Sh0wtig3r Returns for Second Fundraiser Supporting Accessibility
Sh0wtig3r Returns for Second Fundraiser Supporting Accessibility
We are happy to announce that Sh0wtig3r continues to support Dreamscape Foundation and our cause to make life easier and more accessible for people with disabilities.
Sh0wtig3r is Back with Support!
You might remember Brianna Ritchie, better known to her Twitch community as Sh0wtig3r. She hosted a charity stream for Dreamscape Foundation this past May! Ritchie has been doing great in the past few months since we spoke to her. According to our updates, “Since the last time we spoke I have received a promotion at my office job which is helping my boyfriend and I get closer to our goal of moving back home to Vermont in Summer of 2022.” Brianna explains.
Brianna’s Favorite Holiday Traditions
As she gets ready for her first Giving Season fundraiser with us, we asked about her favorite parts of the holidays: “Since I am the youngest in my family, I was always peeking around during the holidays to find where my parents hid the gifts. It was always a blast brainstorming with my older siblings on where the new hiding place was and if the parents would catch us. In the end we never found where the gifts were hidden, probably because my parents knew we were looking for them, but it was always a good time just laughing.” We here at Dreamscape are guilty of gift hunts as well!
Round Two for Accessibility
Our good friend Brianna excitedly accepted our call for action due to our previous work and our mission statement. She quoted “I love working with Dreamscape not only because of the passion of the staff but also because of the mission statement. Dreamscape goes above and beyond to do everything they can to help get their message across including making great bonds with content creators by working together for a great cause. I enjoyed working with Dreamscape in the beginning of 2021 and I am excited to be working with them again with hopefully more to come in the future!”
Dreamscape is counting down the days for our collaboration! Her cheerfulness and creativity are an inspiration to everyone she interacts with. One of Brianna’s favorite memories from her 1st charity stream with Dreamscape was having to draw a goatee using an eyeliner on her face, and wearing it for the remainder of the stream! She made this one of her higher incentives – and her community made sure that no matter what, she was going to look silly for charity.
This time around, she has a few returning ideas from her last charity stream, “…googly eyes and of course eyeliner facial hair, but I look forward to sharing some of my secrets that I have up my sleeve. We will be streaming for 12 hours on December 4th and it is going to be jam packed with fun!”
A Big Thank You To All
Sh0wtig3r concluded our interview with a heartfelt message: “I just want to thank everybody for taking the time out of their day to help support Dreamscape in any way that they can. With it being the holiday’s even if you cannot physically donate which is more than okay, spreading the word helps just as much!”
Together with Sh0wtig3r, we Invite you to watch our Charity Stream on Saturday December 4,2021 at 3PM to 3AM EST. We hope to see you there as we attempt to reach our $500 donation goal!
« PreviousCombatNursing Targets Accessibility for Dreamscape’s Next Charity Stream
CombatNursing Targets Accessibility for Dreamscape’s Next Charity Stream
One glance at Twitch streamer CombatNursing’s handle, and you can likely guess its origins. The name reflects her past experience as a combat medic for the Army as well as her civilian career as a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) nurse. However, this carefully chosen name means more to CombatNursing than just her resume. It also holds a deeply personal meaning to its owner.
“It’s about making sure that I always acknowledge where I came from,” she said. “The people who trained me, the people I worked with, my patients, they really taught me a lot… They can show you how to survive.”
As a NICU nurse, CombatNursing witnessed firsthand just how resilient humans can be, even in their earliest moments of life.
“Things that you wouldn’t expect a little tiny human like that to be able to handle, they handle it. Watching them leave the NICU, and then years down the line come back for a reunion really teaches you resilience; resilience as a person and an inner strength that you might not know you have. So it’s a very personal and very important tag for me.”
CombatNursing Promotes Awareness and Support for Individuals with Disabilities
Dreamscape Foundation’s mission to help improve accessibility for individuals with disabilities is one that hits close to home for CombatNursing. She knows firsthand the impact that physical disabilities and mental health struggles can have on day-to-day life, and she actively advocates for assistance and resources to help improve the lives of those who struggle with them.
“My father’s a Vietnam veteran and is also a disabled veteran,” she said. “He was wounded in combat. My husband was injured while serving in Iraq. He suffers from PTSD, but he also has injuries that made him disabled. So working with organizations that make it a point to highlight disabilities, and that work for accessibility for the disabled – that is a big part of what I feel is necessary. I love to do charities to raise awareness.”
