CanAssist at the University of Victoria

11/19/2025

Our education team took a quick trip to London, ON to present at the Heart of Understanding conference hosted by Strive Professional Resource Centre. We had over 300 educators join us in an engaging session about Universal Design for Learning in the Early Years! We covered:

🌱Designing inclusive environments where all children can learn and grow
📚Diverse learning methods that go beyond compliance
💞Regulation and co-regulation

Interested in our inclusive education consulting services? Want to learn more about our workshops? Reach out to canatraining@uvic.ca or visit our website at https://canassist.ca/



Image description: Alycia and Cara, members of the education team, stand in front of a projector screen with "The Heart of Understanding" title behind them.

11/19/2025

Two weeks to go until Giving Tuesday!

Be a possibility maker by donating to CanAssist at the University of Victoria on December 2. Your gift helps break barriers, build belonging, and support people with disabilities in our community. Because Giving Tuesday isn't just about giving back—it's about giving forward!

Ready to help? Donate now until December 2 at https://ow.ly/Ofwu50XtOCM.

To become a matching donor, visit https://ow.ly/N5NH50XtOCN and select “CanAssist” as the designation.



Video description:
Alexis sits in her wheelchair and pushes the switch accessible button for the dodgeball launcher to deploy colourful dodgeballs to her classmates who are waiting to catch them. Text reads: "Make things happen with people with disabilities; Your support turns school moments into meaningful playful experiences for Alexis; Please donate to CanAssist this Giving Tuesday; https://ow.ly/vJJ950XtRAF."

11/18/2025

You’re Invited!

As part of Victoria Tech Week, come visit the CanAssist Open House at UVic’s CARSA on Thursday, Nov. 20, 1 – 4:30 PM.

Explore our facilities, see assistive technology in action, and try hands-on demos designed to support people of all abilities at home, work, and in daily life.

Connect with our team and learn about innovations that enhance accessibility and inclusion as we celebrate Victoria’s vibrant technology and innovation community.

📍 CanAssist, CARSA, UVic
🔗 https://ow.ly/g76o50XtCTR

A big thanks to VIATEC for hosting Victoria Tech Week!

Image Description: Two people are walking through the entrance of the CanAssist facility at the University of Victoria. The glass doors display large “CanAssist” branding and a sign that reads “Everyone is welcome here” with a pride-inclusive design. At the bottom of the image are the logos for CanAssist, UVic, and Victoria Tech Week.

11/17/2025

Curious how technology can support education, employment, and health & wellbeing for people with disabilities? Come experience it firsthand!

CanAssist will be at the Discover Tectoria Expo, hosted by VIATEC this Friday, November 21, 2025, from 10 AM – 5 PM at Crystal Gardens in Victoria.

Find us upstairs in the Research District to explore and try out our interactive assistive technologies that enhance independence and inclusion across education, employment, and health & wellbeing. Meet our team, experience innovation up close, and see how technology can make a real difference.

Learn more: https://ow.ly/YRoH50XsZKm

Image description: Black background with two photos at the top. On the left, Ethan (left) sits in his power wheelchair using his new arm supports, with Mike from our engineering team kneeling beside him. Both are smiling at the camera. On the right, Victor smiles while standing on his new blue steps with ramps, which provide a safe, independent way for him to access his daycare outdoor area.

White text from top to bottom reads:
“CanAssist
Discover Tectoria Expo
Friday, Nov. 21 @ 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Find us upstairs in the Research District at Crystal Gardens.”
VIATEC logo in the bottom right corner.

11/15/2025

✨ Big day at the ASPECT Conference in Vancouver!
Yesterday, CanAssist had the pleasure of presenting CanWork BC to 40 service providers from across the province. Claire and Samar showcased the inclusive, youth-focused career preparation tools designed to support young people with disabilities (ages 15–30) as they explore their futures in BC.

Service providers also had the chance to dive into the workbooks and facilitator guides, getting hands-on experience with the tools that help youth build confidence, skills, and readiness for their next steps.

Missed our session but want to learn more?
📣 Catch us next week at the Career Education Society Conference
📩 Email info@canworkbc.ca to book an info session for you and your team!



Image Description:
Image 1: Samar (left) and Claire (right) sending in front of the ASPECT conference sign.
Image 2: Conference room of many tables with service providers working through the CanWork BC workbooks and facilitator guides.
Image 3: Samar presenting the CanWork BC tool with a slide show in the background.

11/14/2025

Thank you to Strive for inviting Cara and Alycia from CanAssist at the University of Victoria to present at London-Middlesex’s System-Wide Professional Learning Day! What a fantastic and meaningful event for everyone involved.

