Get to Know: Cameron

Cameron O’Connor grew up in a home where music is a second language. His mom, Allison, runs Dreams Come True Music Studio, and Cameron has been an active participant in their musical performances and concerts. Cameron also has an interest in DJing. He loves to listen to modern music and dreams of being able to mix tracks like the masters.  … Read More

Duncan’s Story: From Listener to Leader

“I’m a dietary aid. I’ve got benefits and a pension — these are things that I wouldn’t think 10 years ago that, as a person with an intellectual disability, I was even able to get close to.” Today, Duncan Phelps enjoys his job in food safety and serving the people where he works full-time. It’s been a great place to use his … Read More

Student Links: Getting to Know Nicole Flynn

Besides spotlighting students who meet mentors through Student Links, People You Should Know features people in the community who have interesting stories to share. In this edition we will be getting to know polymath Nicole Flynn. A polymath is someone who is knowledgeable about a number of subjects. Tell us about yourself. I am a photographer, conservationist, writer, business owner, … Read More

Student Links: Young Artist Blossoms into Confident Quilter

Shania Brown is an artist based out of Kingston, Ontario, whose passion for art shines through in all her unique creations. Looking to expand her artistic skills, Shania spoke to Student Links about finding a mentor who might teach her more about textiles. Shania was introduced to Annette Willis, a local quilter and the owner of chasing lightning bugs studio … Read More

Student Links: Aspiring Woodworker Polishes His Skills

Simon Lafleur is an explorer at heart. From collecting rocks, enjoying a variety of music, and DJing, to modelling and taking part in sports, he is always open to new experiences. It’s this curiosity that led him to pursue a Student Links mentorship with Bill Wright, a woodworker from Nepean, Ontario. Woodworking has been one of Bill’s passions for over … Read More

PRESS RELEASE: COMMUNITY LIVING MONTH SHINES A LIGHT ON THE IMPORTANCE OF INCLUSION FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE AN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TORONTO, ON, April 28, 2022 — This May, Ontarians might start noticing a lot more blue and green popping up in their communities — and not just from fresh spring flowers. Blue and green are the traditional colours of Community Living Month, a province-wide annual awareness campaign that takes place each May to promote authentic inclusion for … Read More

Student Links: Driving the Road to Independence

As a young child, Mitchell “Mitch” Heyd would spend countless hours with his beloved toy cars, taking them for a spin along roads drawn onto cardboard. Now, as a young adult, Mitch is still forging his own road ahead and still passionate about automobiles—only now he gets to work with the real thing, excelling beyond his childhood dreams. Mitch had … Read More

Equality Fails Students

by Nicole Flynn Students are being failed by equality!   Students who are marginalized because of their identities, such as being Indigenous, or a person of colour, or identifying as LGBTQI2+, or having a disability, have been given “equal” resources by our educational system. But equality actually robs these students of a proper education.    Why? Because equality provides the same … Read More

If Inclusion Means Everyone, Why Not Me?

This report identifies barriers that students labelled with intellectual disabilities and their parents and guardians face in Ontario’s public school system and sets out some key insights into their experiences. The authors identified various factors that influence the quality of a student’s education. DOWNLOAD IN ENGLISH DOWNLOAD IN FRENCH