WHO ARE WE?
BUILD | EDUCATE | EMPOWER
Builducate is a social enterprise borne out of the need to address the gap in equitable access to services within the Developmental Services (DS) sector. The word Builducate is a portmanteau word, blending the words build and educate, highlighting the integral role that each play in the journey to equity and inclusion. It started out as a passion project, for founder, Johanna Niles, who, as an immigrant, sibling, and caregiver, experienced firsthand the immediate and long-term impacts that come from limited access to supports that took into consideration her family's Afro-Caribbean background from assessment to implementation.
In 2011, King, Lindsay, Klassen, Esses, and Mesterman submitted a final report to Citizen and Immigration Canada, which was a “two-part, mixed methods study assessed attitudinal, policy, and practice barriers to health service utilization by immigrant parents from Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean who are raising a disabled child or youth in the Greater Toronto or Hamilton areas.” One of the most salient findings from this study was that the immigrant participants reported higher unmet needs than non-immigrant families, specifically in terms of access to available services, including advocacy, and day-to-day supports for their children.
Much more research is required in this area, as conceded by the authors of this report, and Builducate is intent on positioning itself at the heart of this work, with a focus on the Black community. We will work to build partnerships, connecting the developmental services sector to grassroots community organizations that have established relationships within the communities they serve. Our educational training will provide workshops to communities, and organizations on a local, national, and international level, in a number of areas within developmental services with a focus on culturally responsive delivery of services. We want families/caregivers to feel empowered in their ability to support, and advocate with and for their loved ones.
There is much work to do, and we are ready to get started!
OUR MISSION
We seek to increase equitable access to developmental services through partnership building, educational training, and family and community empowerment.
OUR VISION
Our vision is to be the catalyst for change in access to, and the delivery of developmental services within African and Caribbean communities around the world.
ABOUT THE FOUNDER
Johanna Niles, M.Ed., CDA, H.BSc.
I am an African-Caribbean Canadian educator, behaviour and communication consultant, social entrepreneur, daughter, sibling. and caregiver, whose passion and commitment are to increase equitable access to developmental services through partnership building, educational training, and community empowerment.
The field of developmental services chose me when I was only one year and ten months old. It was the day my sister was born. She would subsequently be diagnosed with a developmental disability that would impact the rest of her life. As an Afro-Caribbean immigrant, I watched my mother, attempt to navigate the system on her own. She took on many roles including that of advocate, and teacher, attempting to access services that did not take into consideration her Afro-Caribbean culture. This experience has shaped my career path, and has fostered a lifelong dedication to educating others, empowering families, and advocating for, and with my community.
My experience, whether lived, academically and/or vocationally gained, has affirmed the importance of representation; the importance of creating a platform where my community can be empowered. A brave space where our voices are heard, validated, and amplified, and an environment that facilitates learning while taking into consideration all of who we are, our various social locations including race, culture, gender, age, sexual orientation, geographic location, religion, and ability. In addition, it has centered the significance of developing and delivering services that take a culturally responsive and holistic approach.
Over the past 15 years, I have been committed to community outreach, partnership building, social justice, inter-community collaboration, program development, and decreasing barriers to access. In my experience in working with Black families, building capacity within our community has proven to be successful, and I would like to see this work expanded to create equitable access for Black communities internationally.