With 2024 coming to a close, we wanted to send our best wishes to you and yours. Thank you for providing us the opportunity to serve our community and promote the inclusion of people with disabilities in all aspects of life. We look forward to even more initiatives and growth for IAO in 2025!
We’re excited to share a look back on the milestones and achievements we’ve accomplished together this year:
Strengthening SEAC Representation
We continued to recruit Special Education Advisory Committee (SEAC) representatives and allies. Additionally, we are working with the Provincial Parent Association of SEACs to remove barriers to volunteer parents on school board SEACs.
Progress on Advocacy Modules
We are nearing the completion of our Partnership Engage Grant project to work with the University of Western Ontario’s Canadian Research Centre on Inclusive Education. This initiative focuses on helping families advocate for their students with disabilities. We are currently awaiting ethics approval and will be launching these advocacy modules in the new year—stay tuned!
Welcoming New Board Members
This year we welcomed Cristina Lamonika and Diane Montgomery to our board. We encourage you to learn more about board team here.
Continuing Summer Opportunities
With the help of Canada Summer Jobs Grants, we hired another full-time summer employee. This student expanded our resources and information for families on social media and our website.
Advocating with Success
We concluded our participation in a legal proceeding at the Ontario Court of Appeal regarding the rights of an adult person with disabilities to decide where to live, and obtained a fantastic result!
Recognition from Twinkl.ca
We were recently recognized by Twinkl.ca, in this blog about Individual Education Plans. Twinkle.ca provides educators across the world with high quality, trusted teaching and learning resources. Twinkle.ca boasts an impressive 12 million visitors every month and they wanted to add us to their resources!
While we have made considerable progress growing the organization, IAO has big goals for the coming year including:
- Continuing to strengthen our SEAC representation, including training representatives and providing useful resources
- Continuing to expand our resources and information for families on social media and the website
- Continuing to advocate the Personal agency of adults with disabilities
- Continuing to develop programs to honour past members and advocates through a potential bursary program
With your continued involvement and support, we’re one step closer to our goals!
Looking For Ways to Support IAO?
- Donate to help us further our mission. CanadaHelps will automatically add an additional 1% top-up to donations made on Dec 29.
- Explore our website and check out our FAQs to help families advocate for inclusive education
- Follow and engage with IAO on social media:
If you have any questions, please contact us and we would be happy to provide you with more information.
From all of us at Inclusion Action in Ontario, we wish you a very happy and safe holiday season!
