Nicole Funk
Founder & Executive Director
Nicole believes that all individuals have intrinsic worth, and should be valued by their community. This belief became clear at an early age from a childhood which intersected at many levels with the lives of a number of people she knew with diverse abilities.
Her Auntie Nettie remains one of her greatest influences in this regard. As a young woman, Nettie was an early advocate for “people first” policies and language in Canada. Being defined as a person first was very important to Nettie, and she took the time when Nicole was a small girl to explain why it was so necessary for people to consider her as a person before considering her disability. “Label jars,” she would say, “not people”.
Nettie – along with two other advocates for individuals with diverse abilities from Manitoba – stood up to become a spokeswoman and thought leader in the field, and once had the opportunity to impress her views upon then-Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau at a conference in Ontario. Nicole is very proud of the work that her Aunt did to help bring change to the attitudes and language of that time, and is committed to Wellspring carrying on Nettie’s message and advocacy into the future.
In Nicole’s personal, familial, and professional realms, she has always embraced her natural tendency to connect and form bonds with others regardless of any perceived differences in ability. This inspired her to pursue full-time work in the field in 1993, first as a CSW and then as a respite carer and home-share provider. Over the years she gained an understanding of how to make joyful, positive differences in the lives of people around her, and today her passion is using her intuition and communication skills to help support her participants. Wellspring has grown to become adept at supporting participants who have the most complex care needs, and who may require sophisticated communication aids.
Today in her role as the Executive Director of Wellspring Support (which she founded in 2001) she often reflects on those early years as some of the most fulfilling of her professional career. She is forever grateful for the enrichment and growth they provided to her. The ‘lessons learned’, the years spent polishing best practices, and most importantly the fun adventures shared with participants are clearly evident in the organization she has created in Wellspring. Wellspring offers an atmosphere that is highly professional, welcoming, supportive, safe, fun and inclusive of all.
If you think that Nicole and her team could be an empowering wellspring of support for you or your loved one, then let’s talk.
Nicole Funk, Founder & Executive Director
