SUMMERLAND — Malcolm Tietjen, 24, has come to the Okanagan to discover his passion. From picking, packing and selling, the 24-year-old man is learning what it takes to be a farmer.
At first glance it’s hard to tell that Tietjen is living with cerebral palsy since he doesn’t need walking aids.
Cerebral palsy is a life-long condition that’s caused by brain damage during pregnancy or shortly after birth, affecting a person’s mobility.
Tietjen wants to showcase his abilities rather than disabilities.
“It’s a little bit hard balancing, but I can do most stuff,” says Tietjen.
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He’s found work at a farm called Carajou, where the owners have encouraged him to find his strengths.
His dad, Gordon Tietjen, is thankful his son is getting this experience but believes there needs to be more opportunities for others like his son.
“I’d just like to see more programming available for individuals leading towards meaningful employment. Actual vocational skills training opportunities for these people so they can learn what they can do,” says the dad.
Penticton and District Society for Community Living (PDSCL) does just that. The organization helps people with physical and developmental disabilities find employment and housing.
“People with disabilities generally make good employees: they contribute to the workforce, they contribute to the owner’s profit. They’re not a drain on resources, that’s a stigma that needs to be overcome,” says PDSCL executive director Tony Laing.
Laing believes the public may perceive people with disabilities as requiring assistance but says the stereotype is simply not true.
“I think our generation is trying to claim their place in society that we are citizens and we are people who want to contribute,” he says.
That’s exactly what Tietjen is striving to doing: contributing.
With his green thumb, he knows he enjoys farming and is grateful he’s getting the chance to try things out.
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