Archive for category: Blog

Since 2022, the Prairie Sexuality & Disability Conference (PSD CON) has brought together hundreds of self-advocates, educators, researchers, and service providers from across Canada and beyond. What started as a shared space to learn has grown into something much deeper. A chance to listen, to challenge ideas, and to imagine what better support can really look like for people with disabilities.

This event is more than just an opportunity to learn. Conversations turn into connection, ideas turn into action, and people leave feeling a little less alone.

Year after year, PSD CON reminds us that meaningful progress rarely happens in isolation. It grows through shared knowledge, honest conversations, and collective effort. That kind of work has a real, lasting impact on people’s lives. None of it would be possible without the partnerships and collaborative moments that continue to shape the conference. From sponsors to shared resources, we are so grateful.

At the same time, this work hasn’t come without its challenges. One of the biggest barriers we’ve encountered (and one we hear echoed by others) is the lack of accessible, meaningful resources on supporting the sexuality of people with disabilities.

That gap is exactly why we created Tell It Like It Is: Sexual Health & Wellness for Diverse Learners. What began as a curriculum has grown into something much more. People want to have these conversations. They’re looking for guidance, for tools, for support, but finding it isn’t always easy, especially in a world where the rights and desires of people with disabilities are still too often treated as an afterthought.

With this in mind, we’ve always been intentional about the resources we share at the conference. When planning the event, we dream big: that every attendee leaves not just with a head full of ideas, but also with a bag full of practical resources they can actually put to use long after the event ends. You can imagine our excitement when other organizations reached out, eager to attend PSD CON and share the incredible resources they’ve developed for everyone to take home. From the Saskatchewan Prevention Institute, to Saskatoon Sexual Health, to Elections Canada, and many others, we are so grateful to everyone providing inclusive resources for people with disabilities and their support networks.

One organization that has become an invaluable part of this landscape is SIECCAN (Sex Information and Education Council of Canada). Founded in 1964, SIECCAN has been a national leader in promoting sexual health education and information across Canada for nearly six decades. For the past three years, they’ve been a consistent presence at PSD CON, bringing evidence-based resources that are practical, inclusive, and easy to use. What makes their work so remarkable is how it empowers not just educators and service providers, but also self-advocates, caregivers, and allies.

Their guides, toolkits, and educational materials have become a staple at the conference, sparking conversations, inspiring new ideas, and giving attendees concrete ways to take the learning back into their own communities. SIECCAN’s resources remind us why this work matters. It’s not just about sharing information. It’s about giving people the tools to create real, meaningful change in the lives of people with disabilities. We are huge fans.

As planning for the 2026 Prairie Sexuality & Disability Conference gets underway, we are more excited than ever. The partnerships we’ve created, the relationships we’ve formed, the moments that have touched us; there’s so much to look forward to!

In the coming months, we’ll be sharing more about our upcoming 2026 conference, and don’t worry, we’ll continue bringing you incredible resources, tools, and voices that inspire, inform, and support this important work.

Want to learn more? Check out Tell It Like It Is at nevertmi.ca and SIECCAN’s resources for supporting autistic youth at sieccan.org/consent-autisticyouth.

At the University of Regina, inclusion doesn’t happen by accident.

It’s the result of intention – of people who choose, every day, to lead with empathy, equity, and purpose.

That’s what John Papandreos, Manager of Custodial Services and Campus Grounds, has built his leadership around. As Donna Flaman-Johnson, Inclusive Employment Broker with 4to40, put it: “Inclusion doesn’t happen by accident. It’s by intentional behaviors, and it takes a very strong and caring leader – and that’s exactly what John is.”

For John, the goal has always been simple: build a team where everyone feels valued, respected, and empowered to contribute. That philosophy guided him to partner with 4to40, a collaboration between Creative Options Regina (COR) and the University’s Campus for All program – connecting employers with job seekers who experience intellectual disabilities and matching real work with real potential.

The University has been involved with 4to40 for nearly a decade – one of the program’s earliest and longest-standing partners – offering meaningful, long-term employment across multiple departments and teams.

Stronger by Every Link

John describes the relationship between COR, Campus for All, 4to40, and the University as “a chain made stronger by every link.” Each organization brings its own expertise – supported living, education, employment, and inclusion – but when they connect, the impact multiplies.

That connection opened a new chapter for Jarred, a member of John’s custodial team who joined the University through 4to40 five years ago. His days are steady and essential – disinfecting high-touch points and helping keep the campus healthy and safe. His role, which involves the kind of routine tasks he enjoys, became especially vital during the University’s pandemic response, when enhanced cleaning protocols and health measures were introduced to keep students, staff, and visitors protected.

“Aside from being really dependable and reliable,” John said, “I see the same attributes in Jarred today as I did five and a half years ago when he started with us. He treats his job-related experiences with the ‘Seven Ps’: he takes pride in his work, he’s proud to be here, he brings a positive attitude to work each and every day, he’s focused on purpose and his performance and always doing a great job – and he’s punctual.” 

Within the team, Jarred’s presence has fostered empathy, patience, and camaraderie. “When you welcome individuals with intellectual or physical disabilities,” John said, “you’re welcoming loyal, hardworking people who contribute positively to your organizational culture.”

Real Work. Real Pay. Real Belonging.

For Jarred and his family, this opportunity represents more than a job – it’s belonging in action.

“We’ve always been fully believing in inclusion,” said his mom, Debra MacDonald, “and this was the answer to our prayers – that Jarred could be included within his community and go to work every day.”

It all started with a simple conversation. At a COR Christmas party, Donna approached Debra about the possibility of Jarred joining the University team.

“We were very, very proud of this young man to come and work at the University of Regina,” reflected Debra. 

For many families, finding paid, long-term employment for individuals with intellectual disabilities isn’t easy. That’s part of what makes this partnership – and the University’s commitment to real, paid employment through 4to40 – so significant.

Jarred’s position is permanent and unionized. “He’s being paid a full wage. He’s got ideal hours – from ten until two every day. He gets a pension plan, he’s got health care, and he’s got all of those things that anybody else would have when they’re employed,” Debra added.

Leadership by Intention

Donna has worked with five different teams at the University of Regina – and she’s seen a positive outcome each time. As more departments witness the success of inclusive employment, the culture of inclusion continues to strengthen.

“I’m an advocate for it,” said John, “and when opportunities present themselves and I have a position available, I’m quick to seek approval.”

“In practice,” Donna said, “we’re all working towards the same goal – and that is to disrupt people’s typical understanding of disability and replace it with possibilities for belonging and contribution.”

That’s the heart of 4to40 – and the story that continues to unfold at the University of Regina. It’s not about charity –  it’s about recognizing potential, creating opportunity, and celebrating what’s possible when every link in the chain is strengthened by intention.

Learn More About 4to40

October is Disability Employment Awareness Month (DEAM). We’re sharing local stories that show what inclusive employment looks like in practice.

To learn more about inclusive employment and the 4to40 program, visit https://4to40.ca/.