the Petö Institute!
It is a small world and I think there are a lot more conductors out there beavering away that we do not know about.
Recently on Andrew Sutton's Facebook page there was a link with a photgraph of a young, Canadian man who is taking part in road cycling races. This young lad and his brother have been living conductively most of their lives. An amazing example of what can be achieved by a lot of very hard work.
CE AND CYCLING
This is it for real, after 14 years' family-based conductive upbringing: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bicisport/4813788001/in/photostream/
TT, Dominik Maslanka
www.flickr.com
TT, Dominik Maslanka
Susie
It's interesting how many of us here in Canada.
ReplyDeleteThanks Susie for that. I know, there must be more out there. I saw on the job centre that someone else in Canada privately looking for a conductor. I know about Beth in Halifax working hard for March of Dimes. So many of us. And such a small world. I just love it.
ReplyDeleteAnd interesting indeed. Just think if we all get organized how much damage we all could do.
I know conductors worked here in the past.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.renfreweducation.org/Services/Programs.aspx
At the ACENA conference this year some of the conductors from the States believed there were still some conductors working there now?? They don't refer to their program as CE.
http://www.renfreweducation.org/Services/Programs.aspx