VRAIE-IDEA

Thank you to our speakers, facilitators, partners, volunteers, accessibility providers, and attendees for bringing your expertise, perspectives, and lived experiences to the conversation. What was your biggest takeaway from Day 1? Share it in the comments. #IDEA4DYSymposium2026

A new live workshop has been added exclusively for virtual attendees at our symposium next week! Join Emile Tompa, Rebecca Gewurtz & Alec Farquhar for an interactive workshop titled “Beyond Accommodation: Unlocking Talent Through Inclusive Design." Register now: vraie-idea.ca/idea-4dy-sym...

🎤 Youth Voices on Barriers and Facilitators to Work - What helps youth with disabilities succeed in the workplace? Join us for a panel discussion featuring students and emerging professionals sharing their insights on disability-inclusive employment. Register now: vraie-idea.ca/idea-4dy-sym...

Explore our IDEA Lightning Talks at the symposium next week! Join us for a series of fast-paced presentations showcasing practical tools, resources, and emerging work from IDEA and the For Diverse Youth (4DY) initiative. Learn more and register now: vraie-idea.ca/idea-4dy-sym...

🌟 Staff Spotlight: Douglas Waxman Douglas is a researcher, policy analyst, lawyer, and educator specializing in disability policy, and inclusive employment practice. He is a Research Officer at IDEA, connecting research, policy and practice. Learn more about Douglas : vraie-idea.ca/profiles/dou...

Our symposium is one week away! Join Dilshan Fernando, Peter Field, Matt Freeman and Andy Livingston for an interactive workshop where participants tackle real-world barriers that make disability disclosure and accommodation difficult. Register now: vraie-idea.ca/idea-4dy-sym...

💜💙 Tonight, communities across Canada will light up in purple and blue for Light It Up! For #NDEAM, to recognize the contributions of persons with disabilities in workplaces and communities across the country. Find out about participating locations in your city: www.odenetwork.com/initiatives/...

What does it take to close the gap between disability talent and workforce opportunity? Join our #IDEA4DYSymposium2026 Fireside Chat with disability inclusion, labour, and business leaders exploring practical solutions for more inclusive workplaces. 🔗 vraie-idea.ca/idea-4dy-symposium-2026

⚡ More lightning talk speakers announced for #IDEA4DYSymposium2026! Leaders from Live Work Play, Health Canada, Toro Aluminum, York Catholic District School Board, Mentor Canada, and Diversity Institute will share practical strategies for more inclusive workplaces. 🔗: vraie-idea.ca/idea-4dy-sym...

We’re pleased to welcome Raf Khan of EMC. With 25+ years of experience in workforce development and talent strategy, Raf helps manufacturers build inclusive workplaces and adapt to changing workforce needs. Register today: vraie-idea.ca/idea-4dy-sym...

🔦 Student Researcher Spotlight: Meet Rafiq Omair, Research Assistant with IDEA 4DY. Rafiq supports research on disability-inclusive employment, accessibility, and workforce development. Learn more about Rafiq and his work: vraie-idea.ca/profiles/raf...

📢 Registration is open for the Disability and Work in Canada Conference 2026. This year’s theme "Untapped Talent: Fixing the Disconnect Between Disability Talent and Workforce Needs,” explores how disability inclusion supports stronger workplaces, and innovation. vraie-idea.ca/2026-dwc-con...

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (#NDEAM)! 💜 Inclusive workplaces are built through collaboration among employers, workers, community partners, researchers and people with lived experiences. Register now and join our symposium: vraie-idea.ca/idea-4dy-sym...

2026 Symposium Lightning Talks will spotlight emerging insights and real-world strategies from leaders working to advance accessibility, inclusion, and workforce participation. Here is the line up for Day 1. 🔗 Learn more and register for virtual access: vraie-idea.ca/idea-4dy-sym...

Mentor Canada is planning the 2026 Canadian Mentoring Summit. Join mentoring practitioners, researchers, youth-serving organizations, and leaders from across Canada to share insights, strengthen programs, and expand mentoring opportunities for young people. mentorcanada.ca/en/2026-cana...

We welcome Tammy Morris as keynote speaker at our upcoming symposium! The event brings the perspectives of employers, labour representatives, and community organizations to share practical, innovative approaches to designing accessible, inclusive workplaces. Register: vraie-idea.ca/idea-4dy-sym...