In the past, CombatNursing conducted charity streams to support Wounded Warrior Project, an organization that not only addresses mental health impacts on soldiers, but also provides support for those who become physically disabled due to injuries sustained while on duty. It’s a cause she is passionate about supporting. However, when she heard about Dreamscape Foundation, she found it to be an opportunity to extend that mission beyond just service members.
“Wounded Warrior Project is the military side, but there’s also a need for the civilian side, and so I felt like [Dreamscape] would be a perfect fit.”
CombatNursing’s Week-long Charity Event Begins in November
CombatNursing’s charity event to support Dreamscape Foundation will be held from November 1 to November 5. She will stream each day from 9:00pm to 7:30am EST. During that time, she will be playing Destiny 2 and Call of Duty: Warzone. Her goal is to raise $1,200 for our organization.
“I would love to see if we could pass the $1,200 goal, but if not, it’s a worthy goal to go after,” she said. “Hopefully we have people from all over the world come out and show support.”
Those who tune in can use their donations to win prizes, as well as trigger incentives or on-stream antics. To tune in, simply go to CombatNursing’s Twitch channel during the appointed dates and time.
« PreviousNext »C.A.B.S. Autism: Inspiring Motivation-Led Growth
C.A.B.S. Autism: Inspiring Motivation-Led Growth
The World Health Organization reports an estimated one in every 160 children have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), though that number has the potential to be higher. Currently, the prevalence of ASD in low- and middle-income countries remains unknown.
However, what we do know is that ASD presents itself in a myriad of ways, and that presentation varies tremendously from one individual to another. This diversity – or spectrum – makes every case unique. That’s Why CABS Autism and Behavioral Specialists provide individualized consultations and therapy services, whether it’s from home, at school, in a clinical setting, or even a community environment.
CABS uses Applied Behavioral Analysis, or ABA, in their one-on-one therapy sessions with their clients. In these sessions, they tune into what motivates the individual they’re working with to inspire engagement. By focusing on their client’s interests, they encourage communication and enriching interaction.
“Our approach is very child-led by their motivation,” said CABS’ Outreach and Development Coordinator Wendy Craven. “It’s not what we plan and set to do for the day necessarily. We identify what’s motivating them, and we go with that.”
CABS’ programs serve ASD clients ranging from the age of two to 26. While they create individualized goals catered to each individual, all treatment plans focus on creating a long-term quality of life while fostering a love for learning.
Led by a director who is a Board Certified Behavioral Analyst (BCBA), CABs prides itself on its strong foundation of qualifications and training. Each of their BCBAs possess an average of six years’ experience, and nearly half (43%) of their Registered Behavior Technicians (RBTs) are pursuing either their Master’s Degree or BCBA certification. That high level of talent is matched by its empathy and compassion.
“I always hear the staff supporting each other, helping each other or sharing ideas,” Craven said. “I hear the kids laughing and having fun. Nine times out of 10, our therapists typically will say the rewarding part of their jobs is who we work with. Seeing them learn and grow.”
CABs has locations and services available in Itasca, Illinois as well as two Georgia cities: Savannah and Rome.
ReAbility and the Necessity for Autism Resources Like CABS
CABs offers significant resources to those within the radius of their Illinois and Georgia locations. However, a medical study published in 2019 revealed sparse and uneven distribution of diagnostic resources for ASD within the U.S. The consequences of this leave many in need of services like CABS on lengthy waitlists or forces them to travel long distances to access the resources they need.
This challenge was brought to Dreamscape Foundation’s attention by Chris Myers, who is a parent of an autistic child. Together with him, we helped to create ReAbility, a search engine for individuals with disabilities that helps identify nearby resources, programs, and events based on their specific needs. While its reach is currently restricted to Tennessee, Dreamscape and Myers both aim to grow the website through partnerships with organizations like CABS in order to expand its usability across the U.S.
« PreviousNext »Autism Tennessee: Offering Support Across the Spectrum of Age and Autism
Autism Tennessee: Offering Support Across the Spectrum of Age and Autism
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), approximately 1 in 54 children within the U.S. have Autism Spectrum Disorder, or ASD. This disorder benefits greatly from early intervention, which expands the opportunities for healthy development. However, diagnosis is often the first step in a lifelong struggle that parents and individuals with ASD face when managing ASD’s impact on life and daily activities.
Autism is described as a spectrum, and individuals with ASD can fall anywhere across it. Because the disorder can manifest dramatically differently from one individual to the next, there is no “one size fits all” solution to support individuals with ASD and their families. It requires a customized approach, and services and resources aren’t always easy to find.
