Hire the Human, Train the Skill: Inside FCC’s Decade-Long Partnership with 4to40

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When Farm Credit Canada’s Tech Enablement team took on a big project converting workstations across its Regina offices, Roger Lareau picked up a power drill and got to work.

“After one or two configurations, he was just doing it on his own,” said Mandy McAfee-Hasz, Deskside Supervisor at FCC. “And the cable management — it blew everybody away.”

For Mandy, it was an “aha” moment. “It was a no-brainer. We thought we needed this type of skill, and he was here all along.”

Roger is one of three current FCC employees hired through the 4to40 Inclusive Employment Initiative, alongside Taylor Carter and Lesley Beaulieu, who was FCC’s very first hire through the program. Roger recently marked 10 years with the organization, making FCC one of the program’s longest-standing partners.

Run through a collaborative partnership between Creative Options Regina and the University of Regina’s inclusive post-secondary education initiative (IPSE), Campus For All, 4to40 is an inclusive employment initiative that connects employers with job seekers who experience intellectual disabilities. Every role is built around a real business need, with flexible hours (anywhere from four to 40 a week) that work for both employer and employee.

 

The Little Things Are the Big Things
When an opportunity opened up on Mandy’s team, Roger and Taylor brought skills from their previous roles that fit naturally with the hands-on work of Tech Enablement.

“We didn’t know how good it could be until they were part of the team,” Mandy said. “It’s like we’ve all been one team from the get-go.”

Every Monday, Taylor, a Mail Attendant, restocks supplies and meeting rooms across FCC’s corporate office: two towers, 10-plus floors. “He has his routine and his attention to detail,” Mandy said. “It’s a big job. He’s got his system, and he just goes.”

“I love working at FCC and the employees on my team are very nice to me,” Taylor said.

Roger, also a Mail Attendant, works almost two days a week. He handles the team’s mail, sorts inventory, and helps configure hardware when there’s capacity.

“I like working with all the people at FCC. Everyone is friendly, and I’m proud to help FCC get computers ready to be sent to schools,” Roger said.

It’s work that has to get done, and Mandy says it’s some of the most noticed work in the building. “We think it’s small, but it’s so impactful. People rely on meeting rooms to be ready, supplies to be filled, workstations to be neat and tidy.”

Taylor’s impact reaches beyond the office, too. When the Special Olympics golfer hit a hole-in-one at the 2026 Special Olympics Canada Summer Games in Medicine Hat this August, a shot that went viral and made it onto TSN, Mandy shared it on FCC’s internal network. Hundreds of colleagues across the country chimed in.

Mandy recalled the reaction: “The most common thing we heard for weeks was, ‘I know that guy on TV!’ For a moment, everyone could just celebrate somebody accomplishing something that none of us can accomplish. It brought everyone together, coast to coast, regardless of what your role is.”

 

Part of the Team
On FCC’s AgExpert Customer Care team, Lesley, an Admin Officer, handles key administrative work: collecting the mail, processing cheque orders in the customer system, clearing outstanding charges each month, and emailing customers about returned mail.

She works three hours a day, three days a week, on a schedule set around her life outside of work. “Lesley’s hours are flexible, and they meet her needs,” said Janelle Schaffer, Manager, Product Training & Support at FCC.

Janelle has managed Lesley since last November and approached it the same way she would with anyone. “I didn’t treat her any differently or do anything different. We bring her to the team meetings. We ask at stand-up what’s going on in her day, just like everyone else’s.”

When typing became hard on her hands, Lesley asked for speech-to-text software, and it’s made a real difference in her day-to-day. “She’s really good at speaking up and saying what she needs, and I love that,” Janelle said. “And she’s willing to learn.”

That showed recently, when Lesley took on a big batch of outstanding charges. Together, they broke the task down, and she cleared it within a week.

In Lesley’s words: “My team has my back, and I feel supported in what I do. I’d say I’ve got a pretty good thing going!”

 

Hiring the Human
For both supervisors, 4to40 comes down to seeing the person first.

“For me, it’s all about hiring the human, and then training the skill that fits their capability,” Mandy said. “Everyone’s capable, given the right support with the right tools.”

It’s also a natural fit for an organization built around agriculture. “We can’t run a one-person farm, just like we can’t run a one-person support team,” Mandy said. “We all bring something different.”

Janelle sees the same connection in how FCC serves its customers. “Lesley has that same care and compassion that we want to have at FCC with our customers.”

For employers considering hiring through 4to40, both were quick to encourage it.

“Do it. No question,” Mandy said. “It’s the value it brings, the morale it brings. It’s almost emotional, the impact that it has.”