Policies and legislation provide an important foundation, but creating accessible workplaces requires action at every level. In this episode, Carmine Tiano discusses how we can all build workplaces where everyone can contribute and succeed. 🎧 Listen now: vraie-idea.ca/resources/po...

Last week, our IDEA 4DY team joined the Youth Employment Services (YES) Inclusive Job Fair in Scarborough! We connected with young people, heard about their goals and aspirations, and their journeys into the world of work. Big thank you to the YES team for creating a welcoming space for connection.

📢 We're excited to welcome Valerie Vanderwyk, Executive Director of Indigenous Skills, Employment, Apprenticeship and Development (ISEAD), as a keynote speaker at this year's Symposium titled Inclusion is the Future of Work. Learn more and register: vraie-idea.ca/idea-4dy-sym...

We're thrilled to welcome Bilan Arte and Sharon McCarry as our Day Two hosts for the IDEA 4DY Symposium! Together, they'll guide the symposium participants through hands-on learning and practices in building inclusive workplace systems. Learn more and register: vraie-idea.ca/idea-4dy-sym...

Tune in as Stuart Simpson and other apprenticeship experts speak about the importance of a culture of trust, inclusion, and psychological safety to build confidence, strengthen skills, and support long-term success in the skilled trades. 🎧 Listen now: vraie-idea.ca/resources/po...

🔦 Student Researcher Spotlight: Meet Taseen Islam Taseen is contributing to the IDEA 4DY initiative by researching barriers and promising practices for youth with disabilities, contributing to more inclusive employment pathways. Learn more about Taseen's work: vraie-idea.ca/profiles/tas...

Episode 3 is out now! Listen as Valerie Vanderwyk, Carmine Tiano, Josh Ivany and Stuart Simpson explore how apprenticeship systems can better support neurodivergent youth, youth with intellectual disabilities and youth navigating mental health challenges. 🎧 Listen now: vraie-idea.ca/resources/po...

Join us next week for the final session in a three-part Lunch & Learn series with the Ontario Disability Employment Network. We'll share evidence-based resources and gather feedback on its impact. ASL is provided. Register today: ontariodisabilityemploymentnetwork15.wildapricot.org/event-6684796

🎉 Congratulations to Dr. Ashvene Sureshkumar on completing her PhD! 🎓 Her research explored online mindfulness-based interventions for persons living with MS in Canada, advancing our understanding of accessible and equitable systems. We’re proud of her achievement! 👏

Coming up on Thursday: Episode 3 of the IDEA | 4DY Podcast Series! In our upcoming episode, Stuart Simpson shares promising practices from his work training diverse youth in the sheet metal trades. Subscribe to our mailing list to get notified when the new ep. drops! vraie-idea.ca/join-our-com... 👀

🎧 In the latest episode of the IDEA | 4DY Podcast Series, Andrew Dixon shares how the Nine Domains framework can help build better and more inclusive workplaces by design, not by chance. Listen now: vraie-idea.ca/resources/po...

As hiring season is coming up around the corner, are you recruiting and hiring with disability inclusion in mind? Our Designing Disability-Inclusive Career Fairs guide provides actionable recommendations. Download the guide and start planning: 🔗 www.vraie-idea.ca/resources/re...

Looking to grow your team? 📣 YES is hosting its Fall 2026 Inclusive Job Fair on Sept. 24, connecting employers with diverse, pre-screened and job-ready candidates. Includes a free Employer Learning Lunch and Sensory-Friendly Hour. Register: form.jotform.com/262215516520...

Tune in as Dilshan Fernando shares how the Nine Domains framework can help organizations weave accessibility and inclusion into everyday practices and decision-making. 🎧 Listen now: vraie-idea.ca/resources/po...

Missed one of our IDEA webinars this year? While our IDEA Speaker Series and Early Career Researcher Talks are on a summer pause until the fall, you can still catch up on the insightful conversations you've missed. 🎥 Watch recordings on our website: vraie-idea.ca/events/webin...

Coming soon: Episode 3 of the IDEA | 4DY Podcast Series! In our upcoming episode, Valerie Vanderwyk shares a powerful analogy that reimagines how we approach accessibility, inclusion and belonging. Stay tuned for the full conversation. 👀 open.spotify.com/show/033E7n8...

