Episode Details

Welcome to “The Gravity Well,” where we break down complex ideas into manageable discussions. Our mission is to foster collaboration and address societal dilemmas through open conversation. In this episode you hear from guest, Shantel Sherwood, co-founder of Hold My Hand Alberta, advocates for children with disabilities, focusing on education and interconnected support systems.

You hear us explore the challenges faced by children with disabilities, the impact of late diagnoses, and the need for early interventions. Shantel shares her personal experiences and the systemic issues within education and healthcare. We discuss the importance of inclusive and accessible education systems, drawing inspiration from global models like Finland’s.

The conversation highlights the need for a holistic approach to education, considering individual learning styles and the broader societal impact. With emphasis on the importance of community, family support, and addressing trauma. The discussion also touches on the systemic barriers faced by marginalized communities and the need for equitable solutions.

Join us as we delve into these critical issues and explore ways to create a more inclusive and supportive society for all.

Welcome and Introductions with Shantel Sherwood

Alex:

Welcome to The Gravity Well, where we break down heavy ideas into small buckets anyone can handle. Our mission is simple to set aside our differences and collaborate with others through a conversation and process. Together we can face our dilemmas and make the world better for all.

Jenny:

In the spirit of reconciliation, we acknowledge we are in Blackfoot Treaty seven territory and Metis districts five and six lands. We take reconciliation by seeking the wisdom of elders and individuals who aim to restore water, air, land, life, and community. A healthy living relationship with our homeland and each other is our guide.

Today I’m thrilled to have my friend Shantel on with us. I met Shantel last year when I was running in the election. Shantel is an advocate, how would you describe it, Shantel?

Shantel:

I would say children with disabilities. I’m one of the co-founders of Hold My Hand, Alberta. We represent children with disabilities, primarily with education, but we often go into other avenues as well because those ministries do cross each other.

Jenny:

Yes, everything is interconnected. I’ll just do a bit of reflection on what we’ve been up to this round for you and us. Our first round we ran through January and February, asked “Why are we hosting this conversation?” What’s the problem? What does it look like? How do we describe it? Now it’s “Who are the players?” What is the system we’re working in and who are the players within that system? I’ve got this rock model that we’ve been working through and it helps me understand what the power structure is. We’ve discovered that talking about names, particular people. For example, if we were to talk about the liberal party or conservative party, rather than just talking about governments in general. We’re trying to use general terms when we’re describing “who in the zoo”.

That’s what these couple of months are, we’re trying to break down this model. We’re talking to people like you, people like us. Alex and I feel like at various times in our lives we’ve fallen through the cracks. One of the times I fell through the cracks was recently when I worked in the oil and gas industry.

In 2022, I was working at one of the major oil companies and I did a presentation at the GeoConvention and said that I felt a certain sense of responsibility for the mess I was seeing that we were making. I could see a way for us to do it better. I wanted to help educate geoscientists, like myself, to understand this challenge and present it. That was on the summer solstice of 2022. The next day I was brought into a meeting room with four execu