Episode 26 - Dream Wings - Inspiring Confidence

In this episode, we explore a program designed to make dreams come true for young people with disabilities in Nova Scotia and talk about why new experiences are crucial for developing self-confidence in the classroom and beyond. Thank you Dimitri and Darren for your amazing work!

Join Mihai and Payton as they bring you the story of Payton's experience with Dream Wings, a program that gives Nova Scotian youths with disabilities the gift of flight. They dive into how life-changing it can be to have access to exciting (and sometimes challenging) new opportunities as a disabled youth and, finally, what teachers can learn about the indispensable role of self-confidence and self-advocacy in the classroom.

Dream Wings Facebook page
Dream Wings story article (CBC.ca)

Creators & Guests

Host

Mihai Covaser

Public speaker, fundraiser, and advocate for the Canadian disability community through various initiatives and across media. Aspiring lawyer and editor, producer, and host of Help Teach.

What is Help Teach?

Join us in this community audio project as we explore the perspective of youths with disabilities, educators, and members of the general public on the Canadian public education system.

Cover art by: Stephanie McCann
Transcripts: https://helpteach.transistor.fm/

Help Teach Episode 26
[00:00:00] Mihai Covaser: Welcome, learners and learned alike, to Help Teach!
[00:00:09] Mihai Covaser: Hello, and welcome to our community audio project. I am your host, editor, producer, and project co-lead, Mihai Covaser. I'm also a youth living with a physical disability. My most formative experiences living with a disability have come in the Canadian public education system. Many students like me with physical, emotional, or mental challenges go through their years of schooling lacking the supports and accommodations they need to partake of the same opportunities offered to their peers. The vision of this project is to provide educators in Canadian classrooms, students with disabilities, and members of the general public with the tools and knowledge that they need to make our institutions more accessible and inclusive for all. Join me and a diverse cast of guests as we explore perspectives on disabilities in education in this podcast series. One last message for you teachers tuning in: listen in each episode for our key takeaway that you can implement in your classroom today to help us further this vision.
[00:01:15] Mihai Covaser: Hello, and welcome back to Help Teach! I don't know about you, listeners, but as a child, I know that I was somehow introduced to the dream activity bucket list that we all seem to inherit once we hit that prime age of dreaming big. Have you ever, for example, dreamt of solving a mystery, finding lost treasure, or flying an airplane? Well, today, I have with me the original guest voice of Help Teach to talk about a program in Eastern Canada which seeks to give children and youth exactly that opportunity and what teachers can learn from their mission to motivate their students to great success. Without further ado, allow me to welcome back to the show Payton Given. Payton, it's a pleasure to have you back!
[00:02:04] Payton Given: It's a pleasure to be here, Mihai! I always enjoy being here.
[00:02:08] Mihai Covaser: And I always enjoy having you on! You have some great stories and today is definitely no exception. So, let’s just jump right into it. Can you tell us a bit more about this special program in your community of Halifax, Nova Scotia that gives children the gift of flight?
[00:02:28] Payton Given: Dream Wings is a non-profit organization that is created by Dimitri and now has another pilot named Derek. It is a non-profit organization that gives children and youth the chance of an unforgettable experience of a lifetime, a chance to fly a plane.
[00:02:53] Mihai Covaser: That's amazing. And this program is focused on youth with disabilities as well, right?
[00:03:00] Payton Given: Youths with disabilities and special needs.
[00:03:04] Mihai Covaser: First of all, I just want to ask, how was it? I mean, what was it like to be able to hop into an airplane and, you know, help get it off the ground?
[00:03:14] Payton Given: It was amazing. It was an unforgettable experience. There's a lot of things when it comes to having a disability, having, I think, having a child that has a disability. I think, I think my dad was excited to see me and I was excited to have this unforgettable experience where you felt free. You felt like there was nothing attached to you. It's a really unforgettable experience and it was an amazing experience that gave me the confidence to experience something that is truthfully, I appreciate, and I will remember it for the rest of my life.
[00:04:07] Mihai Covaser: Wow, you talk about it with a lot of passion. I understand that not only did you get the opportunity to fly a plane, which is pretty cool on its own, but you also got the chance to speak about accessibility and your mission, our mission, on camera while in this airplane. Can you tell me a little bit about that?
