The seventeenth installment of the Core Competency Café is now open for registrations!

In this series of monthly Core Competency Cafés, we will delve deeper into each of the core competencies.

For our upcoming February session, we’ll focus on the Resilience Competency.

Join us on Wednesday, February 12th, 2025, at 12:00 pm for a 1-hour interactive session. During this session, we will explore the resources available to develop this competency along with sharing real examples from various positions in our organizations that demonstrate resilience. Participants will also learn how resiliency is making a difference in employees’ personal growth, their organizations and those that they support. 

Modernized Core Competencies were launched by the Developmental Services Workforce Initiative (DSWI). Updates to the Core Competencies reflect next generation expectations and will help build a strong, skilled workforce for the DS Sector. You can find the new Core Competencies here, and on the REAL Xchange under Resources, here.

The Core Competency Café is a limited series of events taking place virtually.

Please Note: The Core Competency Café is open to anyone with an interest and includes those who are leading the implementation of the new Core Competencies within their agency, families who hire their own staff, and members of colleges. Everyone is welcome to participate and contribute in these sessions!  

WHEN: February 12, 2025 | 6:30pm – 7:30pm

Founder and Managing Partner of PooranLaw. Brendon often acts as corporate counsel for not-for-profit and charitable corporations. He also advises on wills, trusts and estates and disability law matters. In addition to being a lawyer, Brendon is a founding director of Plan Toronto (now Partners for Planning) and Microboards Ontario. He sits on CRA’s Disability Advisory Committee and teaches Critical Disability Law at York University.

This webinar will feature information on: Wills, Trusts and Savings.

This session will include a live Q&A

To register for this free webinar, please e-mail: tom.gaspar@cltoronto.ca

See flyer for more details

We are thrilled to have you join us for the 2nd Canadian Pushing the Boundaries Conference: Disability, Inclusion, and Jewish Community, taking place at the Prosserman JCC in Toronto on May 5–6, 2025.

With over 60 speakers from across Canada, the U.S., and Israel, this conference promises to be a transformative experience. Together, we will explore innovative ideas, share personal and professional insights, and inspire action in the pursuit of disability inclusion.

Whether you’re an advocate, caregiver, community leader, academic, or someone with lived experience, your participation will contribute to the meaningful conversations and connections that drive change.

Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with experts, network with peers, and be part of shaping a more inclusive and empowered future for all.

We are committed to making the conference inclusive and accessible to everyone.

If you anticipate any barriers to attending, please contact the Pushing the Boundaries Conference Committee at PTB2@reena.org.

Tuesday, March 11 at 2:00 pm at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts 

The National Ballet of Canada is pleased to present a Relaxed Performance of Swan Lake at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts. This performance is designed to welcome the Disability Community into the National Ballet’s artistic space. Families and individuals who usually find access to the arts limited can enjoy a live ballet performance in a more approachable environment.  

This abbreviated performance will be approximately one hour in duration.  

The National Ballet offers tickets at a nominal price and is committed to creating an atmosphere where attendees feel comfortable and cared for such as quiet rooms, dimmed auditorium lighting, sound dampening headphones and audio description. Additionally, during the pre-performance introduction and welcome, there will be an American-Sign-Language (ASL) interpreter on stage. To prepare guests for their visit to the theatre, visual and video guides are available. 

Tickets are $25 for Adults and $15 for Children under the age of 13.  

The National Ballet is thrilled to invite ConnectAbility community members to an exclusive advance booking window which is open NOW before the public on sale on Tuesday, February 11.  

To ensure everyone feels comfortable and the number of people in attendance isn’t overwhelming for anyone, tickets for this event will be limited. Learn more about what you can expect from a relaxed performance

Important Travel Advisory:  

Due to construction of the Metrolinx Ontario Line, Queen Street is closed from Bay Street to Victoria Street, creating significant travel delays. 

Former Principal Dancer Jurgita Dronina and Harrison James with Artists of the Ballet in Swan Lake. Photo by Karolina Kuras.