We have just finished an exciting National Disability Employment Awareness Month here in Canada and just to the south of us in the United States. And Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital in Toronto and Spinal Cord Injury Ontario deserve special recognition for how they joined forces to mark this important month.

Holland Bloorview Launches Toolkit to Help Youth with Disabilities Navigate Workplace Issues

Even though hiring disabled people has economic benefits, as Holland Bloorview senior scientist Sally Lindsay told North York Mirror reporter Andrew Palamarchuk, disabled youth especially routinely face workplace ableism and struggle with disclosing disability and asking for accommodations. To help them navigate these issues, Holland Bloorview and Spinal Cord Injury Ontario developed an online toolkit as part of Holland Bloorview’s HAPPY (Healthy and Productive work for Youth with Disabilities) project. The project also includes a webinar series, and will include workshops for employers and for disabled youth.

Sally Lindsay is the head of the HAPPY Project. She told Andrew Palamarchuk that ableism is the “No. 1 barrier for disabled people.”

Great work, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Centre and Spinal Cord Injury Ontario! Keep it up!