[00:04:28] Payton Given: Yes, I did. So, I was up in the airplane and from what I can remember, Dimitri put the airplane on like auto or something where he had his hands off the little steering thing and he had his phone, and he asked me a question. The question was like, is there anything you would say to other fellow people with special needs and cerebral palsy? And I said that you're never alone, that this opportunity is freeing, the experience is an unforgettable experience, that is, that is amazing because what I personally feel is in a wheelchair, a lot of things aren't accessible and this is one thing that is accessible, that even most able-bodied 16-year-old can't say “I was in a four-seater airplane this weekend.” “Hey! Hey! I went to Starbucks. Hey! I went to the mall. Hey! I went ziplining,” and me over here: “Hey, I went in a four-seater airplane!”
[00:05:54] Mihai Covaser: Absolutely, I mean, like you say, it's not every day you get to do that. And, I want to ask, you know, we're going to talk a little bit more about this, but in brief, what was your answer for what you want to share, what message you want to tell to these, to other youth like yourself, who might be either unaware that they can have these kinds of experiences, or maybe lacking the confidence to go out and do it. What did you say?
[00:06:26] Payton Given: To always try new things. I know it's scary, I know it's hard, but you never know that you can't do something until you try it. Always get back up again. Because having a disability, there's always something trying to knock you down, one moment of your life, or something that isn't accessible, and if something is accessible, or even if it's not, give it a shot. Give it a shot! Because you never know what's going to turn up about it if you don't try at least!
[00:07:05] Mihai Covaser: That's a really powerful message. I mean, just very recently, for me, as you know, I mean, I'm 20 years old, I have gotten the chance to do a lot of pretty incredible things over the course of my life, but something as simple as driving. It was only about two months ago now that I actually got my N driver's license, and when I first started thinking about driving and such, I had all these questions like, you know, I thought I would probably have to use hand controls. I didn't know if I would be able to, like, outfit the cars we have at home. I didn't know what would happen. Turns out, I didn't need any kind of adaptation. I could actually drive a car on my own, just like everyone else does, despite, you know, having cerebral palsy that affects my legs to some extent, it's not enough to stop me from driving, for example, and that was I mean, it was a surprise to me, but you never know until you get behind the wheel and give it a shot, right?
[00:08:09] Payton Given: Yeah, always, always give something a shot! Because there's been a lot of experiences in my life. And if I didn't give a shot, I would be curled up in bed all day and that isn't a good part of my life.
[00:08:21] Mihai Covaser: Yeah.
[00:08:22] Payton Given: So, give it a shot no matter if you're feeling good or not. That's what I, that's what I live by, give it a shot.
[00:08:32] Mihai Covaser: I want to ask you as far as you know, what might be next for Dream Wings and for this program? Because I know, you know, you were mentioning there might be some, some great things up ahead for other communities.
[00:08:47] Payton Given: Dream Wings may be reaching to other communities here in Nova Scotia. I hope they do. Because the more children that get this opportunity, the better it is!
[00:09:03] Mihai Covaser: Well, I'm sure that your pilots will love to hear you talk about their program, talk about them and this experience and the fact that you're not going to be forgetting it for a long time because
[00:09:14] Payton Given: No, but they'll be kicking me off the airplane because I still want to go back and do it again.
[00:09:21] Mihai Covaser: Oh, that's great. That's amazing! Well, I have one last question for you sort of about the program itself before we move on to a little something else, but if a teacher finds this opportunity, for example, for one of their students or finds a similar opportunity that gives them a chance to try something new: how can it benefit them and their students in the classroom?
[00:09:47] Payton Given: Something I would like to say to all teachers far and wide is if you can find any situation, any experience for your student with a disability, give them the opportunity. Just because they're sitting in a chair or have an Individual Education Plan does not mean that they are less than or can't do something. It empowers them. It gives them something to strive for. It gives them communication opportunities to make friends, do things, because children with disabilities that definitely have different kind of learning styles may have a hard time finding something to talk about with their peers, and this opens up a good way of communication line of what I did this weekend. "Hey, I flew a plane on Saturday!” “Hey, I went ziplining.” “Hey, I went on a horse," and that empowers their student to not only communicate with their peers, but give them the strength, the way of advocating that if they need something in your classroom, they may have more confidence to say something. "Hey, can you pick up this pencil for me?” Hey, I don't know how to spell that.” Or, “Hey, I'm having a hard day. Can you come sit with me and talk to me?" That's what this, that's what an opportunity like this could benefit your student, not only in the short term, but their whole life. One opportunity, one communication system with your student, one conversation can change your student's life. And not only short term, but long term. So to all teachers, find something your student would like and just give them a chance to bloom like a flower. All students should have an equal opportunity to try new things. And that's what I think anyway.
