PADDLE Program

04/24/2026

Congrats to April 24th Cash Calendar winner Mark M
Calendar # 0312

04/23/2026

April 17th Cash Calendar winner is Kelly N
Calendar #0129

04/23/2026

It’s Kulwinder’s last day! Kulwinder has spent the last 4 months completing his SSW placement with The PADDLE Program and we are going to miss him!! We appreciate you 💚

04/21/2026

https://vt.tiktok.com/ZS9dFqVcg/

29 likes, 4 comments. ““Canada is propping up its disability system on the unpaid labour of siblings, and pretending this is not a crisis.” “As people with intellectual disabilities and autism live longer, families are expected to absorb the gap between need and support.” https://www.saskt...

04/17/2026

May Calendar is up! 🌷🌼

04/10/2026

Annual Renefest held today Gateway City Brewery thank you to Stephanie Clarke Darius Murray and Shawn Sasyniuk for volunteering your time and musical talents for this fun celebration of the best dude Rene Gisler 🍺💚

04/10/2026

Congrats to this weeks Cash Calendar winner Candace R
Calendar #0089

04/09/2026

There is dignity in taking risks.

People with intellectual disabilities don’t receive support from policies. They receive support from people. From tired people, kind people, frustrated people, funny people. Human people.

Yet, serviceland often builds systems that require staff to smooth out their humanity. To follow, to record, to comply. To get it right. To not make mistakes. To be consistent, measurable, accountable.

All good things. But somewhere along the way, if we focus too hard on being perfect all - the - time we risk becoming a little less present, a little less spontaneous and a little less real.

The best support I’ve ever seen didn’t come from perfect adherence to procedure. It came from a moment of shared laughter. From someone noticing. From someone caring enough to pause, connect, and respond not because a plan told them to, but because the moment did.

Compliance keeps people safe. It matters. But humanity is what makes support meaningful.

If we want people with intellectual disabilities to live full lives, lives with connection, dignity, and joy then we need staff who are allowed to bring their full selves into the work.

Because that’s what people respond to.

And that’s what people remember.
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ID: Image shows a lady applying makeup to herself. Text reads: What if intellectual disability providers supported staff to be human, not just compliant.

04/08/2026

🏖️ Lifeguard Needed – $25/hr (5 Days Only!)

Looking for a certified lifeguard for a cottage vacation near Temagami

📅 July 20–24
⏰ ~8 hrs/day
💰 $25/hour
🚐 Ride provided from North Bay (or mileage paid)

✔️ well-supported environment
✔️ No lifting or personal care required
✔️ Focus is on water safety only

Requirements:
• National Lifeguard
• First Aid + CPR-C

Please email info@paddlenorthbay.ca with your certifications + experience. Subject : Lifeguard-Attention: Megan

04/03/2026

On World Autism Awareness Day, let's talk about how NBPS can support individuals with autism in our community.

Did you know that we have specialized training and tools like our Vulnerable Persons Registry, and our Mobile Crisis Unit helping officers respond with greater awareness and care?

Globally, 1 in 127 people is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, a number that is reflected in our community as well. Our commitment to community-based policing means supporting everyone in our community, including those who are neurodiverse.

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💙 Mobile Crisis Unit and Specialized Training:

In addition to our Mobile Crisis Unit, which includes a nurse and an officer with specialized training, all our members receive training in crisis response adaptations and de-escalation strategies when interacting with vulnerable persons, including individuals with autism. These approaches help ensure safer, more informed interactions.

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💙 Vulnerable Persons Registry:

One of the ways we support officer response is through our Vulnerable Persons Registry.

The registry provides our officers with important information about a specific individual that can make a critical difference, quickly, during a call for service. This may include known triggers, calming strategies, physical descriptors, residence details, emergency contact information, and more.

For example, if loud noises, like sirens, are identified as a trigger, officers can adjust their approach to reduce stress and avoid escalation.

This program helps us respond with greater awareness, empathy, and effectiveness, supporting safer outcomes for everyone in our community.

Learn more or register for our Vulnerable Persons Registry
https://www.northbaypolice.ca/services/vulnerable-persons-registry

04/02/2026

Today’s Cash Calendar winner is Jamie R.
Calendar #0267

03/30/2026

*and families. Because great support means decisions being made by someone else. It means choices that feel uncomfortable. It means risk that cannot be managed away with policies or plans.

Systems like predictability. But the moment a person truly has authority over their own life, predictability disappears.

That is the real work before us: not helping people to live ordinary lives, but teaching systems to tolerate ordinary freedom.
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ID: Image shows a man sitting on his bed. Text reads: The real challenge of intellectual disability services isn't supporting people. Its professionals tolerating other people having control.