Enter Autism Tennessee: a Middle Tennessee-based non-profit organization dedicated to providing support, education, and advocacy to help families and individuals struggling with ASD.
“We want to meet you where you are in that moment and provide services and referrals that you’ll need for that,” said Autism Tennessee Executive Director Babs Tierno. “And then we’re always here for the next thing as well.”
Autism Tennessee offers empathy, assistance, and community for those navigating the gifts and challenges that come along with this unique diagnosis. The organization serves as a bridge to a wide array of resources, from psychologists and therapists, to daycares, summer camps, and support groups. What’s more, they are a community who often understands firsthand what those who reach to them are going through.
“The person on the other end of the helpline that is employed by Autism Tennessee is either a parent or professional,” Tierno said. “They’ve been in the shoes that you’re in in that moment when you make that phone call. They’ve been as desperate as you are, and so they have that compassionate shoulder aspect that a clinical or call center might not have.”
Their support line offers several ways to contact them, including phone, email, or text messaging. Like Dreamscape Foundation, Autism Tennessee aspires to make life more accessible. Their goal is to maximize the independence of individuals with ASD by helping them reach their maximum capacity. It’s a lifelong effort; one they’re willing to step in and assist no matter the person’s age or extent of their disability.
“[We’ll help] a child as young as six months old who’s not meeting developmental milestones all the way through assisted living,” Tierno assured. “Every step of the way, we assist families and individuals and caregivers.”
Resources Like Autism Tennessee and ReAbility Help Bridge the Gap
Dreamscape Foundation recently collaborated with a parent of an autistic child named Chris Myers to develop an online tool called ReAbility. Currently, this customizable search engine connects individuals based in Tennessee with resources specific to disabilities, including autism. However, the long-term goal is to expand its pool of resources across the entirety of the U.S.
Because its mission is so closely linked to Autism Tennessee’s, we asked Tierno to provide her input on why resources like ReAbility matter.
“Inclusion and finding what you need when you need it,” was her straightforward and honest reply. “Just the immediacy of being able to access what you need.”
Access is the pivotal hurdle that stands between many individuals with disabilities and the road to achieving a fulfilled life. To learn more about Autism Tennessee’s resources and their mission, visit their website. For more information about ReAbility, take a look at the “Help” tab on the tool’s website.
« PreviousNext »Dreamscape Foundation Engages in Community Outreach
Dreamscape Foundation Engages in Community Outreach
It’s reported that in January 2017, the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness estimated that nearly 24% of the 369,081 people experiencing homelessness consisted of individuals with disabilities who, by federal definition, were experiencing chronic homelessness. Sixty-nine percent of those disabled individuals were residing in areas without appropriate shelter (e.g., sidewalks, doorways, parks, encampments, inside cars, buses, abandoned buildings or under bridges) rather than in emergency shelters.
Our community here in Southwest Florida is no exception. Fort Myers, Florida served as an illustration of the statistics stated above. Before Centennial Park was fenced in, it was a haven and a home for many who were homeless who took shelter under the pavilion. Now their options continue to narrow as the city imposes further restrictions that bar the homeless from taking shelter in other areas, such as the local library or Lions Park.
As of June 2021, the city has yet to come up with an appropriate solution to help reduce the homeless population and create appropriate avenues for housing and assistance. However, there are some citizens who are finding ways to help. Among them are PJ Barber and his wife.
It began with an eight-week program called Alpha that offered up a safe space for conversation about life, spirituality and faith over a warm meal. Located at The Warehouse near downtown Fort Myers, word of a free meal entered the community, drawing in the homeless population. As their needs became apparent, Barber and his wife decided to shift gears. After the Alpha program ended, they created a new weekly event called Community Meal, which is held every Tuesday at The Warehouse at 7pm.
“At the Community Meal, we strive to make sure that the most vulnerable in our community have access to basic needs, such as food, clothing, and personal hygiene items, but we make sure to create a lasting relationship with the people we serve,” Barber explained. “We create an open community where all are welcome and we host open discussions where people are encouraged to speak freely and honestly about their lives so we can encourage and support them. This has created some amazing transformations in people’s lives by just creating a feeling of belonging and support from others. The Community Meal isn’t a hand-out. It’s truly a community that lifts people up and encourages change.”
Dreamscape Foundation supports this mission by donating funds to help purchase food and other basic necessities.
How Homelessness Connects to Dreamscape Foundation’s Mission
Dreamscape Foundation often focuses on ways to make the world more accessible for people with disabilities, particularly those with visual impairments. However, the core of our mission is rooted in helping to improve the lives of individuals whose disabilities limit their ability to live their lives fully, and that includes access fundamental needs, such as food, shelter, clothing, and hygiene items.
