Disability Employment Awareness Month (DEAM)
The month of October is Disability Employment Awareness Month. The purpose of DEAM is to promote the employment of people with disabilities and to recognize and celebrate the contributions employees with disabilities make to the workforce. It's also an opportunity for businesses and organizations to take proactive steps in ensuring their workplaces are accessible and inclusive.
During this past month, InclusionNL was extremely busy with DEAM related activities. We were very active on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, spotlighting our business partners’ commitment to disability employment and encouraging all to get involved during the month with DEAM ideas of the week.
We had several media interviews including CBC Newfoundland Morning Show with Bernice Hillier and Martin Jones, and appeared on Out of the Fog with Lynn Hammond. We also offered personal development training to staff at Eastern Health and Memorial University on creating accessible places, practices, & processes for people with disabilities within the workplace and business.
Not only did we participate in events within our province this month, but also was involved in national events including an Atlantic Canada dialogue to influence the Pan Canadian Strategy for Disability and Work, and participated on a panel with Heritage Canada to discuss the Accessible Canada Act.
Let us continue to recognize disability employment awareness the rest of the year as well! We must not forget the importance of incorporating accessibility and inclusion of people with disabilities within our business and organizational policies, practices and procedures - inclusion for everyone makes business sense.
