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Disability Empowerment PHOTO CREDIT BILLY BLACK
Q&A
with the ‘Unstoppable Tracy’ Schmitt Mediaplanet caught up with “Unstoppable Tracy,” Canadian Disability Hall of Famer, on promoting inclusiveness in the workplace.
How has your sports career shaped your perspective on inclusion and empowerment? I’ve had hundreds of job interviews, and it came to the point where they’d consistently say, “You’re fantastic; a ton of people will hire you.” Well, how come not you? With each person turning me down, they didn’t bother to ask what I could or couldn’t do. They assumed I couldn’t do the job based on my appearance. The breaking point that always pivoted almost every job interview that got me hired was when the interview conversation steered toward the recreational. So at my first job, there were skis in the corner of his office. When I finished the interview and saw the skis, that’s when we went into conversation. And then, when he hired me, he said, “Yeah, well, I figured if you could ski downhill, you could answer the telephone, right?” So recreation and high-performance sports have given me credibility during job interviews. And when I had that light bulb moment, it certainly became part of how I would engage people. Participating in high-performance sports gave me credibility in a way that not being a high-performance athlete before did.
When facing obstacles, what has helped motivate you to push through, or in other words, be unstoppable? On my first day of school, my mom and I were face to face with the principal, and he took one look at me and said, “I’m sorry, Tracy can’t go to this school.” There weren’t support workers for children with disabilities at schools then. So he saw me without hands and legs. There was only one teacher and 30 kids, so he wasn’t even being a bad guy. There just wasn’t anybody to support a student with no hands and no legs. So, my mom said, “I understand. Can we just try for a week since we’re here today while I find some of those other
schools you’re talking about?” And so he agreed, and my mom just looked at me, saying, “Tracy, it’s really important that you and everybody’s included. Nobody left behind.” Fast forward to recess time, and I’m not there. I never made it outside. So the principal went inside to ask my teacher, “What happened? She couldn’t tie her shoelaces?” And my teacher was confused. And she says, “Tracy was the first one to tie her shoelaces.” And he’s like, “Well, then how come she wasn’t outside?” And she said, “Her little friend couldn’t tie her shoelaces.” It turned out none of the 30 kids could tie their shoelaces. By the time I tied 30 shoelaces, the recess bell had gone off. I learned that day that when the principal said no, it just meant he didn’t “know.”
What do you believe can be done to further promote inclusive and accessible communities? A great way to promote is by ensuring visibility and in authentic roles. So, for example, people might bring me in for their accessibility conference as their keynote speaker. How about bringing me in for your leadership development? I’m an adult woman with an MBA, so overqualified for the entry-level and they don’t imagine me in those senior positions. So, get people in the door, and if you don’t have employment, make an effort to contract people with disabilities. The untapped market potential is to include people with a disability declared Learn more about or people who have something different going on and, as Unstoppable Tracy, visit unstoppabletracy.com. a result, are unstoppable about being creative problem solvers and ensuring no one’s left behind. And that includes your finances, creative marketing, heartfelt leadership, and genuine, authentic souls that people are looking for in these susceptible post-COVID-19 times.
Intellectual Disabilities Can Make a Contribution in the Workforce Providing meaningful work to people with intellectual disabilities builds a stronger community and workspace for all. Sabrina Seecharran
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aving an intellectual disability does not prevent people from living healthy lives. The stigma surrounding the employability of people with these conditions limits their ability and potential to succeed in society and be part of communities. There are approximately 645,000 Canadians with disabilities. Many of whom are unemployed or underemployed. Although workforces are more sensitive in the present to creating inclusive cultures, there’s still a lot of work to be done in shifting the perspective of how organizations view people with an intellectual disability.
Supporting people with an intellectual disability Like everyone else, people with an intellectual disability have emotions, aspirations, and the desire to live fulfilling lives. Community
Living Toronto (CLTO) has supported people with an intellectual disability for 74 years and works with over 4,000 people and their families in over 80 locations across Toronto. Shineeca McLeod is one of the people that CLTO has helped through employment support to be financially independent and thrive in a community. She worked for over six years as a cleaner for Sunrise Janitorial Services. Her job requires organization, planning, scheduling, decision-making abilities, and knowledge of chemical compounds to mix the appropriate products for cleaning. As Shineeca demonstrated leadership skills, she advanced into a role as Crew Lead, where she trains new employees. Shineeca enjoys her job because it is multi-faceted and allows her to bring positivity into people’s days. “Having an intellectual disability doesn’t make me any different, and I’m not ashamed
of having it,” says Shineeca. Shineeca shares that employers who want to create an inclusive workspace must be open-minded, learn to accommodate various learning and communication styles, and make an effort to understand what opportunities best suit them.