We're thrilled to welcome Anne Kresta and returning MC Peter Field as our Day One hosts for the IDEA 4DY Symposium! Together, they'll help kick off conversations on building proactive workplace systems that support inclusive work. Stay tuned! 📢

Welcome to IDEA 4DY, Khulan ZalaaUul! 🎉 As our new Communications Coordinator, Khulan will help share research, stories, and resources that advance disability inclusion and meaningful employment opportunities for youth with disabilities. Join us in welcoming her to the IDEA community! 👏

In the latest episode of the IDEA | 4DY Podcast Series, Tammy Morris shares insights on building truly inclusive workplaces and why lasting change requires more than individual effort. 🎧 Listen now: vraie-idea.ca/resources/po...

❓Did you know? IDEA's predecessor, CRWDP, spent 8 years researching employment for Canadians with disabilities. Key findings: accommodations matter, invisible disabilities face unique barriers and systemic challenges still limit opportunities. Explore the research: www.vraie-idea.ca/our-work/crwdp

Episode 2 is here! We are excited to share the second episode of our IDEA 4DY Podcast Series. "Workplace Systems and Continual Improvement: IDEA 9 Domains Framework for Disability Inclusion" Find it on the IDEA website, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts vraie-idea.ca/resources/po...

September 22: Join IDEA's Rebecca Gewurtz, W. Francis Fung, Julia Holmes, and Logan Wong as they share the evidence-based resources they have developed and gather feedback on the impact these resources are making. ontariodisabilityemploymentnetwork15.wildapricot.org/event-668479

In a recent Journey to Inclusion, we explored the workplace experiences of neurodiverse Black and racialized youth. Watch the Journey: developed by youth to amplify youth voices and contribute to a more inclusive dialogue on employment.

The IDEA webinar archive is your go-to source for recordings from the IDEA Speaker Series and Early Career Researcher Talks. These webinars allow you to learn about activities within and beyond IDEA, and while sessions are paused during the summer–it's the perfect time to check out the archive!

Looking for a practical tool to translate lived experience into action? Use the resource directory below to find guidance on workplace accommodations, inclusive communication, training approaches, and anti-racism frameworks.

The IDEA | 4DY Podcast is here! We are excited to share the first episode with our network, "Rethinking workplace design: From access to system transformation." Find it on the IDEA website, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts vraie-idea.ca/resources/po...

The DEC Conference brings together industry leaders, policymakers, and advocates to explore how inclusive practices can drive economic success and innovation. Proposal submissions are being accepted until July 6: site.pheedloop.com/portal/event...

The IDEA | 4DY Podcast is launching this Thursday, June 25th and will be available on Apple Podcasts And Spotify.

The IDEA at Work quarterly newsletter brings attention to the work and accomplishments of IDEA members and partners. Find exciting announcements about future projects, new resources, opportunities to participate in research, and upcoming events. Catch up with the Spring 2026 newsletter

Jon us this Friday, May 29 at 10:30 a.m. ET for an introduction to plain language. The next IDEA Speaker Series webinar featuring Rachel Mills, from Inclusion Canada will offer tips and strategies for making communications more accessible. Learn more and register: vraie-idea.ca/events/intro...

Check out Scarlet’s Journey to Inclusion to find out how inclusive workplaces make it easier for people to contribute without constantly having to prove that they can. vraie-idea.ca/journeys/sca...

Share your story with IDEA’s Journeys to Inclusion. We’re inviting persons with disabilities, employers, and workplace leaders to share their experiences of building inclusive workplaces. Connect: info@vraie-idea.ca #DisabilityInclusion #Accessibility #InclusiveWorkplaces.

Inclusive leadership starts with listening. In Paul Walsh’s Journey, one key idea stands out: build accessibility in from the start, so people do not have to ask for accommodations. A reminder that inclusion is shaped by everyday workplace practices. Read full story: vraie-idea.ca/journeys/pau...

Join IDEA Speaker Series on April 24: Closing the Employment Gap in Inclusive Employment. Learn practical ways to build employer readiness and support sustainable hiring for people with intellectual disabilities and autistic people. Register: Sign up here vraie-idea.ca/events/closi...