Two locals will head to the west coast in April to take part in an international conference on fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD).
Cindy Olchowy and Yvette Kraychy will be joined by University of Alberta professor of occupational therapy Sharon Brintnell for a presentation at the University of British Columbia’s International Research Conference on Adolescents and Adults with FASD in Vancouver April 18-21.
“It’s a very prestigious opportunity,” said Olchowy, who’s executive director of Westlock and District Family and Community Support Services (FCSS). “I’m very thrilled to be able to speak on behalf of the services in Westlock.”
The trio will share their presentation entitled “Creation of a FASD Community Coalition” with FASD experts in numerous disciplines from around the world.
“We’re doing a collation of how my job came about, how FCSS and the network made a position for me here within the community of Westlock. What I’ll be doing there will be representing my area and what I do,” said Kraychy, who is central zone key worker for Northwest Central FASD Network.
“I’m really excited. I think it’s going to be a great opportunity for us to showcase who we are, what we do in the community and let other towns and organizations know that it’s possible.”
When Olchowy started as director of FCSS, Westlock didn’t have the same services for FASD many surrounding communities had, so she took it upon herself to bring them here, that included bringing in Kraychy.
“Westlock was missing that link, so I organized a community coalition of agencies or individuals in the community that worked with individuals with FASD and through that process we determined there was a need, there was a gap, and we worked together with the FASD Network and we created... an opportunity for a key worker to be in Westlock.”
Olchowy says she is proud of the work she’s done and hopes other communities can learn from what the coalition did in Westlock.
“This community is extremely lucky to have great resources of professionals and community members that really work well together, who identified an opportunity and went for it. It’s a model that’s relatively new that was recognized through this conference, so that’s what we’re going to speak to,” she said.
