I am going to be joining my colleagues in attending the 20th annual Canadian Association for Supported Employment Conference in Victoria, BC next week. This conference is an opportunity for those with a passion for inclusive employment to take part in presentations and forums which will deliver exceptional learning and networking opportunities.
This CASE conference is being hosted by the BC Employment Network, BCEN. BCEN is a group of organizations that work collaboratively to champion employment success for persons with intellectual disabilities.
We will be treated to two Vancouver based keynote speakers; Mark Brand who is an innovative and inclusive owner of an established retail store and Ryan Knighton, a very funny and inspirational writer and speaker who happens to, as he puts it, have a disability. I am looking forward to hearing both of them and how they have used the opportunities, skills and unique abilities that life has given them to be where they are now.
Anticipation will mount with the opportunity to browse at the self employment marketplace that will be at the conference, where there will be samples and merchandise from kiosks of various eateries and craft shops that are owned by individuals with disabilities. I’ll also have the enviable task of choosing from a variety of forums and presentations that will be covered in the two and a half day conference. Topics include best practices in supported employment, business community engagement, tapping the potential of persons with intellectual disabilities, The Road to Youth Employment action as well as many more current and insightful entries. Two members of our CAES team are presenting Business Community Engagement – Branding and Social Media, a very timely and important topic to aid organizations in fostering engagement in their communities.
I am looking forward to the opportunity to be able to hear, share and network with colleagues and other stakeholders in order to continue to build my competency and best practices in the field of inclusive employment.
This conference sounds like it would have been a great opportunity for learning. Also, it’s always good to network with others in our field!
Thank you for your comment, Sharon. The conference was a great learning opportunity. You should stay tuned for details on the exciting 2016 CASE conference in Edmonton!