Life Directions Employment Leading the Way: A Reflection on Light It Up for NDEAM 2024
This year’s Light It Up! For NDEAM was a tremendous success, largely driven by the hard work and dedication of Life Directions Employment, which continues to lead the charge in promoting National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) across the Bruce Grey Owen Sound region and beyond. As part of the ODEN initiative, Life Directions Employment has been at the forefront of inspiring businesses, municipalities, and organizations to light it up in support of inclusive hiring practices.
The participation we received this year was nothing short of incredible. Through our leadership, municipalities, local agencies, businesses, and residents came together to show their support for workplace inclusion. From the Brightshores Health System hospitals being the first hospital system to light it up, to small businesses like Gold Spoon Café and The Falls Inn & Spa, Life Directions Employment helped galvanize the community to participate and embrace the importance of disability-inclusive hiring.
Here’s a full list of the participants we’ve been proud to partner with this year, thanks to our outreach efforts:
Municipalities Proclaiming NDEAM:
- The Town of Blue Mountains
- The Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula
- The Town of Orangeville
- Saugeen Shores
- Township of Georgian Bluffs
- Municipality of Arran-Elderslie
- Bruce County
- South Bruce
- Hanover
Local Agencies/Hospitals:
- Case Mentorability
- Grey Highlands Library
- Life Directions Employment
- Rise Up And Soar Community
- Saugeen Mobility and Regional Transit
- South Grey Chamber of Commerce
- South-East Grey Support Services
- VPI Employment Services
- Hanover Downtown Improvement Area (DIA)
- Brightshores Health System:
- Lion Head Hospital
- Markdale Hospital
- Meaford Hospital
- Owen Sound Hospital
- Southhampton Hospital
- Wiarton Hospital
Businesses:
- Eat N' Good (Dundalk)
- Gold Spoon Café (Dundalk)
- The Falls Inn & Spa (Walters Falls, Ontario)
- Support Local Magazine
Delegations (No Proclamations):
By weaving together these partnerships, Life Directions Employment has been instrumental in increasing awareness of disability employment and advocating for inclusive hiring practices. This year’s participation was heartwarming, and it serves as a testament to how much impact can be made when communities come together under a shared goal of inclusion.
Life Directions Employment is already planning for next year’s Light It Up for NDEAM and looking forward to expanding the initiative even further. By linking to the businesses that participated this year and creating this video, we aim to show our appreciation while helping elevate their visibility online. This recognition will further encourage businesses to continue their involvement and inspire new participants to join the movement in 2025.
Reflecting on the South Grey Chamber of Commerce Business Gala
Cover image credit by The Falls Inn & Spa, written by Monica Singh Soares (LDE).