[00:12:28] Mihai Covaser: I mean, I couldn't have said it better myself. It's motivating! I mean it, not only to hear that you felt like this from this experience, but that so many other students in school who are struggling through various kinds of obstacles can have experiences even that are not as, let's say, “out there” as flying an airplane, which, you know, maybe out of the, the realm of some student's comfort zone at the moment, but even simpler things can really, like, offer them a wellspring to draw on that translates into confidence and connection and a voice in the classroom. That's really special. I mean, you basically took the words out of my mouth at this point in terms of my, some of my follow-up questions. But I guess what I want to ask is, can you just elaborate a little bit on how this connects to self-advocacy? I know you mentioned that if you do these kinds of experiences and it gives you the confidence in yourself to know that you have a lot of potential to do things, it might make you more inclined to speak up in class in different ways. But I wonder if you can elaborate a little bit on that connection and, you know, how have experiences like this made you a better self-advocate and a better advocate for other people?
[00:14:01] Payton Given: This opportunity or any opportunity like this, smaller or bigger, can give a student, can give a child with a disability/special needs the opportunity to find in themselves the courage, the confidence to figure out, "Hey, I can do this. Hey, I got this." And that can help them advocate to their friends, to their family, to their peers, to say, "Hey, this is what I need." Or if they can't communicate that, just maybe instead of them going into a corner and not really smiling or talking in their way, they can go up and just maybe show a "Hi" in their way or show the feelings in their way of what they need. Because as a child, as a youth with a disability now, I have the confidence to, I guess, advocate for what I need. I, like, five years ago, before I did all these experiences, I would not be sitting here on a podcast talking to all of you about how to better myself, how to advocate. This would give- any opportunity, will give your student the opportunity to encourage them to advocate. And even if your student has a hard time communicating, get on their level, find a way for them to communicate. It doesn't need to be a full sentence. It doesn't even need to be words! It can be a smile. It can be any way your student can advocate or communicate in any way.
[00:16:07] Mihai Covaser: I really like that, “get on their level.” I think we've talked about that a number of times in previous episodes and it's a conversation that is very personal and at the same time very important to talk about publicly, I think, because like you say, not everyone is going to have the same capacity in specific ways of acting or of communicating, but that doesn't mean that they don't have the ideas or the feelings or the thoughts behind that communication. Just because they can't speak to you in the same way that other students speak to you doesn't mean that they don't have their own dreams and their own potential and their own thoughts and feelings behind, you know, what they can put out in terms of communication, right? So, getting on their level is a super hard skill to learn, but I think necessary and I think not enough people focus on it.
[00:17:15] Payton Given: Yeah, any opportunities could give your student the passion to communicate or show them that they're capable no matter what. That they have potential in this world. It doesn't need to be flying an airplane. It doesn't even need to be ziplining. It can be any of your students’ interests. Find a dream that's attainable that you think you can do for your students and do it! Figure it out. Because that smile on that child's face, I've seen it many times, and that's all that it takes me to want to advocate in a way that makes not only me but the children of tomorrow better. Better lives with disabilities, because it gives them the confidence, it shows them they can do something.
[00:18:21] Mihai Covaser: Yeah, I mean, look at us, right? I mean, you mentioned this just earlier, but I remember when we first were talking about putting this project together and I invited you to be on the pilot episode of the show. I'd never done anything like this before. You'd never really done anything like this before. You were- I mean, you know, I don't mean to embarrass you on, on camera, but like, you were nervous. I was nervous! I mean.
[00:18:44] Payton Given: Oh, it was a time! It was a time to- let’s just say that my advocacy skills have gotten way better over the last two years. Let's just say that!
