After experiencing his own struggles in education as a child with ADHD, Patrick Fowler grew up with an interest in helping those like him. Douglas College’s Diploma in Classroom and Community Support program gave Patrick a chance to support adults with disabilities at Community Ventures Society.

By Maggie Clark, Marketing and Communications 

Growing up with undiagnosed ADHD, a neurodevelopmental disorder, Patrick Fowler found it difficult to stay engaged in school. The topics held no appeal, and he didn’t have a strong personal connection with his teachers. Without any motivation to continue studying, he found himself spending more time in hallways and around the school than in classrooms, repeating at least two grades in the process. It was an experience that left him wanting to pursue teaching, thinking there must be a better way to educate kids like himself. 

But Patrick found himself drawn to his other interests, from the thrill of producing photojournalism, chasing news stories and more. He went from shooting photos for a local B.C. newspaper to working as a City Hall reporter to eventually starting an airline with a partner. These experiences gave Patrick the opportunity to travel, heading to Tuktoyaktuk in the Arctic by icebreaker and reporting on war-torn cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina.  

For Patrick, these seemingly diverse moments all shared one common detail – they allowed him to connect with others. 

“All of the work I’ve done has been related to people in some way,” says Patrick. “Whether it’s been telling someone’s story or managing an airline, I’ve had to work with others to make it happen. These experiences have shaped how I work, allowing me to learn how to give people a voice for their stories and adapt to their needs.” 

This strong people-centric focus is what brought Patrick back to his first passion. Curious about how he could advocate for others with neurodivergent traits like himself, he enrolled in Douglas College’s Classroom and Community Support program, leading him to a successful uplifting career in advocacy. 

Discovering the joys of accessibility in education 

By the time Patrick had decided to apply to Douglas, he’d been formally diagnosed with ADHD. This diagnosis made him realize that the traditional schooling model wasn’t a fit for him. 

“I’ve realized that not everybody learns in a linear fashion,” says Patrick. “The way I was taught, where we had to memorize and then reiterate material, didn’t work for me.” 

Patrick realized he needed a program that would accept and accommodate his need for more dynamic learning methods and treat him as an equal. That’s exactly what he found at Douglas.   

“Compared to my time in school as a kid, going to Douglas was like night and day,” says Patrick. “I really enjoyed the interactions I had with my instructors there. They made me feel like I was more than just another student. They respected my thoughts, opinions and experiences. Now, many of them are my peers who I remain in touch with. I’ve even come back to Douglas as a guest speaker.” 

Motivated to get the most out of his time at Douglas, Patrick was more willing than ever to dedicate his time and effort to the program’s two practicums. 

When the first practicum placed him at an elementary school, Patrick found it easy to bond with the children, including ones that had a hard time connecting with others. It strengthened his interest in teaching children, but it was his second practicum that made him shift focus. Placed at an adult day program alongside a mentor, Patrick often took to getting into lively debates with the mentor on a variety of disability topics. 

“As we debated, I learned my mentor started out in the ’70s where individuals that I worked with in the day program would have been institutionalized,” says Patrick. “Today, these people are artists, musicians and part of the fabric of the community. They aren’t put away in a box. I love that. But we’re not done. There is still more advocating to do. Many places are still not as accessible as they could be. It’s why I consider it my role to advocate for adults like that.” 

Making life more accessible for others 

His newfound zest for assisting adults with finding the accessibility support they deserve led Patrick to Community Ventures Society, an organization dedicated to supporting children and adults with developmental disabilities, as well as their families. It only added to his interest when the organization offered to pay for his final term at Douglas. That turned out to be a rewarding experience for both parties, with Patrick finding the work fulfilling enough to stay on with the organization. 

Now, he uses the knowledge and insight from his program to oversee a team of support workers, assisting 14 individuals with differing accessibility needs so they can enjoy recreational activities and more at their own pace. Recently, he even advocated for more comfortable lifts in the organization’s washrooms. Along with several other Douglas College graduates who also work at CVS, Patrick dedicates himself to enhancing the quality of life for the individuals he serves. 

“I’m just so happy that there is something that I’ve been able to do to affect change for the better for the folks we support,” says Patrick. “Douglas really prepared me for this work. It helps that the program I took there doesn’t just focus on schools but also on community, inclusivity, business and life skills, group homes, personal care and even the history of disability support. It’s made me more aware of how to incorporate accessibility into my everyday life and has given me the tools to give adults with disabilities the dignity and support they deserve in life.”

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Interested in the Diploma in Classroom and Community Support at Douglas College? Visit our website to learn more: douglascollege.ca/program/dpccs.