Mental disabilities, emotional disabilities, and physical disabilities are prevalent among the homeless population. By providing financial support to this program, we are able to help supply food and essential items for those in attendance. We are bridging the “accessibility gap” on a most basic, human level, and – in doing so – helping to foster hope, community, and support among those in our community who desperately need it.
« PreviousNext »How Accessibility Can Be Improved
How Accessibility Can Be Improved
How can accessibility be improved?
Here at Dreamscape Foundation, we emphasize the value of accessibility. We rally for accessibility so that public spaces will be more inclusive and safer for disabled individuals. Our mission is to uplift the lives of people with disabilities and the awareness of other people. Aside from donations for people with disabilities, the following will help improve accessibility in public and business areas:Perform an accessibility audit
We encourage business owners to conduct an accessibility audit within their premises. There are a lot of free accessibility resources for the disabled that they can use. This will paint a clearer picture of how inclusive their business is. Be sure to check that there are accessible means of getting into and around the property. It’s also a win-win situation for both the disabled individuals and the owner since accessibility paves the way for more customers.Allow entry of support dogs
Many disabled individuals in the United States rely on the help of their service dogs. This benefit is protected and mandated under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Under this law, privately owned businesses such as theaters, hotels, restaurants, concert halls, and more are required to allow entry of service animals.Accept other forms of identification
A lot of establishments nowadays consider driver’s licenses as the only form of identification. With many disabled individuals not allowed or physically incapable of securing one, this is quite limiting. Recognizing other forms of identification aside from a driver’s license will allow a disabled person to avail the services and goods he or she needs.Train employees to cater to disabled individuals
Aside from physical changes in the facilities and rules, businesses should also train their staff toward accessibility. The employees should know how to assist disabled individuals with their needs. This process will also promote awareness and acceptance of people with disabilities.How can we help the disabled?
Big or small, helping disabled individuals makes a big difference in their lives. A small contribution will add up to a more significant change. If you want to help people with disabilities, the following are the things you can do:Be better allies
Educating yourself and understanding the plight of disabled individuals is a great help. Although indirectly, informing yourself will help combat the stereotypes and discrimination that people with disabilities face.Always check accessibility
Regardless if you own a business or just hosting a gathering, make sure that the place and program are accessible for people with disabilities. Don’t be afraid to ask questions so you can make your place more inclusive and comfortable for people with disabilities.Support causes that help the disabled
Charities and organizations that support people with disabilities can make use of financial and moral support. You can make donations for people with disabilities or volunteer to their activities. All efforts made toward helping disabled people will uplift their lives in so many ways. True to this mission, Dreamscape Foundation provides accommodation for the disabled so that they can pursue fulfilling work and education. As a charity for people with disabilities, we provide aid for people with sensory impairments to improve their quality of life. Your contributions are funneled entirely to support our causes to make their lives easier. « PreviousNext »BillTheConquerer Takes Over Dreamscape’s Next Charity Stream
BillTheConquerer Takes Over Dreamscape’s Next Charity Stream
While Bill (AKA BillTheConquerer) is not new to the gaming world, he is however new to the world of Twitch. Bill has been streaming on Twitch for about 2 months now, and after only 4 days of streaming he was able to hit affiliate status. Which for those of you who are not as familiar with streaming, affiliate is a program within Twitch that helps streamers to get paid for their work. Bill has worked on 4 different startups in the gaming industry helping people make a career out of doing what they love. Using the skills he learned, he is able to help people better market their streams and turn it into a business that can actually turn them a profit they can support themselves off of.