[00:19:00] Mihai Covaser: I mean, you spoke well back then, but just listening to you now, I mean, the- again, I mean, this, this is something that anyone experiences in life, but I think we take for granted how much having new experiences makes us more confident and put together human beings. And I think when we take that for granted, the problem is that when it's a little bit harder to give those experiences to certain people - let’s say young people with disabilities - those tend to disappear, those opportunities, and we tend to not give them those chances. And because we're taking for granted how much it does for us, we can't appreciate how much it takes away from young people not to be able to do these kinds of things. I mean, it's even just for me saying it out loud now, it's like, it's kind of mind-blowing. Like even I may take it for granted sometimes where it's like, if I didn't get the chance to try these things that I'm doing and to put my voice on the microphone and to do the speeches and the opportunities that I do, I wouldn't have as much sense of self, sense of what I want to do, sense of what I can do. It's, I mean, it's mind-boggling, right? So, that's just to say that I think this episode has made me reflect, and I hope it makes our listeners reflect too, on just how important this, this topic really is.
[00:20:30] Payton Given: Yes, it definitely made me reflect because over the last few days I've been preparing for this episode and just me getting ready to be on a podcast, I used to be sweating bullets. And still, I'm nervous, but I have a way of thinking, "Hey, I'm just going on a screen with a friend and I'm talking about my experiences and I'm excited to have listeners." But in a way, from the first time I was on your show to now, it gave me the experience to be able to be more confident in what I give to all of you listeners. And I appreciate every opportunity I have had. And this is what an opportunity could give your students. Because even though they might be nervous to do something, it could impact them for the rest of their life in a way that is beneficial for all. Not only for the student, but for the caregivers, for the teachers, for their partnerships later on in life, their coworkers, everything, every aspect of their life, new experiences for all people are good. But new experiences for young people with disabilities are crucial to what they'll be able to do in the future. That's my opinion anyway.
[00:22:13] Mihai Covaser: Yeah, I couldn't agree more. Well, I mean this episode, you know, you kind of took the reins from me and took it beginning to end. I really have nothing more to ask except maybe one last question. Are you planning to go back and fly another plane or are you off to more daring adventures now?
[00:22:36] Payton Given: Oh yeah, I'm off to fly another plane next year! You know me, I'm off to fly another plane. And I'm hoping to drop down on the side of a building next year.
[00:22:50] Mihai Covaser: Oh!
[00:22:52] Payton Given: Next summer. So, hey, I might be on here next September and telling you how going down like 18 stories was. I don't know, stay tuned!
[00:23:06] Mihai Covaser: Okay, well, when you come back as Spiderwoman next year, I'll… you know, we'll be sure to record an episode about it.
[00:23:16] Payton Given: I just want to say thank you to all teachers for giving your students opportunities in your classroom to grow as little human beings. I know it might be hard sometimes to get on students, to figure out a student in September, because all your students are new. And I find that sometimes teachers have a hard time balancing their neurotypical students to students with disabilities but realize that it may take them a little bit more time to warm up to you, a little bit more time to communicate with you, a little bit more time to warm up and ask questions. But that does not mean that they don't show, that they won't show an active role in your classroom and an active role in society. So please give them a chance and thank you for all you do!
[00:24:18] Mihai Covaser: Perfect. Thank you very much for that message, Payton. Well, I couldn't have ended it any better. So, thank you very much for coming on for another episode and I look forward to hearing what happens for you next!
[00:24:31] Payton Given: Yes, I'm very excited!
[00:24:35] Mihai Covaser: You've just heard another episode of the community audio project “Help Teach”. I'd like to give a huge thank you to my other co-leads on this project, Payton Given, Maggie Manning, Élise Doucette, and Alexis Holmgren, all youth leaders at the Rick Hansen Foundation, who I'd also like to thank for their continued support in this initiative and others. My name is Mihai Covaser, I am your host, editor, and producer for this podcast series. Thank you to Every Canadian Counts and their #RisingYouthInitiative for funding this project and for allowing us to put out our vision for change into the community. You can find all transcripts, episode notes, and links to other resources on our base site, helpteach.transistor.fm, or listen to us wherever you find your podcasts. If you have any questions about the show or would like to get involved, now get in touch at [e-mail]. That's [e-mail]. Tune in next time for more great conversations and key takeaways that you educators can implement in the classroom today to make it a more accessible and inclusive place for all! Thank you for listening, and I'll see you next time!