Ontario Disability Employment Network (ODEN)

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Ontario Disability Employment Network (ODEN)

ODEN is a professional body of employment service providers united to increase employment opportunities for people who have a disability.

11/04/2026

Day 2 also featured Business Stream attendees to RDC. Business stream attendees completed Disability Awareness & Confidence Training and had the opportunity to participate in an interactive discussion with Mark Wafer, one of ODEN's Business Champions. With over 25 years of experience as a disability inclusive employer, Mark brings a practical and unique perspective to disability in the workplace.

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Image 1 - Charlene McCullough, Disability Employment Inclusion Specialist from ODEN leads the training for the business stream attendees.

Image 2 - One of the attendees shares a question with Mark Wafer as part of the discussion between employers as they share ideas about building disability inclusion in the workplace.

11/04/2026

Day 2 was an intense day of learning for delegates! Delegates had the opportunity to choose between 12 different sessions covering diverse topics from the evolution of job development with Mike Bennett from Bennett Edge Consulting, to building employment pathways for youth who have disability with Fabio Cristin of United Way Greater Toronto.

The highlight was a moderated session with Moderator Rich Pa**lo from Treat Accessibly and the Ministry of Seniors and Accessibility represented by Assistant Deputy Minister Meenu Sikand and Assistant Deputy Minister Clara Chan covering “Accessibility Leadership in Action” with a practical focus on the role of businesses, supported by government policy and programs, to support disability employment.

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Image 1 - Assistant Deputy Minister Meenu Sikand and Assistant Deputy Minister Clara Chan sit on stage during their moderated session along with moderator Rich Pa**lo from Treat Accessibility

Image 2 - ADM Sikand and ADM Chan along with the team from the Ministry of Seniors and Accessibility pose for a picture in the ODEN booth at RDC.

11/03/2026

As Day 2 at RDC 2026 starts, it isn’t all work. Paint Night gave delegates an opportunity to get messy, connect with each other and design a collage representing different perspectives on Ontario. Collaboration comes in all forms. Thanks to the Paint Night Sponsor Michaels Stores!

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Image 1: The finished product ! The finished pieces mounted to a board with the outline of the province of Ontario.

Image 2: Preparing the canvases with splatters, splashes and many colours!

Image 3: The room with all the "artists" painting their individual canvases.

Image 4: Close-up of one of the canvases, showing the townhall and bridge of an Ontario City.

11/02/2026

RDC 2026 Day 1 is almost wrapped up, with a special highlight being the plenary session with Andrea D Carter from Belonging First. Andrea shared a motivating message about the difference between just “fitting in” and really belonging.

Aligned to this year's conference theme of - “Collaborate to Innovate”, the idea of belonging is a powerful way to think about collaboration. It’s hard to build a collaborative space if people don’t feel like they belong! Andrea left two big questions that can help support belonging.

“What do I need right now?”

“What do you need right now?”

A simple way to think about what fuels a sense of belonging within any organization. Just one of the insights to come out of Day 1!

11/02/2026

The Rethinking Disability Conference wouldnt be possible without all our sponsors. A big thank you to all this years sponsors. Many are here in Exhibitor Alley or as part of Innovation Alley, stop by and visit their booths.

👉 Title Sponsor - WCG Services
👉 Platinum Sponsor - Community Services Benefit Trust (CSBT)
👉 Registration Sponsor - Canadian National Exhibition
👉 Accessibility Sponsor - EmployNext
👉 Gala Sponsor - Ontario Power Generation
👉 Business Stream Sponsor - CASE - Canadian Association for Supported Employment and MentorAbility Ontario
👉 Silver Sponsor - KEYS Employment & Newcomer Services
👉 Innovation Alley Sponsor - Inclusive Design for Employment Access (IDEA)
👉 Breakfast Sponsor - Windsor Regional Employment Network
👉 Lunch Sponsor - Fedcap Canada
👉 Networking Breaks Sponsor - LRES
👉 Keynote Speaker Sponsor - Collège Boréal
👉 Paint Night Sponsor - Michaels Stores
👉 Session Sponsor - Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital
👉 Session Sponsor - Navacord
👉 Session Sponsor - Real Xchange a project from Community Living Essex County

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Banner with logos from all the sponsors shown in the post with the heading "Thank you to our sponsors" and the RDC 2026 logo.

11/02/2026

And we are off ! So much engaged energy in the room this morning.

11/02/2026

The Rethinking Disability Conference (RDC) starts today at the Sheraton Richmond Hill ! We are looking forward to welcoming over 250 delegates for 3 days of learning and sharing. This years theme is "Collaborate to Innovate", reflecting the idea that working together is the best way to create more employment opportunities for people who have a disability. Follow for updates and learning from the conference.

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The main conference room, empty, before all the delegates arrive. It seems peaceful now, but will be a hive of activity in about an hour.

10/30/2026

NDEAM 2026 may be coming to a close, but the work toward disability inclusive workplaces continues year round.

Throughout October, communities, businesses, Employment Service Providers, and organizations across Canada came together to recognize the skills, contributions, and potential of people who have a disability.

This year's theme, “Skills Grow Economies. Disability Inclusion Fuels the Growth”, challenges us to think differently about how we recognize talent, remove barriers, and create opportunities for people to contribute and succeed in the workforce.

To everyone who participated in our events, shared resources, joined conversations, celebrated Light It Up! For NDEAM™, and championed disability inclusion in your communities... thank you!

Your engagement helps keep disability inclusion part of the conversation, but meaningful progress requires action beyond October.

As NDEAM 2026 comes to an end, let's carry this momentum forward.

Keep the conversation going. Build new relationships. Challenge assumptions. Continue taking action toward a workforce where everyone has the opportunity to contribute.

Skills grow economies. Disability inclusion fuels the growth.

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A graphic with a geometric background featuring large white text reading “THANK YOU.” Below, blue text reads “ENGAGE TALENT | 2026,” followed by the campaign theme in white: “SKILLS GROW ECONOMIES.” A bright blue banner reads “DISABILITY INCLUSION FUELS THE GROWTH.” The bottom features the ODEN logo and funding acknowledgements for the Government of Canada and Government of Ontario.

10/29/2026

NDEAM may be coming to a close, but business outreach and relationship building continue all year round.

For Employment Service Providers (ESPs), connecting with local employers is an ongoing opportunity to build partnerships, understand workforce needs, and create meaningful employment opportunities for people who have a disability.

As we wrap up NDEAM 2026, we're highlighting 3 tips from ODEN's 7 Tips resource for ESPs, offering guidance to strengthen business outreach and employer engagement.

Explore all seven tips and implement them throughout the year:https://www.odenetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/EN_7_ESP-Tips_03-web-1.pdf

10/28/2026

Announcing the Closing Plenary for RDC26, happening next week!

Community Systems Strategist, Educator and Writer, Brenda Herchmer will close our 2026 Rethinking Disability Conference. Brenda will be connecting the dots for Inclusive Employment and Community Well-Being.

For more information and for a complete program, please visit https://www.odenetwork.com/initiatives/rdc2026/.

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Purple RDC26 graphic. The RDC 25 Rethinking Disability Conference logo appears at the top left with a blue banner centered across the top that says “Closing Plenary”. The left side features a headshot of Brenda Herchmer, she is a middle aged white woman wearing dark rimmed glasses. She has her chin resting on her hand and is smiling warmly. The middle of the graphic features the name of her session “From silos to systems: Connecting the dots for Inclusive Employment & community well-being.” The RDC26 slogan “Collaborate to Innovate” appears across the bottom in bold blue lettering.

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Ottawa, ON

Website

http://www.odenetwork.com/

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