The Work Opportunities Resource Cooperative
(WORC), situated in Nelson, B.C., recently learned it was successful
in its application to the Canadian Centre for Disability Studies
(Winnipeg) to undertake a project that will increase our understanding
of how people who are living with invisible disabilities experience
barriers to employment and social integration within the community,
and what strategies these people use to cope with the situations
they encounter. Research partners at the University of Victoria
include BCICS and Dr. Pamela Moss.
Lead
researchers for the project are two co-op members, Art Joyce and
Bill Moore, who will interview members of WORC who volunteer to
participate and who are living with invisible disabilities. Once
this is done the researchers will investigate government regulations
and programs relating to both visible and invisible disabilities.
During the third phase of the research community service providers
will be interviewed in order to obtain various kinds of data including
background information on the integration of those with invisible
disabilities into the local workforce.
Following this the researchers will analyse
and interpret the data, and then write up their findings, which
will be made available to WORC members, at community meetings,
at University and College colloquia, and on both the WORC and
BCICS websites. WORC will also establish a project archive and
create Information Sheets with collated government information
on programs, policies, and services, made available in easily
readable format for the benefit of WORC members as well as the
public. It will also publish articles containing the profiles
of participating WORC members in selected popular journals.
In addition to the members of WORC who are the
key researchers in-kind support is being provided by BCICS staff,
in particular Kathleen Gabelmann who has participated in research
with people with invisible disabilities, and by Dr. Pamela Moss
(Faculty of Human and Social Development), who has researched
and written extensively on chronic illness and disabilities. Their
involvement started at the proposal stage and is ongoing, including
advice and support on pertinent literature, methodology, analysis,
and whatever else is requested within the parameters of the project.
The mandate of the Work Opportunities Resource
Cooperative is “to develop cooperative enterprise and employment
for people with disabilities.” WORC is one of several co-operatives
organised recently in B.C. that focus on the needs of people with
barriers to work.
More information about WORC is available on
its website: http://www.worc.bc.ca.
Also see a case study of WORC on the BCICS website.
To download PDF version Click Here. 
