It is essential that we build a society in which everyone plays a role and no one is excluded. The challenge for the professionals who work and support people of all ages with developmental or intellectual disabilities is to enhance their clients’ presence and participation in their community. It’s not surprise then that these professionals work in a range of areas, among which are:

In-home, supporting individuals who are considered “higher functioning” so that they may remain independent
In-home, supporting families of those with developmental delay by offering respite
In community organizations as residential counsellors who help their clients enjoy various activities
In schools with students who may need educational assistance
With not-for-profit organizations that cater to individuals with developmental disabilities
In the residential programs of long-term care facilities as activation directors
Before they can enter the field, aspiring developmental services workers program must attend a post-secondary program. Centennial College offers one such program to those who are interested in a curriculum that emphasizes a deep understanding of the life experiences of people who have intellectual disabilities, values clarification, analysis, critical thinking, problem solving, affecting positive change, and communication skills.

The most unique aspect of this offering is its emphasis and focus on proactive learning that includes a range of hands-on activities to teach students the skills they will need once they graduate and are ready to apply for jobs in the field. This interactive approach is facilitated both on and off campus. In classes, it is employed through projects that included research about new therapies and the history of disability, interactive seminars, community observations, Internet searches that teach students how to research the field, teamwork and electronic communication. Through these activities students learn topics such as: interpersonal skills, the nature of intellectual disability, health promotion and personal well-being, social psychology, support for personal healthcare, facilitation and leadership skills, teaching skills and more.

Meanwhile, for the off-campus component, students have the opportunity to complete supervised field placements in semester three (two days per week) and semester four (three days per week). In the first field placement, students use the theory of Social Role Valorization to frame and understand the role of supporter. They become familiar with an understanding of: clients’ life experiences, the limits society has imposed on their opportunities, clients’ relationships, listening clients and the people in their lives, and tending to clients’ interests. Students take direction from the people they support to establish or enhance valued social roles in their life.

In the second placement, meanwhile, students take responsibility for designing and implementing plans or strategies to teach and support individuals and/or work with communities. Facilitation and leadership skills, community development and, positive imagining and competencies for holistic the personal well-being and community inclusion for individuals they support are some of the areas they pursue in this placement.

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday considerably raised its expectations for inflation this year and brought forward the time frame on when it will next raise interest rates.

However, the central bank gave no indication as to when it will begin cutting back on its aggressive bond-buying program, though Fed Chairman Jerome Powell acknowledged that officials discussed the issue at the meeting.

“You can think of this meeting that we had as the ‘talking about talking about’ meeting,” Powell said in a phrase that recalled a statement he made a year ago that the Fed wasn’t “thinking about thinking about raising rates.”

As expected, the policymaking Federal Open Market Committee unanimously left its benchmark short-term borrowing rate anchored near zero. But officials indicated that rate hikes could come as soon as 2023, after saying in March that it saw no increases until at least 2024. The so-called dot plot of individual member expectations pointed to two hikes in 2023.

Though the Fed raised its headline inflation expectation to 3.4%, a full percentage point higher than the March projection, the post-meeting statement continued to say that inflation pressures are “transitory.” The raised expectations come amid the biggest rise in consumer prices in about 13 years.

“This is not what the market expected,” said James McCann, deputy chief economist at Aberdeen Standard Investments. “The Fed is now signaling that rates will need to rise sooner and faster, with their forecast suggesting two hikes in 2023. This change in stance jars a little with the Fed’s recent claims that the recent spike in inflation is temporary.”

Markets reacted to the Fed news, with stocks falling and government bond yields higher as investors anticipated tighter Fed policy ahead, including the likelihood that the bond purchases will slow as soon as this year.

“If you’re going to get two rate hikes in 2023, you have to start tapering fairly soon to reach that goal,” said Kathy Jones, head of fixed income at Charles Schwab. “It takes maybe 10 months to a year to taper at a moderate pace. Then you’re looking at we need to start tapering maybe later this year, and if the economy continues to run a little bit hot, rate hikes sooner rather than later.”

Even with the raised forecast for this year, the committee still sees inflation trending to its 2% goal over the long run.

“Our expectation is these high inflation readings now will abate,” Powell said at his post-meeting news conference.

Powell also cautioned about reading too much into the dot-plot, saying it is “not a great forecaster of future rate moves. “Lift-off is well into the future,” he said.