CLTO’s recruitment platform for hiring people with an intellectual disability After long-standing work facilitating the hiring process between people with an intellectual disability and organizations that want to foster an inclusive workspace, CLTO received funding from the Government of Ontario to launch MyJobMatch. This recruitment platform is built from the knowledge and best practices CLTO developed over their years of service. The database has over 200 active employers ready to provide meaningful work.
Shineeca McLeod Crew Lead & Cleaner, Sunrise Janitorial Services
To learn how to hire people with intellectual disabilities, visit myjobmatch.ca.
This article was sponsored by Community Living Toronto.
Publisher: Michaela Gallagher Business Development Manager: Karim Jooma Country Manager: Nina Theodorlis Content & Production Manager: Raymond Fan Production Lead: Michael Taylor Designer: Kylie Armishaw Lead Editor: Karthik Talwar All images are from Getty Images unless otherwise credited. This section was created by Mediaplanet and did not involve The Toronto Star or its editorial departments. Send all inquiries to ca.editorial@mediaplanet.com.
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The time for change is now. This International Persons with Disabilities Day, it’s time to act. Although the world has changed dramatically for people with sight loss over the last few decades, our community continues to face significant barriers to daily life. From work to education to accessibility of built environments to social inclusion. For more than 100 years, CNIB has worked alongside Canadian communities to deliver innovative programs and powerful advocacy. Our mission – empowering people impacted by blindness to live their dreams and tear down barriers to inclusion.
In the last five years, we’ve: Launched new and innovative programs like CNIB Guide Dogs.
Launched the Phone It Forward program, which has since given out more than 2,300 smartphones to people with sight loss who need them nationwide.
Championed changes to the Accessible Canada Act, to make Canada’s new accessibility legislation stronger and more accountable.
Joined forces with Moneris Solutions and created an accessible in-store payment terminal for use nationwide. Developed thousands of new virtual programs so every Canadian with sight loss could continue to have a community of support, free from geographical and physical barriers.
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But the work is far from over. Our community is telling us that what we’ve accomplished so far is great, but our mission will be limited if we don’t break through some key barriers that continue to exist in our society. We have to draw a line in the sand that says ‘We’ve had enough and we’re not asking for change anymore. We’re demanding it.’
John M. Rafferty President and CEO | CNIB
The Way Forward Together, we’re demanding a more inclusive Canada where... Employers can discover the full potential of Canada’s talent.
There are no barriers to transportation and transit for people with sight loss across Canada.
Misconceptions about people living with sight loss are dispelled.
But we can’t tear down these barriers alone. We need allies. We must shout our message from the rooftops and engage everyone we can – including the general public, like-minded organizations, political representatives, and community advocates – to stand with us. We want people who are blind to be seen the way others are seen. Being blind is a characteristic; it doesn’t define who I am. We have to get past the stage where society says about a person who is blind ‘they can’t’, and change that societal attitude to ‘they can’.
Lack of awareness about the realities of life with blindness and sight loss is the underlying barrier that creates some of the most harm to our community. We need to take bold and swift action now. It’s time to find our loudest voices and be relentless in advocating for people with sight loss. Our community deserves nothing less.
Robert Fenton, CNIB Board Chair
Keya Osborne, Provincial Director, CNIB (Ontario)
Take a stand and support Canadians with sight loss: Donate
Partner
Help us make an impact Visit cnib.ca/TheWayForward or call us at 1-800-563-2642 to get involved.
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Empowering People with Disabilities through a Culture of Accommodation For people with disabilities, gainful employment is key to personal empowerment, and here’s what employers can do to accommodate their employees. NIDMAR
Wolfgang Zimmermann Executive Director, National Institute of Disability Management and Research
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t a time of drastic labour shortages across the country, people with disabilities remain a valuable untapped workforce. Yet approximately 1.5 million Canadians with disabilities are unemployed and living in poverty. An additional half million employed Canadians are unable to work every week due to mental health issues. Both mental and physical health impairments impose negative economic and social outcomes on affected individuals, their families, and society at large. With an estimated 80 per cent of all mental and physical health impairments occurring during an individual’s working life, one of the most important empowerment strategies for people with disabilities is maintaining their inclusivity in the workforce through effective workplace-based accommodation efforts. It’s only through a dedicated workplace commitment in support of effective accommodation that people with disabilities ca n ma inta in their financial independence. Many jurisdictions around the world have already implemented supportive regulatory conditions, recognizing that employers who accommodate their own disabled workers are also more likely to reduce disability-related stigma across the organization. As the world marks the International Day of Persons with Disabilities on December 3, similar efforts across Canadian
jurisdictions are picking up steam. Under the Accessible Canada Act, the federal government aims to establish a barrier-free Canada by 2040. Accessibility legislation is in force in six provinces so far, including under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). The Accessible B.C. Act has now been mandated in 750 public sector workplaces. In addition, return to work programs are also on the agenda. Employers’ return to work obligations are embedded under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act. Disability rights champion, Wolfgang Zimmermann, is the Executive Director of the National Institute of Disability Management and Research (NIDMAR) and President of the Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences (PCU-WHS). PCU-WHS is a leading-edge university in the field of disability management and return to work education and research. Zi m mer ma n n a s ser t s, “Ga i n f u l employment is key to long-term personal empowerment and self-determination for people with disabilities. But we won’t achieve an equitable, diverse, and inclusive society until employers accommodate their own employees who acquire a mental or physical health impairment.” When it comes to accommodating people with impairments, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities advocates for accommodations that are reasonable and doable. Job restructuring, changes in assignments, and flexible working hours or breaks are all examples of reasonable accommodations. In support of the UN’s evidence-based strategy, NIDMAR received funding from the federal government and the BC provincial government, offering employers the
opportunity to have their disability management practices assessed free of charge. A Workplace Disability Management Assessment (WDMA) establishes a benchmark, identifies gaps, and creates a roadmap for improvements. “Effective accommodation support through workplaces is pivotal in maintaining sustainable workforce participation following onset of a health impairment, and is critical in breaking the often-vicious cycle of disability-unemployment-poverty,” stresses Zimmermann.
