Penny, a graduate of the Employ-Ability program, has fibromyalgia (new window), post traumatic stress disorder (new window) and a brain injury. She has been receiving ongoing assistance and support for her business plan from Footprint’s (new window) Navigators and Workzone (new window).

Penny is in the process of applying for Metis status. She applied for and was approved for Opportunity funds (new window) to attend an Aboriginal Women’s Conference for Entrepreneurs (new window). At this conference Penny won a training bursary for the second level training. She applied for and received additional funding to attend this training. Penny has developed a streamlined business plan to market her baby blankets and other fabric arts. The next goal for her is to apply for funding to get improved computer capacity for online training in web development from Canadian Society for Social Development (new window). Penny says, “The Footprints program (new window)was a real boost to go down a road I never would have gone down before. I needed computer skills to reach a wider audience for my work. I will have a much larger market with internet sales.”

The program recruits and trains Aboriginal peers and elders with a disability to provide peer support services to other Aboriginals with disabilities who reside on reserves. Not only do Community Navigators direct peers to available programming and services in their communities, but they help them to achieve quality of life goals, and increase self-confidence and independence.

The Community Navigator program is made possible by the Ministry of Housing and Social Development (new window). For more information about this program, please contact Chad Leaman via telephone at 604-473-9363 or via email at chadl@neilsquire.ca; or Mindy Rollins/Terry Terbasket at the Footprints to Technology (new window) centre in Penticton via telephone at 250-492-5289 or via email at mrollins@pib.ca.

If you would like to make a donation to support others like Penny, you may do so here.