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The Disability Resource Network of British Columbia 
for Post-Secondary Education 34th Annual Conference,
Where to Next?: Navigating Post-Secondary Transitions. 

Tuesday, May 23rd and Wednesday May 24th, 2017 
Vancouver Community College 
Downtown Campus, 250 West Pender Street, Vancouver 

Join us for DRNBC's two-day annual conference that brings together community members, students, and educators from across the province to share knowledge, new ideas, the latest research, and opportunities to connect and network with others in the field. 

Call for Proposals 
34th Annual Disability Resource Network of B.C. for Post-Secondary Education Conference 

We want to hear from you! We are now accepting proposals to present at the 2017 DRNBC annual conference that brings together disability resource professionals and students representing colleges, universities, polytechnics and partner organizations from across B.C. and beyond. Presenting at the DRNBC Conference provides the opportunity to share your experience and expertise, showcase your latest research, exchange ideas and help contribute to community building and advancing partnerships within the field. The two-day annual conference is designed to offer opportunities for networking with community members, educators, and employers servicing students with disabilities, as well as students themselves. 

Deadline to Submit: January 7, 2017 
Conference Dates: Tuesday May 23 and Wednesday May 24 2017 

Vancouver Community College,250 West Pender St., Vancouver BC. 

This year’s theme Where to Next? Navigating Post-secondary Transitions investigates how we react and adapt to changing environments. Students transitioning into, through and out of post-secondary environments go through rapid transitions and can often feel that they are expected to figure it out on their own. Rapid change can lead to feelings of vulnerability, anxiety, isolation, ambivalence and other new areas of emotional terrain as students learn to navigate their own path. Transitions can be especially difficult when students face additional barriers, disabilities and challenges. Other members of the community, including staff, faculty, service providers, government, and families, encounter transitions and change as they strive to keep their knowledge and practices current in an ever-evolving field. 

We are seeking presentations that will inspire and reflect innovative ideas, programs, services and practices. You are encouraged to share your research, tools and tips, and/or personal stories. Do you have an example of how can we work with students to better ensure that they are active participants in this process? Are there resources and tools that you recommend to help navigate our own transitions in this dynamic and changing environment? How we can better work together to build a network of support for our students as they navigate the journey through post-secondary and beyond? How can we best acknowledge the challenges that our students are facing and help them to gain perspective, take inventory of their abilities, and look forward toward the future? 

Examples of potential presentation topics could include: 

Innovative Strategies 
Mental Health in Post-secondary Settings 
Changing Technology 
Different Models of Delivery for ASE 
Accommodation Requests of today 
E Learning Tools for all students 
Small Business inspiring stories and Post-Secondary Resources 
Universal Design for Learning for on-line course 
Learning Centres 
Disability Confident Employers 
Changing Workplace Culture 
Requests for support at coops, international school exchanges 
Research into practice: Technology, Retention and Abandonment 

Before submitting your proposal, please fill out the attached form and include: 
A high resolution portrait photo (include your name in the file title) 
Any documents, video links or supplemental materials that you feel will support your presentation proposal. 

Proposals will be reviewed by the Conference Committee for topical relevance, speaker's experience, and the collective diversity of the presentations overall. The varying workshop lengths provide the Committee with some flexibility to maximize the number of proposals accepted. Time limits will be enforced and we recommend that you plan your presentations to include audience participation. Notifications of acceptance will be sent out in February. 

Thank you for your interest in presenting at the 2017 DRNBC Conference! For more information please contact: 

Dana Higgins 
Conference Planner