4 Ways to Get Involved in NDEAM 2023

Is your business making the disability inclusion connection?

National Disability Employment Awareness Month, led by the Ontario Disability Employment Network in October, promotes disability inclusive hiring and workplace practices as smart business decisions. Why? Roughly 22 per cent of Canadians have a disability. That means inclusive employers can tap into a wider labour pool of skilled, dedicated, and often overlooked workers, and inclusive businesses can open their doors to a growing number of consumers with disabilities. Need more incentive? Roughly 78 per cent of Canadians say they are more likely to buy products or services from inclusive businesses.

Here are four ways for your business to get involved:

  1. Test Your Disability Knowledge: Take the Ontario Disability Employment Network’s disability myth quiz
  2. Review Your HR and Recruiting Policies and Processes: Does your business have policies and programs that support employees who have a disability? Are your recruiting and interviewing processes accessible?
  3. Make Sure Disability is Part of Your EDI Conversations: Equity, diversity, and inclusion includes disability. Too often, disability gets left out of the conversation.
  4. Participate in Light It Up! For NDEAM: Join the national movement on disability inclusion by lighting your location in purple and blue on Thursday, October 19, 2023. Sign up your business and show your support.

This year’s campaign theme is Making the Disability Inclusion Connection. It explores the connection between disability inclusion and success in both employment and in business. Not only do inclusive businesses have better retention rates and higher morale, they also boost their innovation, profitability, and long-term sustainability.

We are here to help. We encourage employers and businesses to reach out to our Employment Services team at Employment@clhuntsville.ca or 705-789-4543, Ext. 8, to start the conversation.

Community Living Huntsville is a not-for-profit, registered charity that supports and advocates alongside more than 300 people with developmental disabilities, and their families, to live, work, and play in unique and purposeful ways in North Muskoka. Learn more at clhuntsville.ca. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Linkedin.