“Don’t hesitate,” Janelle added. “It’s our responsibility as leaders to challenge traditional assumptions. Having [Lesley] on our team just enhances the team. It makes us better.”

 

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/.

Watch Roger’s story here.

Watch Lesley’ story here.

The Constant: How Jessie McGowan Became a Familiar Face at the University of Regina

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Every Wednesday at 11:30, Eric Exner and Jessie McGowan meet for coffee.

“I get to hear about his life and share some of mine,” said Eric, Director of Operations in the Faculty of Kinesiology at the University of Regina. “It’s just good to have that coworker experience with him.”

Their connection goes back to the day Jessie was hired. Eric sat on the hiring committee when the University made a commitment to begin hiring students coming out of Campus For All through the 4to40 Inclusive Employment Initiative.

Run through a collaborative partnership between Creative Options Regina and Campus For All, the University of Regina’s inclusive post-secondary education (IPSE) initiative, 4to40 connects employers with job seekers who experience intellectual disabilities, matching real work with real potential.

 

A Natural Fit
Jessie came into his interview with support from Campus For All, but he answered every question on his own. “He was able to work through that process very well with us,” Eric said.

What made him the right hire was a shared passion. “Sport and recreation is a big part of what we do here in the Faculty of Kinesiology, and he had a definite sports interest in his background,” Eric said. “Big basketball fan, involved in his high school in that regard. So it was a natural segue into the kind of work he’s doing here for us.”

Today, Jessie helps with facility management, staffs the client services desk, and sets up and tears down for varsity home games. For many visitors, he’s the first face they see on campus.

“He helps us put our best foot forward, which is very important with the community members that visit our campus,” Eric said. “For many of them, it’s the first time they are seeing our buildings and services.”

And he’s hard to miss. “He is the king of Kensington around here. He walks down the hallway and he knows everybody.”

 

The Constant
The Faculty hires many students, which means a team that’s always changing.

“Part of the blessing and the challenge of hiring students is you get to see them come in early in their academic program, watch them develop as professionals, and they leave to go on with their professional lives,” Eric said. “Jessie has remained a constant throughout that.”

Around the office, they call him the crafty veteran, only half teasing. “He’s a big believer in adhering to the rules and the processes that we have in place, so he does everything he can to set a very positive example for those around him.”

A couple of years ago, Jessie came to Eric’s office with a few ideas to make things run better. One was keeping ice bags pre-filled, tied off and ready in the freezer, so they’re on hand whenever someone needs one for a sprained ankle. Jessie took it on himself, and it’s now part of his daily duties.

“His willingness to want this place to be successful and to have pride in that is noticeable, just in how he approaches his job every day,” Eric said.

Over the years, Eric has watched Jessie’s confidence grow. “He definitely has more confidence in what he’s doing day to day, and can take a lot more ownership in the tasks that he’s been given,” he said. “His willingness to be a friendly face in a sea of those who may not have someone to talk to — Jessie will do that.”

 

Over Coffee
The Wednesday coffees started with a small-city coincidence. When Jessie learned Eric’s last name, he asked if he knew Mr. Exner, his former principal at St. Timothy School. It was Eric’s dad.

“There was an immediate connection there,” Eric said. Since then, Eric has gone for lunch with Jessie and his dad, and even brought his own dad along to reconnect with his former student.

For Eric, the impact goes both ways. “Anytime you’re having a bad day and he comes by and says hi, just checks in and chats with you, it’s an immediate uplift. And it’s noticeable when he’s not around.”

Working alongside Jessie has also shaped Eric as a leader. “What has been a pleasant surprise is just re-examining how I communicate with people, looking for ways to be more effective in that regard, and maybe just slow things down a little,” he said. “That has helped me in other areas of my life as well.”

 

Walking the Talk
For Eric, hiring through 4to40 is a direct reflection of the University’s values. “We want to be inclusive. We don’t want there to be barriers to education and personal development, and I think you have to walk that talk.”

He knows some employers worry they won’t have the time to train or supervise. “There are a number of supports in place to help make that transition easier than you think it will be,” he said.

And as with any hire, he says, it comes down to the person. “Anytime you hire someone, there is a risk, regardless of where they are and what their backgrounds are. The important thing is to look at the people, what you’re looking for them to do, and where they can fit into your team,” he said. “There are some very good people that need an opportunity to be part of something bigger than themselves, and this is a great program to see that through.”

His advice to employers considering it: “Take the jump, and you will not be disappointed.”

 

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/

Watch Jessie’s story here.

