'Just give me a chance': Special Olympics Canada Winter Games hope to leave behind legacy of inclusion

A lasting legacy of inclusion Organizers of the Special Olympics hope businesses see the potential of people with intellectual disabilities. Kevin Fleming reports.

Many major sporting events leave a statue or building behind as a legacy of the event, but the Special Olympics Canada Winter Games are leaving a legacy of inclusion.

"We wanted to leave something that would have a ripple effect across this community," said Cheryl Bernard, the games co-chair.

"So the conversation came back around to, ‘what about funding an employer inclusion program, and who's doing that out there and so that's how we ended up in the legacy inclusion.’"

Bernard says athletes taking part in the games have a variety of abilities that corporate Calgary and Canada can take advantage of by making inclusion the norm rather than the exception.

"I think that's really incredibly important," she said.

"What we're seeing through the Special Olympics Games is people are getting comfortable and they're seeing the opportunity (of), ‘how do I hire somebody with an intellectual disability?’ We're opening those doors, and I think it will become the norm in this city."

Darby Taylor holds the title of Special Olympics ambassador and will skip for Cheryl Bernard for the throw of the opening rock at the curling event.

He's also dropping the puck to kick off the floor hockey matches. Taylor is 29 years old and struggled to find a part-time job. Now he's a barista in the Ampersand Building downtown.

"It makes me very happy working at Lil E," he said. "Because it took me seven and a half years to find a job (and) part-time employment."

Taylor enjoys making lattes and mochas for customers when he's on shift.

"Mocha's are a bit more challenging," he said. "To make sure I don't pour too much chocolate, I try not to but sometimes that happens."

Taylor will have a busy schedule once the games begin on Feb. 27, because he'll be attending as many events as possible. Taylor wants to make sure other athletes see how they can thrive with a meaningful job.

"I think I'm a role model because I'm very friendly," he said. "I love chatting and also just telling all the athletes to do their best and cheer them on."

Susan McDermott is Darby's mom and she'd like to see the games shine a spotlight on the athletes for local businesses looking for loyal staff.

"I think for a lot of people, and many companies perhaps haven't been exposed to these wonderful athletes and wonderful individuals," she said.

"We're hoping that seeing how much they can accomplish when given an opportunity will spur on the companies to give them a chance."

McDermott says that's all her son needed, and now he's been a fixture at Lil E for the past three years.

"As Darby's always said, ‘If you just give me a chance, I can be a great employee,’ and I think we're hoping the games will show people that they have many skills over and above whatever their challenge may be, you see such happiness and such positivity in this group, that it also translates into the workplace too,” she says.

Dale Monaghan is the president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Alberta which is a sponsor of the games.

Monaghan says the company has a long history in the province and is a major employer of persons with disabilities and barriers to employment.

"People with unique abilities have tremendous offerings to the workplace," he said. "Employers who see that opportunity can often gain loyal, long-term hard-working employees."

Monaghan says he and his company not only encourage other businesses to hire people with special abilities, but he says Goodwill is a specialist in helping companies train and place people with disabilities.

"Not all employers see the opportunity to leverage and gain the opportunity for hiring people with special abilities," he said.

"Once in the workplace, they become such a positive influence for organizational culture, other employees see that people with unique abilities have overcome their barriers and now are very successful, friendships are made, varying perspectives are developed."

Monaghan says the Special Olympic Games in Calgary will shine a spotlight on the abilities of athletes from across Canada and he's hopeful that will lead to jobs that the participants crave.

“Those companies that see the ability to draw in people with barriers to employment will gain immensely," he said.

"I think Calgary is a real spotlight on the tremendous contribution persons with disabilities make to the workplace and the other way around how we can all support people with disabilities to excel in this in the workplace and naturally through sport and otherwise.

Learn more about Goodwill Industries on its website.