A Long Time Gamer
Bill has been playing video games for years, but he does not consider himself a competitive gamer. He plays mostly for the joy of gaming. Bill says, people do not come to his stream to watch his skills, while he is a good gamer folks often come to socialize with him and ask him various questions about his stream or how to better their own stream. When asked what he enjoys most about streaming Bill says, he really enjoys the social aspect of streaming, and he appreciates the raw honesty of it all. The internet is a place where almost everything is either censored or filtered. It is nice to have a space where people can express emotion and interact with people in real time in a way that is unfiltered and unscripted. This kind of environment really allows you to see who people really are and how they react to situations that may arise.An Effort to Support Dreamscape
This Saturday Bill has graciously offered to partner with us for another charity stream! Bill is looking forward to the charity stream partnership with Dreamscape as it’s a chance to give back to the community that has given him so much. He feels he has been very blessed in his life, and streaming has been such a great opportunity for him, so why not use it to give back! What better way to do so than to raise funds to give a disabled man the tools he needs to regain his independence and freedom. But Bill and the Dreamscape Foundation put their heads together to come up with a way to give back to Bill’s community! All donors will receive a number of thank you prizes and be entered into our raffle drawing for Amazon Gift Cards! Based on a donation tier, the prizes are as follows: (please note all prizes ship US only)
- Tier 1 – $5:
- 1 Random Steam Key
- 1 Raffle entry to win a $50 Amazon gift card
- Tier 2 – $10:
- 1 Random Steam Key
- 1 Dreamscape T-Shirt
- 3 Raffle entries to win a $50 Amazon gift card
- Tier 3 – $20:
- 4 Random Steam Keys
- 1 Dreamscape T-Shirt
- 5 Raffle entries to win a $50 Amazon gift card
- Tier 4 – $50:
- 4 Random Steam Keys
- 1 Dreamscape T-Shirt
- 1 Aurora World Cat Plush Figures
- 5 Raffle entries to win a $50 Amazon gift card
- 2 Raffle entries to win a $100 Amazon gift card
- Tier 5 – $100:
- 4 Random Steam Keys
- 1 Dreamscape T-Shirt
- 1 Aurora World Cat Plush Figures
- 1 Mystery FunkoPOP!
- 5 Raffle entries to win a $50 Amazon gift card
- 6 Raffle entries to win a $100 Amazon gift card
- Tier 6 – $250:
- 4 Random Steam Keys
- 1 Dreamscape T-Shirt
- 1 Aurora World Cat Plush Figures
- 1 Mystery FunkoPOP!
- 1 Faux Fur Weighted Blanket
- 5 Raffle entries to win a $50 Amazon gift card
- 10 Raffle entries to win a $100 Amazon gift card
- A featured article on our Blog Page
HiveQueen Takes the Throne in Dreamscape Foundation’s Next Charity Stream
HiveQueen Takes the Throne in Dreamscape Foundation’s Next Charity Stream
For Robin (HiveQueen) streaming isn’t just a hobby or a way to pass the time. It became a way to cope and adjust to a new environment. 3 years ago Robin moved from her home in west Canada to South Korea with her husband in search of new opportunities. After finding herself struggling to make friends in her new home, her husband suggested she try streaming. Robin has always enjoyed playing video games, so it seemed like a great way to meet new people with common interests while also doing something she enjoys.
The Hard Working Bee
Robin has now been streaming in her spare time for the last 3 years. When Robin is not streaming, she is working at her full-time job as a teacher, or enjoying some quality “me” time. When asked what she enjoys most about streaming, Robin says that over the years her favorite part about streaming has always been getting to meet new people and build relationships with them. Twitch is all about coming together with people from all walks of life to share in their common interests, whether that be gaming or whatever you choose to stream about. Another really great thing about streaming Robin says, is the ability to help and give back.Over the years, my favorite part about streaming has always been getting to meet new people and build relationships with them.Growing up she loved to get involved with charity events in her community, but as she got older she found it increasingly more difficult to find the time to give back. Once she learned about charity streams as a way to give back, she was more than excited to take this opportunity to help. By using the connections, she has made over the years within the streaming community, she has been able to do multiple charity streams and raise not only money but also awareness for some very important causes. One thing that she wants people to know when they are watching her charity streams is that, even if you can’t afford to contribute financially, Robin makes sure everyone knows that their presence is support enough! Just by spreading the word and showing support in any way you can, you are making a difference.
