Call for Speakers at National Conference in Vancouver

Submission Deadline: February 1st, 2011

The Canadian Down Syndrome Society (CDSS) is Canada’s national voice for people with Down syndrome. We are a non-profit organization providing information, advocacy and education about Down syndrome. The CDSS supports self-advocates parents, families and professionals through all stages of an individual’s life.

Our Mission: To ensure equitable opportunities for all Canadians with Down syndrome. This means, to make sure all Canadians with Down syndrome have the right supports to give them the same opportunities as everyone else.

Our Vision: A proud Canada, where ALL are welcome, we embrace diversity and we value everyone’s genes equally.

CDSS 23rd National Conference: Vancouver, BC  May 20th – 22nd , 2011

We are looking for accomplished speakers willing to share their knowledge, experience and skills to a diverse group of delegates from across Canada. Delegates attending the conference will include people with Down syndrome, parents and family members, professionals and people who want to make a difference.

Types of Sessions

Sessions provided can focus on a wide range of topics and are not limited to:

• Social Justice
• Inclusion/Equity
• Community Living
• Advocacy
• Education
• Employment
• Early Intervention
• Dual Diagnosis
• Bioethics/Eugenics
• Family Relationships
• Health and Wellness

Concurrent speaker presentations will occur over the two day conference and are limited to 90 minutes in length. Your session should be designed to meet the requirements of the audience and will include practical and current information on your topic of expertise. Be prepared to fully explore your topic including application and implementation. The sessions are designed to share contemporary developments and best practice information.

Audience

Typical attendees of the annual CDSS Conference are families of children with Down syndrome, teens and adults with Down syndrome, siblings, educators, health care professionals, service providers and representatives from parallel organizations.

Submission Requirements

Speakers are invited to submit a detailed summary (maximum 500 words) of their presentation accompanied by a brief biography (maximum 250 words) before February 1st 2011. Summaries must identify major objectives and methods used during your session. Please identify the major conclusions that will be discussed as part of your presentation. Your submission must be sent by email or by mail. The title of the presentation along with the name and the complete contact information of the speaker should be clearly indicated. Plain language format for all speaker presentations would be preferred.

Send your submission to at the CDSS:
Mail: Canadian Down Syndrome Society, #283, 5005 Dalhousie Drive NW Calgary, AB  T3A 5R8

Once your submission is received, a confirmation will be sent to you stating your presentation is being considered.

• Incomplete submissions may not be accepted. Submissions from professionals, practitioners, family members and self-advocates will be favored over submissions from vendors.
• CDSS does not normally compensate speakers for presentations, however where required travel and hotel expenses will be compensated. If your submission is accepted these details will be discussed prior to your conference commitment.  
• All submissions will be reviewed by the CDSS conference committee. Session selection will be based on the presentation value to the delegates and the relevance to the CDSS mission and vision. Only successful submissions accepted by the conference committee will be contacted by March 1, 2011.

Questions about the CDSS Call for Speakers

Public Relations Manager
Telephone: 1-800-883-5608