ideas for Community agencies
All community organizations in Manitoba are invited to join us in observing Disability Employment Awareness Month. After all, even if you don’t serve people with disabilities in particular, they are most likely well-represented in the target population that benefits from your services. By engaging in DEAM, you will be reinforcing your broader commitment to inclusion. While you will find some helpful ideas below, please also see the Ideas for Companies and Employers for ideas to strengthen disability inclusion in your own workplace.
IDEAS FOR DISABILITY-RELATED ORGANIZATIONS
Disability-related organizations, organizations that serve the interests of people with disabilities in particular, have an important role to play in promoting Disability Employment Awareness Month (DEAM). The ideas below are just a few ways you can get involved.
- Post a DEAM Web link — A DEAM link on your Home page reinforces your commitment to increasing employment opportunities for people with disabilities while also offering local employers access to ideas for implementing DEAM activities in their workplaces. You can also consider using one of these Images as an attachment to the signature line of your emails! To create a link, use one of the DEAM Logo Images, perhaps add a message of your own (for example, "XYZ Organization Supports DEAM"), and link to our main DEAM web page.
- Solicit an DEAM proclamation — Disability-related organizations can cultivate community-wide support for DEAM by asking their mayor or other official to formally proclaim the event. A template that organizations can easily customize is available to assist in soliciting such a proclamation. In addition, community leaders could be encouraged to mention DEAM during various public appearances leading up to and during October.
- Hold an DEAM "management breakfast" or "brown-bag lunch" — DEAM presents an opportune time to sponsor an informal seminar or panel presentation for local employers on the topic of disability employment and the benefits of a disability inclusive workplace. Such an event also offers the opportunity for disability-related organizations to promote their overall efforts and possibly earn additional sponsorships and support from local businesses.
- Hold a poster contest — Choose a DEAM–related theme (e.g. "A Strong Workforce is an Inclusive Workforce”) and sponsor a poster contest for local youth. Such a contest could have different levels for different age groups, and winning entries could be displayed at a central location in the community. In addition, winners could be recognized by community and business leaders at a reception or other event, and media could be invited.
- Feature DEAM in your newsletter — Include information about DEAM in your organizational publications or social media activities. Inform the community members in your network about DEAM and encourage them to approach their employers about participating in some way.
- Feature DEAM in social media activities — Help us to promote DEAM and your involvement with it, by including us in your social networking activities. Spread the word about DEAM on LinkedIn, “Like” us on Facebook , and “follow” us on Twitter (for Twitter, we encourage you to include the hashtag #deammb).
- Distribute DEAM posters — Just before or during DEAM is a great time to pay a quick visit to local employers to provide free DEAM posters they can hang in employee break areas or other locations that employees frequent. Doing so might serve to start a larger discussion about what else employers can do to help support efforts to increase the employment of people with disabilities.
- Reach out to local media — DEAM presents an opportunity for disability-related organizations to increase their visibility through local TV, radio and print media. Ideas include writing an op-ed piece or letter to the editor about the value and talent people with disabilities have to offer in the workplace and community or encouraging local TV or radio news to run a feature on one or more local employers observing the month.
In any of the activities that you choose, strive to conduct them with the involvement of Employers in your community. Engage Employers who are already part of your network as a way to strengthen your partnership with them – and use DEAM as a tool to invite new Employers to learn about your programs, services, and the people you serve.
