Jasvir and WCG transcript

Jasvir: My name is Jasvir Banwait. I came to Canada in 2005. When I was eight months old, I got hit on my head. I got sick after that, then never walked. I used to feel really helpless. My friends, they used to carry me on their back and take me to school every day. In the summertime, I had to walk on my hands. I used to worry about when the sun is going to come out. It's going burn my hands again. I used to get blisters on my hands and then I had no skin there. Yeah, those were really difficult times. In India my friends, they used to come to me. We used to sit down at my shop and talk the whole day. So when we came here, nobody was really there to talk to you. But when I met my wife in 2012, she asked me, 'so if we are going to get married, you have to work!' We got married in 2013. Then I started looking for work. They suggested to me to go meet at The Bennett Edge.

Mike: My name is Mike Bennett. I own a company called The Bennett Edge. And we’re a service provider here in the Peel region. We’re a specialised service provider, so our focus is to work primarily with persons with disabilities. Key services would be to assist individuals with both obtaining and maintaining, competitive based employment. Individuals with disabilities oftentimes require a little bit more support, and our job is to ensure that that support is there for them. When I first met Jasvir, one of the things that I noticed was, he was really down. So it was a lot of working with Jasvir to say, dude you got this. You can do this. Look at you, you’ve got this, you’ve got that. You’re making me laugh. You’re an incredible communicator. And it was over time, that we were able to actually pull those things out.

Jasvir: I work at the Pearson Airport. I work at the departure level directing passengers to different airlines. I see thousands of passengers everyday. I talk to them, I throw joke at them. I feel quite comfortable talking to people.

Mike: You know, when I retire and I have to think about some of the successes, and there’s so many, you know, but one of the ones that will stand our is Jasvir. And I think the reason for that is because I’ve just watched such an incredible man grow, and such a kind hearted, sincere, loving father, husband.

Jasvir: My wife, she’s the one who is pushing me for the things that I can do. Even like, I start driving. So that’s why I should get a van. And I drive now. If somebody said 'You can do that'. That is enough for the support .