INCLUDED Project Summit
On Friday, September 15, 2017, the INCLUDED: Connecting Diverse Women with Disabilities in North-East Scarborough project wrapped up with the INCLUDED Summit at Malvern Family Resource Centre. Over 80 women with disabilities, caregivers, service providers, and community members were in attendance.
The INCLUDED Summit was an opportunity to share some of the project research findings, to showcase artwork from the INCLUDED Creative Arts program, to share tips and tools for improving accessibility and services, and to celebrate with all the participants, volunteers, committee members and community members.
INCLUDED Committee Member and Volunteer Nouma sharing INCLUDED Project findings
INCLUDED Project Participant Lucinda speaking about her experiences in the INCLUDED Project
Over the past year, the INCLUDED pilot project:
- Conducted needs assessments to understand the challenges that women with disabilities in the community faced (including: barriers to accessing services; challenges with employment and housing; isolation and lack of social supports; safety and independence)
- Delivered a 12 week INCLUDED Creative Arts, an art therapy program
- Delivered biweekly INCLUDED Socials, a social program to establish community and social supports amongst women with disabilities
- Engaged and developed leadership opportunities for over 25 volunteers and committee members
- Improved representation of women with disabilities in Women’s Place, Malvern Family Resource Centre and within the community
- Created an INCLUDED Service Listing to connect women with disabilities and their caregivers to different services and programs
- Developed best Practices for improving services and accessibility (including: addressing physical and non-physical barriers; practices for service providers and organizations; improving outreach, information and communication; creation of inclusive and safe environments; collaboration; and sustainability)
See the INCLUDED Report for more more detailed information.
INCLUDED Project Participants Judith, Nafisa, Lucinda, Anette and Debbie, also shared their experiences in the INCLUDED Project, their lived experiences as women with different abilities and disabilities in North-East Scarborough; the need for ending stigma and discrimination around disabilities; need for advocacy and improvement of services in North-East Scarborough; and the continuation of inclusive and safe spaces such as the INCLUDED Project.
INCLUDED Project Participant Nafisa speaking about her experiences in the INCLUDED Project
The INCLUDED Summit also created opportunities for community members to have dialogues around improving
accessibility and services in the community and create connections for future collaboration.
INCLUDED Project Participant Anette speaking about her experiences in the INCLUDED Project)
INCLUDED Project Participant Debbie speaking about her experiences in the INCLUDED Project
We want to thank the Ontario Trillium Foundation, an agency of the Government of Ontario, for funding the INCLUDED: Connecting Diverse Women with Disabilities in North-East Scarborough. We also want to thank all the committee members, volunteers, and community members for their support and contributions in making the INCLUDED Project a success.
From left to right – INCLUDED Participant and Summit speaker Judith, Project Facilitator Coly, Committee Member and Volunteers Jercy, Mazlina, Norah, Daphne, Ciress and Nouma
If you have any questions, contact Women’s Place at 416-284-4184 x226.