Since its inception in 2016, Makers Making Change Volunteers Have Built 10,000 Assistive Devices for Persons With Disabilities
BURNABY, October 16, 2023 – On October 12th, Neil Squire, the Canadian leader in assistive technology, and their initiative, officially marked 10,000 assistive devices made for persons with disabilities at a build event hosted in partnership with , an video game development studio. The event was the latest of several build-a-thons hosted at EA Vancouver over the years.
Over 40 participants, including Full Circle volunteers, as well as clinicians, and persons with disabilities worked in pairs at EA Vancouver to build and which will be donated to local children’s hospitals and rehab centres. The joysticks allow persons with disabilities to more easily use their phones, tablets, and computers, and can be used for Adapted Gaming.
“I’m tremendously proud of our team to have hit the 10,000 assistive device milestone. To see the explosion of interest in Makers Making Change and Neil Squire is just incredible. It’s an amazing model to get assistive technology to people who need it, and it’s a tough sector because if you try to commercialize in a more conventional way, the technology can get very expensive. This truly makes assistive technology more accessible to everyone,” said Gary Birch, Executive Director of Neil Squire.
“The Makers Making Change program offers an incredible opportunity for makers like Full Circle to see the impact accessible technology can have for persons with disabilities,” said Mike McCartney, Executive Producer at Full Circle. “We were honoured to partner with Neil Squire for this event and celebrate their 10,000th build together.”
“I’m passionate about video games and building a community around them. It saddens me to think that some miss out due to lack of accessibility tech. We’ve got the people here in BC to come up with the solutions, and Neil Squire, Makers Making Change, and the volunteers here really speak to that. We’ve got so much to be proud of, for your work in ensuring we don’t leave people behind. It’s so important,” said Brenda Bailey, the BC Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation.
This event is one of hundreds of similar Makers Making Change events happening across Canada through to the end of December as part of Neil Squire’s campaign. Hacking for the Holidays has a fundraising goal of $100,000 and the aim of building 2,000 toys, switches, and video game joysticks for children with disabilities.
Learn more about the Hacking for the Holidays campaign by visiting , or watching our .
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About Neil Squire
“We use Technology, Knowledge, and Passion to Empower Canadians with Disabilities.” Neil Squire, the Canadian leader in assistive technology, has been revolutionizing the lives of Canadians with disabilities since 1984. Our work is focused on four distinct areas: Innovation, Digital Literacy, Employment, and Assistive Technology. Our work enables people with disabilities to achieve their goals, reach their full potential and continue living life to the fullest.
About Makers Making Change
, an initiative launched by Neil Squire in 2016, leverages the capacity of community based Makers, Occupational Therapists and Volunteers to develop and deliver affordable Open Source Assistive Technologies.
For Media Inquiries:
Suzanne Wiens
Director of Communications, Neil Squire
1 877 673 4636
suzannew@neilsquire.ca