As The Heart of Understanding, London-Middlesex’s System-Wide Professional Learning Day comes to a close, we wanted to extend a special thank you to the facilitators who joined us to make today’s learning so special. 💙💚💛 In no particular order, thank you to:

Dr. Rumeet Billan of Viewpoint Leadership
Dr. Jean Clinton
Drew Dudley of Day One Leadership
Alycia Garcia & Cara Baudin from CanAssist at the University of Victoria
Ana Valle Rivera of Early Years Thriving
Cara Caudle of Childhood Connect
Janet Nezon of Rainbow Plate
Sara Westbrook
Julie Hansen of Inspired ECE & Andrea Rizzuto of Playground Connections
Lindsay Lapaquette of Collaborative Solutions

11/14/2025

Giving Tuesday is coming and you can be a possibility maker.

At CanAssist at the University of Victoria we believe in a world where everyone belongs. Your support helps us design and provide assistive technology, services, and programs that empower independence and open doors for people with disabilities.

Become a matching donor at: https://ow.ly/HITg50Xs1zQ and select “CanAssist” as the designation.
Or, mark your calendar for December 2 and get ready to give forward.



Video description:

Colourful confetti sprinkles fall on a white background. Text reads “Giving Tuesday is coming December 2.; Make things happen with people with disabilities.; Become a matching donor for CanAssist.”

11/13/2025

CanAssist at the University of Victoria would like to extend congratulations to UVic Engineering graduates - Alex Velasco, Patrick Hartmann-Rourke, and Benjamin Say - pictured left to right. All three are former CanAssist co-op students and are currently working part-time with our team. Alex and Patrick are contributing to the coding of the CanAssist Motion Instrument, while Ben supported the development of the Switch Accessible Scissors and is currently working as a Market Researcher and Content Writer for CanAssist’s Ability411 website. We're so proud of their achievements and excited to see what they accomplish next!



Image description:
From left to right, Alex, Patrick, and Ben smile in graduation gowns. Alex and Patrick hold flowers and the Switch Accessible Musical Instrument; Ben holds the Switch Accessible Scissors.

11/10/2025

Alycia Garcia, M.Ed. and Cara Baudin from CanAssist at the University of Victoria are looking forward to presenting this Friday. If you'll be nearby, we’d love for you to stop by and say hello - it’s a great chance to connect!

Thank you to Strive, a community-led network in London, Ontario, active since 2014, supporting learning and growth in child care and the early years through inclusion, collaboration, shared leadership, and reflective practice.

11/10/2025

CanAssist Open House – November 20

As part of Victoria Tech Week, CanAssist at the University of Victoria is opening its doors to the public. Tour our facilities, see assistive technology in action, and discover innovations that support individuals with disabilities in school, work, and everyday life.

Meet and network with CanAssist staff, UVic researchers, and colleagues in the assistive technology and health-tech sectors.

Hands-on activities include a machine shop tour with production demo, building assistive technologies for CanAssist clients, and trying out our new adaptive musical instruments in development.

For more information and to register: https://ow.ly/AHSj50XpzV6

Image description: A black background with two photos at the top. On the left, Trevor is pictured on a riding trail using his bike with a crank modification. On the right, Elias sits with his music teacher, both smiling at the camera; Elias is using his strumming mitt. From top to bottom, white text reads: “CanAssist; Open House; Thursday, Nov. 20 at 1–4:30 p.m.; CanAssist’s office in CARSA.”

11/07/2025

Last Saturday, CanAssist at the University of Victoria hosted its very first Co-op Reunion Celebration Event.

Thank you to everyone who joined us! The energy, stories, and smiles made the event truly special. It was amazing to reconnect with so many familiar faces and celebrate the incredible impact of our co-op community over the years.

Got some great photos from the event? Drop them in the comments or tag CanAssist.

Here's to many more reunions in the future!



Image description:
A photo reel from the CanAssist Co-op Reunion, including many people smiling and laughing. The first slide says "CanAssist Co-op Celebration" and the last slide says "CanAssist Co-ops rock."

11/06/2025

This event is being organized and hosted by job coaches Aleah and Katie and will run from 12-2pm on Friday Nov 21st. It's a social event and an opportunity for former participants to come and mingle, participate in fun activities, share their successes, and build new connections.

This is NOT an opportunity for further job coaching and supports, though both job coaches will be on-site to facilitate activities and conversations. Light snacks and refreshments to be provided and participation is optional. Those wishing to attend must RSVP by November 12th.

RSVP Here: https://ow.ly/wY1C50Xo6yv

Image description: A simple digital flyer providing a centrally-placed QR code for former Job Journey program participants to RSVP for an upcoming Alumni social event. The poster features elements to be expected at the event including: games, tech, and snacks, as well as other visuals like confetti. Text reads: "Join us for the first ever Job Journey Alumni Social at CanAssist" as well as: "Friday Nov 21st, save the date!".