Dreamscape and HiveQueen_
On Saturday February 29th beginning at 2pm (EST) Robin will be partnering with The Dreamscape Foundation to help raise funds and awareness to help get multiple visually impaired people the assistive technology they need to take back their lives! A quick message that she has for those within the disabled community… “you are not forgotten, there are so many people who will be coming together for this event and for them! If you are feeling alone or just horrible about something you have gone through, remember you are loved and cared for. You are not alone and there are people who have your back!” With giving back in mind, Robin and the Dreamscape Team put their heads together to come up with amazing prizes and giveaways as a way to say thank you to all those who donate and support the event. Based on a tier donation system, your donations will award you a number of different gifts you are sure to love! Don’t believe me? Check it out for yourself:
(please note, all prizes ship US only)
- Tier 1 – $5:
- 1 Random Steam Key
- 1 Raffle entry to win a $50 Amazon gift card
- Tier 2 – $10:
- 1 Random Steam Key
- 1 Dreamscape T-Shirt
- 3 Raffle entries to win a $50 Amazon gift card
- Tier 3 – $20:
- 4 Random Steam Keys
- 1 Dreamscape T-Shirt
- 5 Raffle entries to win a $50 Amazon gift card
- Tier 4 – $50:
- 4 Random Steam Keys
- 1 Dreamscape T-Shirt
- 1 Fornite 7” Llama Loot Plush
- 5 Raffle entries to win a $50 Amazon gift card
- 2 Raffle entries to win a $100 Amazon gift card
- Tier 5 – $100:
- 4 Random Steam Keys
- 1 Dreamscape T-Shirt
- 1 Fornite 7” Llama Loot Plush
- 1 Mystery Funko Pop
- 5 Raffle entries to win a $50 Amazon gift card
- 6 Raffle entries to win a $100 Amazon gift card
- Tier 6 – $250:
- 4 Random Steam Keys
- 1 Dreamscape T-Shirt
- 1 Fornite 7” Llama Loot Plush
- 1 Mystery Funko Pop
- 1 World of Warcraft Official Cookbook
- 5 Raffle entries to win a $50 Amazon gift card
- 10 Raffle entries to win a $100 Amazon gift card
- A featured article on our Blog Page
Phenom People: Helping 1 Billion People Find the Right Job
Phenom People: Helping 1 Billion People Find the Right Job
Have you ever taken a new job only to realize a few months in it wasn’t for you? Or maybe you felt you could be doing more? Either way, you are most certainly not alone. Today, more and more employees are moving from job to job and always looking for another. But why is that? The simplest reason, there is a big difference between “a job” and “the right job”. That is why the brilliant team at Phenom People are on a mission to help 1 billion people find the job that is right for them! By redefining how employers search for candidates and making accessibility a top priority ensures no candidate is overlooked or left at a disadvantage. So let’s take a deeper look at who they are and their recent collaboration with the Dreamscape Foundation to advocate for accessibility standards.
Phenom People on a Phenom Mission
Phenom People believes everyone should be happy and inspired by their jobs. As the old saying goes, if you love what you do, you won’t work a day in your life. This belief is the driving point behind their goal of helping 1 billion people find the best-fit job for them. In working towards their goal, they have revolutionized the talent search journey with their one of a kind Talent Experience Management Platforms. The Phenom TXM Platform makes it is easier than ever for employers to find the right candidate the first time around. The platform allows employers to track and manage the entire talent search journey from start to finish. This includes the candidate, employee, recruiter and management pipelines. Candidates will receive best-fit recommendations, be able to track their application status, contact recruiters, and apply for jobs through their own personalized portal. Once hired, keeping employees can be just as or even more important than finding candidates. When considering the time and costs associated with finding, hiring, and training a new employee, it is often smarter to keep it in the family, so to speak. With the Employee Experience platform, employees can be notified of new job openings within a company. Taking it a step further, they can also use this platform to submit applications for the positions, making it easier for ambitious employees to improve their career without leaving their company. Recruiters have the most important job in the talent search process. From sorting through and determining which candidates are the best fit, to keeping those candidates interested and motivated to work for your company. Sending out updates, checking in with candidates, marketing events, and so on can become tedious and time consuming. But it doesn’t have to be! Phenom’s Recruiter Experience platform allows recruiters to narrow their candidate search, organize and store candidate information, set up automated messaging and more. With the increased efficiency, recruiters can focus more of their time searching for top talent. But efficiency doesn’t come from personal output alone. In order to improve methods you need to track and determine what is and isn’t working in a business. The Management Experience platform helps you do just that. Using real-time date for reporting and analytics, you will always be up to date with the current status of your company. What makes these platforms even more appealing is their ability to be customized and integrated into your current systems and business process. Compatible with 60+ Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), 50+ Human Capital Management systems (HCM), and 100+ Job Boards, your business won’t miss a thing.Phenom Access & the Importance of Accessibility Standards
