SMD and Me

Ethno-Cultural Program

Reaching out to serve people with disabilities in ethnic communities.

 

What We Do

The Ethno-Cultural Program is designed to help people with disabilities for whom English is a Second language and/or where there is a problem communicating in English.

  • We work with adults and children with disabilities and provide all available supportive services in order to improve their quality of life.
  • We assist those who wish to prepare for employment or those who wish to re-enter the workforce after illness or injury has resulted in disability.
  • We will provide you with all available information in order to help you find more about vocational assessment, training and work experience opportunities.
  • We will inform you of all other related services that might be available for you and would help you on a day-to-day basis.
  • We share information with individuals and families about disabilities in the Canadian context.
  • We prepare and distribute information about our program and disability services in different languages and can make presentations to groups on request.
  • We make contact with leaders and organizations in ethnic communities to establish partnerships to promote better service delivery.
  • We provide training sessions for service providers, in order to increase awareness towards the disability as well as cultural understanding.
  • We connect people with disabilities from diverse cultural backgrounds to services which can be helpful to them.

What is a Disability?

A disability is an impairment in a part of the body that results in a loss or reduction of the ability to perform a function.

Examples:

  • A person who is unable to use arms or legs
  • A person who is unable to see
  • A person who is unable to hear
  • A person who is unable to speak
  • A person who is experiencing mental health illness
  • A person with a brain injury

Some people have a disability because of an accident, an illness or because they are born this way. People with disabilities have valuable skills and abilities to contribute to society.

In Canada, all people with disabilities have the right to the same opportunities for training and employment and to participate fully in society as everyone else. Where language and cultural barriers exist, the Ethno-Cultural Program is here to assist in the elimination of those barriers.

Who We Are

The Ethno-Cultural Program is designed to help people with disabilities for whom English is a Second Language and/or where there is difficulty communicating in English.

  • Amharic
  • Bosnian
  • Cantonese
  • Croatian
  • Hindi
  • Lao
  • Mandarin
  • Pilipino
  • Punjabi
  • Serbian
  • Spanish
  • Tigrigna
  • Vietnamese

If you do not see a language here you are looking for, please call –we may still be able to help.

For more information please call:

Jennifer Perron

Director, Community Education

975-3067

jperron@smd.mb.ca

825 Sherbrook Street

Winnipeg, Manitoba

R3A 1M5

 

Call us, we are here to help you.

 

The Ethno-Cultural Program is funded by the Society for Manitobans with Disabilities

SMD Services is funded through:

Easter Seals

Province of Manitoba

United Ways

Generous Gifts from Manitobans