Real Work. Right Fit: How Two 4to40 Employees Help Feed Regina

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When Austin goes on holidays, the Regina Food Bank notices.

“We need three volunteers to make the boxes that Austin can do in half a day,” said Jered Kirkland, Director of Operations at the Regina Food Bank. “We can’t deliver any food to our clients without the boxes.”

It’s a small detail with big stakes, and it’s the kind of work that keeps one of Regina’s busiest community organizations running. At the Food Bank’s warehouse and at the BMO Asahtowikamik Community Food Hub, two employees, Austin Coleman and Chris Paul, hired through the 4to40 Inclusive Employment Initiative, hold down roles the whole operation depends on.

Run through a collaborative partnership between Creative Options Regina and the University of Regina’s Campus For All program, 4to40 is an inclusive employment initiative that connects employers with job seekers who experience intellectual disabilities. Every role is customized to fill a real business need. It’s real work, not make-work.

 

Built Box by Box

Jered connected with Austin about five years ago, when he took on a bigger role in the warehouse. “With Austin, we lucked out,” he said.

Austin manages the Food Bank’s recycling, a passion he carries well beyond work. In the summer, he’s known around his neighbourhood for pulling a wagon or bike cart to collect recyclables. But his real specialty is boxes: the ones that carry food hampers to clients across the city.

“It’s every little piece,” Jered said. “People don’t necessarily understand how important it is. He’s an asset to our organization. We feed a lot of people every day, and that’s due to Austin’s box-making skills.”

Austin is just as comfortable with the CEO as he is with a part-time staffer or a volunteer, and that ease has made him part of the Food Bank’s culture.

“No matter how serious a conversation the leadership team is having, we know that door is going to open, and Austin is going to give us the ‘Okay, guys, see you tomorrow,'” Jered said. 

“We all look forward to it.”

 

Finding the Right Fit

The Food Hub works like a neighbourhood grocery store: clients walk the aisles and choose their own food. “It normalizes it,” said Stephanie Wenger, manager of the Food Hub. “It’s just the same as going to a grocery store.”

Chris helps keep that store running, stocking the shelves and fridges and making sure everything looks its best. He started about two years ago with one shift a week. He loved it so much that he asked for more, and he now works two afternoons a week.

“He loves his job. He loves showing up every day,” Stephanie said. “‘I love my job’ — it’s something we hear three or four times every time he comes in.”

Finding his place started with paying attention. “When Chris started, we tried him out on everything,” Stephanie said. “You can see it on his face when he’s enjoying himself. That’s kind of how we discovered the fridge area.”

The fridges are now his favourite part of the job, and his attention to detail shows. “He will find the one mouldy lemon in the bag, and he will take that out and make sure it looks good and perfect.”

Like Austin, Chris is passionate about recycling. “If we throw one plastic thing in the garbage, we’re going to hear about it,” Stephanie laughed.

Chris worked one-on-one with supports when he first started. Today, he works mostly on his own, has his routine down, and regularly brings new ideas to the team.

 

“We’re the Lucky Ones”

For Stephanie, the dignity the Food Hub offers its clients extends to everyone who works there. “I never want anybody walking into the store feeling like they don’t belong, and that goes for clients, staff and volunteers,” she said.

That’s why, for both supervisors, inclusive hiring isn’t about doing anyone a favour. It’s about filling real jobs with the right people.

“It’s not a charity. We’re not doing anybody favours here,” Stephanie said. “He is simply our employee, and we’re treating him no different.”

Getting it right, she said, simply means taking the time to get to know someone, which is good practice for any employee. “Take the time to learn your employees. Learn what they like and what they don’t like, and make them a part of the plan.”

Jered sees the partnership as a long-term pipeline for talent. “It would be great to continue the partnership,” he said. “You might get a career individual if you go through this program.”

For any employer on the fence, Stephanie’s advice is simple: “Jump off that fence as fast as you can and dive on in.”

“We’re the lucky ones,” she added. “If anything, they’re doing us a favour.”

 

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/

Watch Austin’s story here.

Watch Chris’s story here.



Celebrating a Community Investment: COR and Inclusion Regina Receive McKercher LLP Community Fund Grant

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On June 2, Creative Options Regina and Inclusion Regina were proud to be among the recipients of the 2026 McKercher LLP Community Fund — a grant that will directly support Indigenous cultural opportunities and events for people with disabilities in our community.

The McKercher LLP Community Fund distributes grants annually to organizations across Saskatchewan working to strengthen their communities. Being selected as a recipient is an honour.