Last October, Phenom People attended the 2019 HR Technology Conference in Las Vegas to announce Phenom Access. Phenom Access is a set of features designed to help HR, HRIS and compliance teams more easily support assistive technologies and meet WCAG 2.0 Compliance Standards on all corporate sites. WCAG 2.0 Standards are guidelines set to make websites more compatible for people with disabilities who rely on assistive technology to navigate the site. WCAG is comprised of 4 key principles representing how digital elements are: Perceived, Operated, Understood, and Robustness (POUR). To help spread awareness they reached out and partnered with the Dreamscape Foundation; an organization committed to accessibility and the disabled community. The Phenom team then set up an accessibility themed booth to advocate for the importance of accessibility standards. Taking it even further, they pledged $1 to the Dreamscape Foundation in the name of each attendee who visited the booth and spoke to the team about accessible design and WCAG compliance. In total, Phenom People raised an incredible $1,000 to support the Dreamscape Foundation and those they serve! All of us at the Dreamscape Foundation were honored by their commitment and support! When Phenom Access was first introduced, we knew it was something we could proudly support and that had the potential of impacting millions. To show you just how necessary it is to improve accessible design, Phenom People conducted a study of WCAG compliance in the Fortune 100 companies. In the study they found only 11 met all 6 common accessibility standards. Out of the 89 that failed to meet all 6, 46 of them didn’t even meet half! These numbers are astounding and when considering the size of these companies it is hard to imagine how smaller companies with less resources could manage.Phenom People Take Philly
Lined up to be the largest year to date, the I Am Phenom Conference is coming back to Philadelphia! Whether you are an employer or dedicated employee, the I Am Phenom Conference is a must. Complete with technology training, informative and motivational speakers, meditation seminars, and more there is something for everyone to learn. Located at the Philadelphia 201 Hotel from Tuesday March 3rd to Thursday March 5th, registration is now open! Be sure to use code DREAMSCAPEFOUNDATION or our direct link for 25% off! With a goal of making this the largest conference around, Phenom People are pulling out all the stops. Offering a complete training day with a full schedule of training sessions and countless special guest speakers. So if you or the company you work for is looking for a way to bring your staff together as a team while strengthening their skills, I AM PHENOM is perfect opportunity! We cannot thank Phenom People enough for all they have done for the Dreamscape Foundation and all they continue to do for the workforce and disabled community overall! They have an incredibly passionate and experienced staff who we look forward to working with again in the future! Written By: Nicholas Sibilia « PreviousNext »It’s Party Time with BalenaProductions’ 5th Annual Charity Stream
It’s Party Time with BalenaProductions’ 5th Annual Charity Stream
BalenaProductions is back and ready for their 5th annual Dreamscape Foundation charity stream event! After crushing last year’s goal, Steve (Balena), Ron (Rigg3l), and Ted (ApocHedgie) are ready to make an even bigger impact this time around. Starting at 8pm (EST) on Sunday December 15th the team will be raising money for Toys for Tots and Friends of Foster Children Forever. With a whole lot planned, plus prizes and giveaways, it’s sure to be an all-out party….Mario Party that is!
Let’s Meet the Team
All long time gamers and friends, Steve, Ron, and Ted all got started on Twitch streaming their playthroughs of games. But what keeps them there today is all the possibilities a stream holds. Steve (Balena) being a natural foodie at heart, loves chatting with his viewers and having deep, heart felt conversation about food. While Ron (Rigg3l) on the other hand tends to go a little past just chatting in his streams. When asked about his favorite stream activities he had this to say, “Either playing competitive games or just playing rage inducing games and yelling about them”. Definitely on the competitive side, Ron keeps his things interesting but it’s always in good fun. Ted (ApocHedgie) is a multiplayer kind of guy. Whether it’s hosting a server for a bunch of friends or just playing in a big group, Ted loves the social aspect of gaming. Aside from playing big group games, Ted also lets his viewers who donate choose his next game. Which isn’t always a good thing for him! “I love when people donate to make me play whatever game they want, most of the time they make me play horrible things that shouldn’t even exist, but sometimes you get a nice guy who just wants you to play something good for once”, said Ted. Lucky for Ted, during the stream the guys will be playing Mario Party on Gamecube. Playing as DK (Steve), Wario (Ron), and Waluigi (Ted) to battle it out for that first place win, things are bound to get heated!How the Gang Got Together
