The Moving On Project

The Moving On Project provides information, resources and financial support to members who have adult son and daughters (18 years and older) with disabilities.

The project was launched in 2005, to help support members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers and the Union of Postal Communications Employees (Public Service Alliance of Canada) with the additional challenges they face when their sons and daughters with disabilities "move on" to adulthood.

When children with disabilities turn 18, they must move on to the world of adult health and social services. Programs and supports that were in place before are no longer available, yet the needs remain. Families experience frustration and often lack adequate services, supports and resources. As well, families face additional financial, emotional and/or physical stress as they try to balance work and home life.

The Moving On Project provides members of CUPW and UPCE (PSAC) with:

• Information and resources (Member-to-Member Connection ;newsletter, web resources and links, online peer support).
• A Special Needs Advisor familiar with resources and services for adults in each province. Advisors contact members two times per year by telephone, offering understanding, support, information and links to community resources.
• An annual teleconference discussion on a topic of interest.
• Funding for members whose adult sons or daughters are "dependent on their parents for care"*. Funds may be used for such things as: respite, supervision of adult child, life skills training, transportation, tutoring and uninsured health expenses.

* (Appendix L (Article 3), Urban Operations' Collective Agreement specifies funding to adult children with special needs who are "dependent on their parents for care").

• Any CUPW member covered by the Urban Operations Collective Agreement or the RSMC collective agreement who has an adult son or daughter (18 years and over) with a disability.
• Any UPCE-PSAC member covered by the PSAC-CPC collective agreement who has an adult son or daughter (18 years and over) with a disability.

Only members whose adult sons or daughters are dependent on their parents for care can receive funding under the project. However, regardless of whether they qualify for funding under the project, all members with adult sons or daughters with disabilities are eligible for the project's other resources and services.

Disability refers to a long-lasting physical, mental, emotional or health condition that requires ongoing caregiver involvement such as personal care, life skills, activity planning and other supports that adults of the same age usually manage on their own.

Contact the Moving On Project staff. You will need to provide a time when you will be available for an assessment interview with the project coordinator. This interview can run from 15 minutes to an hour. During the interview, you will be asked a series of questions to determine if you qualify for the project.

Members who qualify for the project will receive a New Member Package. The package includes documents that must be filled out and returned to the project office.

Some members will also be required to provide a "Verification of Diagnosis" from a medical practitioner. You might already have this documentation on file, or your medical practitioner can use the form provided in the New Member Package.

The coordinator will let you know if this document is a requirement in your case. (Members whose children are transitioning out of the Special Needs Project into the Moving On Project may not have to provide a Verification of Diagnosis.)

You will also be assigned and contacted by a Moving On Advisor, who will conduct a more in-depth interview.

The project is funded out of the Child Care Fund negotiated by CUPW and by UPCE-PSAC in their respective collective agreements with Canada Post Corporation. The corporation provides the funding according to the amounts specified in the collective agreements. CUPW co-ordinates all the projects under the fund, including the Moving On Project, for both unions.

A description of the Child Care Fund can be found in Appendix L (CUPW Urban Operations Collective Agreement) and Appendix H (UPCE-PSAC Collective Agreement).