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BCD News
New Champions Rule Special Olympics Football
Davio Harding of the Derrick Smith School and Vocational Centre is an athlete not to be denied. Last year, he scored five goals and was named Most Outstanding Senior Player as his team fell short of winning the Special Olympics Barbados National Games Football Championship. The 2017 senior title went to the Alma Parris Memorial Secondary School, but the closure of that school left the title open this year, as well as another opportunity for Davio to capture the crown. He took full advantage of that opportunity as he scored four goals in leading the Derrick Smith School and Vocational Center to the Division A Senior crown at the recent Special Olympics Barbados National Games Football Championship. Second place in the division was captured by the Learning Centre, with the Ann Hill School taking third. There was also a blistering performance in the Division B Senior competition, with Renako Bellamy of the Ann Hill School scoring six goals as he led his team to the Division B Senior title. That division was rounded out with the Derrick Smith School taking second, the Challenor Creative Arts and Training Centre in third and the Special Olympics Outreach and Skills Training Centre finishing in fourth place. Among the younger players in the Special Olympics Barbados National Games Football Championship, all eyes were on Torian Chase of the Erdiston Special School. His four goals led to the upset of the defending junior division champion, the Ellerton Primary Unit and earned him the title of Junior Division Most Outstanding Player. Ellerton finished second in the junior division. The intellectually disabled athletes of Special Olympics Barbados are being allowed to build and display their skills as a result of the generous support of The Maria Holder Memorial Trust. In keeping with its mission “to improve the quality of life of vulnerable people”, the Trust provided the primary funding for the Special Olympics Barbados National Games Football Championship. In addition, The Maria Holder Memorial Trust is giving like financial support to the major Special Olympics sports event of the year, the Special Olympics Barbados Track and Field National Games and the Special Olympics Barbados National Games in cricket and swimming. The support provided by The Maria Holder Memorial Trust helps create the individual confidence and the societal structure needed for the understanding, acceptance and inclusion of persons with intellectual disability. *Photo tag: “Shamar Smith of the Special Olympics Outreach and Skills Training Centre defends an attack from Raymond Delphi of the Challenor Creative Arts and Training Centre.” Photo compliments of A3KD.
20. Jul 2018
3 rd Annual Dorien Pile National Literary Competition
The Barbados Council for the Disabled is pleased to invite your Organization’s participation in the 3 rd Annual Dorien Pile National Literary Competition 2018. Mrs. Dorien Pile GCM – Former Educator and Principal of the Combermere School, played an integral role in establishing Programs within the Council which focused on empowering Persons with Disabilities in Barbados. Persons are invited to submit your Creative Expressions in one of the following areas: Format for Entries: – Written, Electronic (Email), Audio or Braille Format Animation: Video (No less than 3 mins and no more than 5 mins) Eligible Participants: Primary/Secondary Schools! Tertiary Institutions! Persons with Disabilities, General Public Categories: 8 – 12 years/ 13 – 17 years/18 years and Over Topic: “Leaving no one behind in an Inclusive Society… Word Count: ESSAY: 500 – 750 WORDS 8 – 12 years 13 – 17 years – 1200 words 18 years and Over – 1500 words Prizes: 1st Place $1,000.00 2nd Place $750.00 3rd Place $500.00 Animation: $500.00 Email your entries to adminproj@bcd.org.bb or deliver them to The Barbados Council for the Disabled, Harambee House, Garrison, St. Michael. For further information Contact Mrs. RoseAnn FosterVaughan at 6290570 , OR visit the Council’s website www.barbadosdisabled.org.bb DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION: Friday, October 13 th 2018
17. Sep 2018
Making disability the business of all
‘Tourism is everybody’s business’ goes the slogan of Barbados’ number one economic sector, but based on the numbers it can be argued that disability is also everybody’s business. An average of one in every 24 people has some form of recognized physical disability. This makes getting all Barbadians in tune with the needs of the disabled comparable to the need for all to get involved in tourism, the island’s bread and butter industry. Supported by 2010 national census figures that put the number of people with disability at 11,546, out of a total population of 288,821, the Barbados Council for the Disabled has conducting sensitivity training for service industry workers on relating to the special needs of the disabled. Airline bag handlers, ‘red c airport porters, lifeguards, National Conservation Commission workers, immigration officers, policemen, restaurant workers, hotel workers – all who contribute to making Barbados’ host tourism product enjoyable for everyone, including the disabled, have received the training. BCD’s outreach is under its Fully Accessible Barbados (FAB) project and at the Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc workers are the prime users of the programme. Fully Accessible Barbados “recognizes the importance of accessibility in order to achieve the truly inclusive society which is part of our vision,” said the council. “FAB enlisted the support of a number of key stakeholders. These include representatives from tourism, education and other service related sectors.” BTMI has been the main user of the council’s disability sensitivity training programmes for public service providers, according to the council’s operations manager, Rosanna Tudor. Through a specially designed ‘Host Tourism’ element of the programme, the BTMI has been sending its frontline workers for training on an almost monthly basis. “The training is to get them to become aware of the need and how to respond to the needs of persons with disabilities,” Tudor said. “It’s a cross-section of tourism industry providers that we train through that host tourism programme. That’s been going on now for the past couple years,” Tudor said. Emphasizing the tie-in of tourism economics with service needs of physically challenged the residents and visitors, Tudor spoke of a US survey of travellers with disabilities that reported them “saying they would go back to a place, or facility or country where the people’s attitudes were more accommodating”. Being ‘accommodating’ in the service industry involves more than simple provision of ramps for wheelchair users, but with the understanding and helpful attitude of providers of that service, she said. In Fully Accessible Barbados, “not only do we assess buildings and facilities, but we also have to provide this service because you have to be able to respond and recognise the various needs of those who come to use your service,” Tudor added. Staff of about 15 organizations have so far participated in the sensitivity training sessions. Drivers at the Transport Board and some supervisors devoted last Saturday to a sensitivity class at the BCD’s Harambee House headquarters, the Garrison. The management of this essential service saw the importance of the training and has so far sent their frontline employees for two sessions, with more attending whenever classes can be scheduled to suit the bus company’s work shifts, she said. But the disabled community official also pressed the state-owned enterprise to seek a large proportion of buses designed for the disabled whenever Government is restocking its fleet. And momentum is gaining for various organizations in Barbados to sign up for disabled sensitivity training, as the council has conducted 40 to 50 training sessions annually for the last three years. At this rate, the BCD may be well on its way to making disability the business of everyone in Barbados. (GA)
7. Sep 2018
New Champions Rule Special Olympics Football
Davio Harding of the Derrick Smith School and Vocational Centre is an athlete not to be denied. Last year, he scored five goals and was named Most Outstanding Senior Player as his team fell short of winning the Special Olympics Barbados National Games Football Championship. The 2017 senior title went to the Alma Parris Memorial Secondary School, but the closure of that school left the title open this year, as well as another opportunity for Davio to capture the crown. He took full advantage of that opportunity as he scored four goals in leading the Derrick Smith School and Vocational Center to the Division A Senior crown at the recent Special Olympics Barbados National Games Football Championship. Second place in the division was captured by the Learning Centre, with the Ann Hill School taking third. There was also a blistering performance in the Division B Senior competition, with Renako Bellamy of the Ann Hill School scoring six goals as he led his team to the Division B Senior title. That division was rounded out with the Derrick Smith School taking second, the Challenor Creative Arts and Training Centre in third and the Special Olympics Outreach and Skills Training Centre finishing in fourth place. Among the younger players in the Special Olympics Barbados National Games Football Championship, all eyes were on Torian Chase of the Erdiston Special School. His four goals led to the upset of the defending junior division champion, the Ellerton Primary Unit and earned him the title of Junior Division Most Outstanding Player. Ellerton finished second in the junior division. The intellectually disabled athletes of Special Olympics Barbados are being allowed to build and display their skills as a result of the generous support of The Maria Holder Memorial Trust. In keeping with its mission “to improve the quality of life of vulnerable people”, the Trust provided the primary funding for the Special Olympics Barbados National Games Football Championship. In addition, The Maria Holder Memorial Trust is giving like financial support to the major Special Olympics sports event of the year, the Special Olympics Barbados Track and Field National Games and the Special Olympics Barbados National Games in cricket and swimming. The support provided by The Maria Holder Memorial Trust helps create the individual confidence and the societal structure needed for the understanding, acceptance and inclusion of persons with intellectual disability. *Photo tag: “Shamar Smith of the Special Olympics Outreach and Skills Training Centre defends an attack from Raymond Delphi of the Challenor Creative Arts and Training Centre.” Photo compliments of A3KD.
20. Jul 2018
Weekes: Make public buses disabled friendly
The disabled community is appealing to the authorities to do all that is possible to make it easier for them to get around on public transportation. President of Wheelchair Foundation of Barbados Inc Lionel Weekes said this morning it was time that the public transportation system was equipped to accommodate the physically disabled. “We would like the private sector as well as the Transport Board to look at the provision of a number of buses which are developed specifically to deal with the needs of the disabled where they can get on board and disembark very easily,” Weekes said at a presentation ceremony at which his organization received a cash donation from the Massy Foundation. The foundation provides wheelchairs and other assistance, including prostheses, to help disabled and needy people move about, it said on its Facebook page. Weekes explained that the lack of adequately equipped buses was proving costly for members of the community, who sometimes have to dish out as much as $50 to go on an errand. “Now when you consider that the average person has to pay $2 for a ride but this disabled person in order to be able to attend this activity has to pay that amount and in many cases they are not working so the whole question of affordability of public transportation arises,” he said. “A nation that is aspiring to be advanced and so on has to look at these social and developmental dimensions of what they are attempting to do in the country,” Weekes added. Meantime, Keith Yearwood, the foundation’s public relations officer, said he was hoping Prime Minister Mia Mottley would keep her pledge to fully equip new Transport Board buses so they can accommodate the physically disabled. “ One thing I heard the Prime Minister [say] is that when they import these buses that they would be equipped for wheelchairs and we would be very happy about that because it is something that we have been championing,” Yearwood said, adding that members of the disabled need not be prisoners in their own homes. “ We need to get those persons out there, out of the confines of the walls of their house and into the community to really enjoy Barbados. So that is why we are working assiduously so that all of the persons who are shut in can come out and really enjoy Barbados once more,” he stressed.
12. Jul 2018
Presentations
Download the presentation Women for Change which details the lives of fifteen outstanding women in Barbados who are agents for change.
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