Manitoba’s Youth, Mpower-ed
Innovating solutions to accessibility barriers.
Payton, smiling, stands in front of Joseph Teres School holding her wining MPower Challenge letter. The photo is flanked by a violet banner on the top and bottom reading: Manitoba’s Youth, Mpower-ed and manitobapossible.ca/stories
Payton, a Joseph Teres student in Winnipeg, Manitoba, heard about a province wide challenge to find (and fund) solutions accessibility barriers, called Mpower: Manitoba’s Accessibility Challenge presented by Manitoba Possible, and she immediately had an idea.
Payton began work on her application with the goal to tackle communication barriers for the Deaf and hard of hearing communities when visiting her school.
Submitting ““How I want to include people who are deaf,” Payton wrote: Deaf people should be given the opportunity to communicate to anyone at the school and in the community. Students and staff should have more opportunities to learn American Sign Language (ASL). Deaf people should have the opportunity to have an interpreter when they attend school for events so they can be included in the fun experiences at the school rather than be left out.
It was a winning idea and Payton and Joseph Teres School were one of three winner picked in June 2020. Here’s what the selection panel had to share about Payton’s project:
“Payton has a good understanding of the importance of reducing barriers for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Payton demonstrated great ideas for how to help her school become more inclusive! Helping students to learn sign language will significantly reduce some of the barriers for visitors and students who are deaf/hard of hearing.
Her idea to include a form to make any accommodations for visitors is great! It won’t add stress to the visitors included and will help them to feel comfortable.
Using existing students to become champions of sign language in her approach is a great way to increase accessibility both within the school and the community! Well done!!
Great demonstration of understanding of concepts. We like how clearly the problem was demonstrated. The solutions are low cost and easy to be implemented throughout Manitoba.
Way to go! Payton recognized a real need for better access to communication for everyone!
We caught up with Payton this fall to find out how the school put to use the $2000 in winning funds.
Joseph Teres School formed a student committee and decided to tackle a wide array of communication barriers by:
purchasing amplifiers for teachers wearing masks during COVID-19 so students could hear and understand stories better
installing educational and instructional signs on American Sign Language (ASL)
installing directional braille signage to help visually impaired individuals navigate the school
purchasing audio books to make books and stories more accessible.
Joseph Teres School supplied a photo of the communication signs they purchased and installed including a poster of the ASL alphabet, braille directional/room signs, and more.
The Mpower Challenge is back for the 2020-21 School Year, and has opened up to Manitoba students of all ages.
MPower: Manitoba’s Accessibility Challenge is a project that encourages students in Manitoba to share their voice and vision of accessibility for our schools and communities today and for years to come. The objectives of the project are to:
MPower students to learn about and spread awareness of accessibility; the right to it and benefits of it for everyone.
MPower students to develop innovative ideas, programs, concepts, and designs that create solutions to accessibility barriers.
MPower: Manitoba’s Accessibility Challenge is accepting entries until May 14, 2021. Learn more at the MPower website.