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LiveWorkPlay
For People With Intellectual Disabilities
Making A Buzz In The Ottawa Area Since 1995
"SUCCESS THROUGH COMMUNITY"
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LiveWorkPlay: Staff Profiles
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Keenan
Wellar
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What Is Your Educational Background?
What Are Some Of Your Previous Work Experiences?
From 1995-1997 I worked for a technology company managing a national education project for the federal SchoolNet program. Prior to that I worked in schools and for various non-profit organizations, mainly in Special Education and delivering community programs for people with intellectual disabilities.
How Long Have You Been With LiveWorkPlay?
I have worked for LiveWorkPlay from the beginning (1995), full-time since 1997.
What Is Your Motivation For Your Work At LiveWorkPlay?
It's really exciting to see people realize their goals, so having the chance to support that is very motivating.
What Do You Find Challenging?
Providing direct service to people while at the same time being involved in administrative, planning, and other tasks can be rather complex at times. But it keeps me grounded and connected with what LiveWorkPlay is all about.
How Would You Describe The LiveWorkPlay Work Environment?
It is an organized form of chaos. We are always changing what we do (sometimes in a big way, sometimes just a tweak here and there) because that is the only way to improve. It's demanding. You need a good team around you to thrive in this environment.
What Have You Learned About People With Intellectual Disabilities?
The world is a very challenging place with lots of barriers that impact particularly heavily on people with intellectual disabilities. But people with intellectual disabilities aren't broken and it is not my job or anyone else's job to fix them. My views have changed a lot over the years thanks to all the people I have had the honour of working with, and understanding the difference between support and control is not as easy as it seems. It takes constant effort, self-reflection, and an openness to internal and external criticism (and even then, mistakes will be made!).
What Have You Learned About Family Members Of People With Intellectual Disabilities?
When it comes to walking that fine line between support and control, parents and siblings of people with intellectual disabilities have the toughest job in the world. They generally run into a lot of roadblocks and as a result tend to be very self-reliant. To earn and keep their trust you have to work hard at being transparent about what you are doing and you also need to be patient.
What Have You Learned About Societal Attitudes Towards People With Intellectual Disabilities?
Speaking in very general terms, I don't think most people have developed an attitude about people with intellectual disabilities because they haven't thought about it very much. For those people who do have something to say, I've learned it is impossible to predict what they will think or say based on their age, life experience, or other factors. People can really surprise you (in positive ways and negative ways).
What Has Been Your Most Interesting LiveWorkPlay Experience?
It's impossible to pick just one, but the "Bridge 58 Incident" stands out: I "enjoyed" capsizing in a canoe with two participants on a LiveWorkPlay camping trip, because we shared a raw human moment where the three of us went from shock, to distress, to uncontrollable laughter all in the course of about three minutes (note: always wear a life jacket!). Being part of the On Our Own Together housing projects was very memorable, because as individuals and as a group there were "firsts" happening almost every day. It was mentally exhausting but also quite a thrill to be a part of it.
When You Are Not At LiveWorkPlay What Do You Do?
I like to play tennis, bike, and kayak. I enjoy wildlife, and it doesn't have to be exotic. I get a big kick out of squirrels, muskrats, hawks, and other critters that are right at my doorstep. I definitely enjoy a good meal, and I'd rather go out just once in a while to a quality restaurant than eat at chain restaurants or fast food (but I do appreciate a really good pizza once in a while). I spend a lot of time with my wife and we enjoy most of the activities above together. I like spending time with friends and family, although the holiday season tends to stress me out! I am working on learning to relax, but I still spend a lot of my personal time on work-related activities, especially tuning up the LWP website.
Links Of Interest
The Bridge 58 Incident
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Click Here For Other Staff Profiles
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153 Chapel Street, Suite 300 | Ottawa, Ontario | K1N 1H5 | 613-235-9550
info@liveworkplay.ca | www.liveworkplay.ca
Charitable Registration 89622 2775 RR 0001
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