Steve and Ron first met way back in the 4th grade and have been friends ever since. Together they started their own Youtube channel (BalenaProductions) and began making videos. Using animations and voiceovers of their favorite characters, primarily Sonic the Hedgehog, they created dozens of short clips for fun. As their channel grew and grew, they knew they needed to step up their content. Steve set out trying to find some new animations and mods, and in 2012 met Ted. As Ted put it, “he had some high quality standards for videos”, but once Steve saw what he could do, they began working together on some videos. While working on the videos, they started becoming friends more than colleagues. Eventually, Steve introduced Ted to Ron and the rest of their friends. At that time, Steve and Ron had switched from making episodes of their popular Youtube show Pixel Brains and began streaming them live on Twitch. According to Ted, “when they started doing PixelBrains streams instead of episodes, I was occasionally invited (more and more) to co-host with them”. They had a blast streaming together, and “since then Ted has been a very regular guest on Pixel Brains” said Ron. Fast forward 7 plus years later and the group is still going strong!Every Little Bit Helps
We all know there are people out there who are not as fortunate as some of us. The right thing to do is help out when you can to give them hope and a chance at changing things for the better. This is just another thought these friends have in common. Over the years, Steve has partnered with the Dreamscape Foundation and other nonprofits time and time again. This year, in the 5th annual Dreamscape stream he is looking forward to lending a helping hand while having a ton of fun. As a charity stream veteran, he had a message for other streamers thinking of giving it a shot, saying “Every little bit helps”! This simple sentence has some powerful meaning. Too many times streamers are afraid their stream won’t raise enough to matter. But it isn’t all about the amount raised! Spreading the word and educating people on the cause you’re supporting is enough in itself. Alongside Steve in past Dreamscape charity streams, Ron is a big supporter of volunteering as well. While most of his work has been in support of the Dreamscape Foundation, he has also gone outside the realm of e-based volunteering. When he was still in school, Ron had the opportunity to take part in helping out his local community. He and a group worked to help clean up trash and litter in parks around their area. Now ready for the next charity stream Ron had some final words to share, “Never stop believing in yourself. Each day brings new challenges, try your best to overcome them and never be afraid to ask for help along the way”! Despite what life throws at you, there is always hope and a way to overcome the obstacles. Similarly to his partners, Ted has been a constant supporter and volunteer for the Dreamscape Foundation charity streams. But before they began streaming, he still did his fair share to give back. He knows how important local organizations and their programs are to the communities they serve. Their only purpose is to help those who need it, but without outside support they won’t get much accomplished. That’s why Ted has volunteered multiple times to help local charities with anything he could. From shipping and receiving, to freshness tracking of food items, he was up for anything they needed him to do. Going into this year’s charity stream, he is looking forward to not only helping those in need, but being a role model to other streamers looking to do the same. It’s not hard to do, “just get out there and do it! Find a charity you like, advertise as best you can and try to raise some money and awareness for your favorite charity! Every bit counts, so don’t get discouraged if you can’t raise a million bucks”!The 5th Annual Dreamscape Charity Stream
Keeping the tradition alive for the 5th consecutive year, Balena Productions is back at it again! Coming together to support the Salvation Army’s Toys for Tots and Friends of Foster Children Forever, they are looking to demolish last year’s results. Prizes, giveaways, and great games are on deck for this event with an epic Mario Party battle being the forefront. The smack talking has already begun with Ted feeling real confident in his Waluigi skills and getting Ron as flustered as possible after each win! Will Ron make Ted eat those words? Or will Steve, keeping quiet, come out and surprise them both. To find out and see all the other fun ideas they have planned, make sure you tune in this Sunday December 15th beginning at 8pm! (Click here to visit our Tiltify.com page) But having fun and playing games isn’t all! All those who donate will receive a thank you gift and raffle entries for a chance to win 1 of 2 Grand Prizes. Please see below for the giveaway breakdown: (please note, all prizes ship US only)
- Tier 1 – $5:
- 1 Random Steam Key
- 1 Raffle entry to win a $50 Amazon gift card
- Tier 2 – $10:
- 1 Random Steam Key
- 1 Dreamscape T-Shirt
- 3 Raffle entries to win a $50 Amazon gift card
- Tier 3 – $20:
- 4 Random Steam Keys
- 1 Dreamscape T-Shirt
- 5 Raffle entries to win a $50 Amazon gift card
- Tier 4 – $50:
- 4 Random Steam Keys
- 1 Dreamscape T-Shirt
- 1 $10 Nintendo eShop Gift Card
- 5 Raffle entries to win a $50 Amazon gift card
- 5 Raffle entries to win a $100 Amazon gift card
- Tier 5 – $100:
- 4 Random Steam Keys
- 1 Dreamscape T-Shirt
- 1 $10 Nintendo eShop Gift Card
- 1 Mystery Funko Pop
- 5 Raffle entries to win a $50 Amazon gift card
- 10 Raffle entries to win a $100 Amazon gift card
- Tier 6 – $250:
- 4 Random Steam Keys
- 1 Dreamscape T-Shirt
- 1 $10 Nintendo eShop Gift Card
- 1 Mystery Funko Pop
- 1 Nintendo Switch Joy-Con 4 in 1 Charging Station
- 5 Raffle entries to win a $50 Amazon gift card
- 20 Raffle entries to win a $100 Amazon gift card
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