For information on disability management assessments and professionalization, visit nidmar.ca. For more on education in disability management, visit pcu-whs.ca.
This article was sponored by the National Institute of Disability Management and Research.
AMI’s Kelly and Ramya Discusses Issues That Impact the Disability Community New name. New platform. Same great hosts. Accessible Media Inc. is excited to announce the launch of Kelly and Ramya!
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eginning Monday, January 9, 2023, Kelly and Company will be rebranded as Kelly and Ramya as it joins AMI-tv, airing weekdays from 2 to 4 p.m. Eastern from AMI’s new production studio in Toronto. Kelly and Ramya will continue on AMI-audio and a podcast. On Kelly and Ramya, viewers join hosts Kelly MacDonald and Ramya Amuthan for the latest on lifestyle and entertainment, community events across the country, and thoughtful discussion on issues that impact the disability community. Joining the duo are over 30 contributors who share expert advice on everything from assistive technology to human rights, employment, health and wellness, all through a disability lens. Additionally, eight community reporters from across the country — all from the blind and partially sighted community — share local events and happenings viewers and
listeners should be aware of. “I look forward to being able to smile at our audience every day and share with them the joy I feel about coming into their homes,” Kelly MacDonald says. “I can’t wait for new viewers to meet our amazing contributors, learn from them, and see how diverse and inclusive Kelly and Ramya is.” “The show is thoughtful, lively, and a good time on AMI-audio, and it will continue to be all those things on AMI-tv,” Ramya Amuthan says. “We value sharing our on-air space with the community, we enjoy laughs together, we make room for the difficult conversations, and we listen and learn as much as we share.” Veteran broadcaster Kelly MacDonald has been a part of AMI since the company’s fledgling days as VoicePrint, where he joined as a studio producer. A ubiquitous presence in the blind and partially sighted community,
Kelly launched Kelly and Company in 2016 to share a wealth of information, entertainment, a nd t houg ht f ul discussion on disability issues. An alumna of Seneca College’s Broadcasting - Radio program, Ramya Amuthan is a second-generation broadcaster. Soon after becoming an intern at AMI in 2017, Ramya joined Kelly and Company as a contributor. Ramya began mentoring Kelly and Company’s team of contributors and took up the co-host seat a year later. She has offered blind and partially sighted audiences her unique brand of quick-witted humour and insightful perspectives as a woman of colour with low vision.
Visit AMI.ca to learn more about AMI and its services. This article was sponsored by Accessible Media Inc.
Technology that Champions Equity and Empowers Ability Technology is all around us — it touches every part of our lives. Yet many people take it for granted.
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Visit marchofdimes.ca to learn more. This article was sponsored by March of Dimes Canada.
or people with disabilities, technology is often essential and can be transformative. It facilitates work, education, and community participation. Devices help connect them with loved ones, enable independence, and, in many cases, lead to career success. That is if they can afford it. Liubov Moisieieava needed financial support to access vital tech after losing her job — she’d been working as an insurance broker when she lost her voice to dysphonia. Fortunately, she heard about March of Dimes Canada’s Tech for Impact Fund and applied. Liubov received a new laptop that she’s using to train for a new career, which will help her build a brighter future for herself and her family.
So much of today’s life-changing technology — whether it’s a large-print keyboard or voice-recognition software — is often too expensive for people who need it most, like Liubov. March of Dimes Canada is changing that. As a leading national charity, March of Dimes Canada provides a suite of Accessible Technology programs and services that empower people with disabilities to live and thrive in their communities. That includes removing barriers to technology so people can access the devices and training they need. You can make this life-changing support available to someone with a disability by donating to March of Dimes Canada’s Power of Tech Campaign today.