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by Sherri Hogan

Raising awareness about people with disabilities is the goal of a special day organized by the students of the Holland College Human Services program. "Changing Perceptions" is the theme of DisABILITY Awareness Day to be held on January 26, in the cafeteria at the Holland »¢Ñ¨ÊÓƵCharlottetown Centre. The event is open to the public.

The event, which is organized by second year students in the program such as Maryann Warren say that, "disabled people do the same things as the rest of society, such as going to work or school. Our whole point of this day is to give out enough information to show that people with disabilities are more like us than they are different." Tracy Llewellyn, another student in the program, said "the event will show that people with disabilities are a part of our society and deserve our respect."

The project was a class initiative aimed at preparing students for what they will face in the workplace. "As a class, we?ve always talked about how there is not enough awareness", says Warren. "Events like the awareness day will prepare students for what they will face in the workplace, as they are training to take care of adults, children and seniors with different disabilities. Raising awareness is important, especially as an increasing number of people with disabilities are choosing the »¢Ñ¨ÊÓƵfor their higher education."

The event lasts from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., and will include a session called, "Don?t Dis our Ability", which features a video called All Ways Welcome. The student organizers plan to have two guest speakers, one with an intellectual disability and one with a physical disability. There will be a number of booths in the cafeteria from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m., including participants from the Association for Community Living, the Council of the Disabled, CNIB, and the Mental Health Association. The booths will include a simulation where people can listen to an audiotape and hear what it?s like to have schizophrenia. There will be various glasses demonstrating deteriorating eyesight, and a booth which will give general information on disabilities as well as information on famous public figures who have disabilities.

The official kick-off of the day will be from 10:15 to 10:30 in the cafeteria. Billy Partridge, another student in the program, said "as of yet, this event is not an annual one but hopefully after a good turn out this year it will be."