Bridges Workshops

Disability Awareness Training

This program fosters sensitivity and awareness regarding the needs of persons with disabilities, encourages appropriate methods of interacting with persons with disabilities, provides appropriate activities and exercises to enhance sensitivity, understanding and empathy, and promotes physical and attitudinal inclusion. This training program is structured in modules which can be tailored for the needs of any organization or group. The modules can include vision, hearing, communication, mobility, aging.

Employment Workshops

The employment program is specialized to assist hard of hearing individuals who meet the criteria to become employment ready. Over a two-week period experienced employment counsellors assist the participants in examining their previous experiences in the employment world and assess where some of the barriers might be for obtaining and maintaining gainful employment. The topics under discussion include Hearing Loss In Your Life & Work, Resume Writing, Interview Skills, Communication Tips, and Assistive Devices for the Workplace. This is a fun and enlightening program leading to a positive view of the job search process

Eligibility criteria:

  1. Must be hard of hearing or oral/aural deaf and use speech as mode of communication.
  2. Must be unemployed or work less than 20 hours per week.
  3. Must be inelegible for assistance under Employment Insurance benefits.

Sound Sense: Save your Hearing for the Music

Bridges Support Services in partnership with The Hearing Foundation of Canada offers this fun and educational program for children in grade six, in Alberta. The issue of noise induced hearing loss is becoming epidemic with the growing environmental noise we experience on a daily basis. The program is primarily intended to assist youngsters in recognizing the need to protect their hearing so they can enjoy music, communication and other pleasant auditory experiences for as long as possible.

Your Third Ear

This program invites you and your communication partner to join the facilitator for an enlightening experience to find out what your third ear is and how you can develop it. Included is discussions about your hearing and how it works, benefits of wearing hearing aids vs. not wearing hearing aids, communication and coping skills, emotional impact of hearing loss on everyone and what resources are available in the community.

Healthcare: Communication Acessibility Programs (H-CAP)

Hospitalization and medical/dental treatments can be a frightening experience for those with hearing loss. This interactive workshop trains hospital personnel in techniques in communication so they may care for their patient more effectively. Simulation exercises enhance their understanding and increase participant's comfort level in dealing with hard of hearing patients often labeled "difficult."