“Supporting community organizations is an important part of who we are as a firm. Through the McKercher LLP Community Fund, we have the opportunity to contribute to initiatives that are making a real difference for individuals and families across Saskatchewan,” said Collin K. Hirschfeld, K.C., Saskatoon Partner and Chair of the Executive Committee at McKercher LLP.

For COR and Inclusion Regina, this funding speaks directly to our belief that everyone deserves opportunities to feel connected, valued, and included. Many people with disabilities continue to face real barriers when it comes to participating in cultural and community spaces — barriers related to accessibility, transportation, support needs, cost, and a lack of inclusive programming. This grant helps address that gap.

The funding will support access to Indigenous cultural experiences, teachings, and events in ways that are welcoming and meaningful — creating space for cultural learning, connection, relationship building, and belonging.

“Inclusive cultural experiences don’t happen by accident — they require intention, resources, and community partners who share your values,” said Michael Lavis, CEO of Creative Options Regina. “We’re thankful to McKercher LLP for being one of those partners.”

Our Indigenous Cultural Advisor, Jessica Pratt-Longman, captured the spirit of what this funding will make possible: “Access to cultural learnings and opportunities is not something that the people we serve can always take for granted. Thanks to the Community Fund, we will be able to explore and re-engage with these missing histories through acts of storytelling, performance, and arts self-expression.”

We are grateful to McKercher LLP and the Community Fund for their investment in more inclusive and connected communities across Saskatchewan. This kind of partnership is what makes work like ours possible!

More Than a Conference: Building Connections and Resources at PSD CON

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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.

 

COR Named a Saskatchewan Top Employer for 2026

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We’re proud to share that COR has been named one of Saskatchewan’s Top Employers for 2026.

This recognition is more than an award; it’s a reflection of the incredible people who bring COR’s mission to life every day. Across our organization, people show up with compassion, creativity, and commitment, building relationships that strengthen individuals, teams, and community.

At COR, we believe that workplaces thrive when people feel supported, valued, and connected. Whether it’s through opportunities for professional growth, strong peer support, or a culture rooted in kindness and belonging, we remain committed to creating an environment where people can do meaningful work — and feel proud of how they do it.

Proud to Be in Great Company

We also want to congratulate all of the organizations recognized as Saskatchewan Top Employers this year. We’re honoured to stand alongside so many purpose-driven workplaces that make our province stronger.

Saskatchewan’s Top Employers 2026 Winners

  • 3sHealth / Health Shared Services Saskatchewan, Regina
  • Access Communications Co-operative Ltd., Regina
  • BHP Canada Inc., Saskatoon
  • Canpotex Limited, Saskatoon
  • Coconut Software Corp., Saskatoon
  • College of Registered Nurses of Saskatchewan, Regina
  • Conexus Credit Union (formerly Cornerstone Credit Union Financial Group Ltd.), Yorkton
  • Conexus Credit Union (formerly Synergy Credit Union Ltd.), Lloydminster
  • Creative Options Regina, Inc., Regina
  • Croptimistic Technology Inc., Saskatoon
  • eHealth Saskatchewan, Regina
  • First Nations Bank of Canada, Saskatoon
  • Information Services Corporation / ISC, Regina
  • ISM, Regina
  • Legal Aid Saskatchewan, Saskatoon
  • Lotteries and Gaming Saskatchewan Corporation, Regina
  • McDougall Gauley LLP, Saskatoon
  • Meridian Surveys Ltd., Saskatoon
  • Okane Consultants, Saskatoon
  • Ranch Ehrlo Society, Regina
  • Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission, Regina
  • Saskatchewan Blue Cross, Saskatoon
  • Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation / SCIC, Melville
  • Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority / SIGA, Saskatoon
  • Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Saskatoon
  • Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency, Regina
  • Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation, Saskatoon
  • Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board, Regina
  • SaskEnergy Incorporated, Regina
  • SaskPower, Regina
  • SaskTel, Regina
  • University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon
  • Vaderstad Industries Inc., Langbank
  • Virtus Group Chartered Professional Accountants & Business Advisors LLP, Saskatoon

Read Our Feature Story

COR is featured in the Saskatchewan Top Employers 2026 magazine (pages 16–17), including a spotlight on COR team members Param and Ben, who share their experience and what makes COR a special place to work.

👉 Read the full magazine feature here:

Thank you to every member of the COR team for the care you bring, the culture you shape, and the community you help build — every single day.

Together, we’re building something truly special.

Learn more about the Saskatchewan Top Employer (2026) Competition.

Hot Boxing Day 2025: Music and Generosity Power Support for COR

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We’re thrilled to share that this year’s Hot Boxing Day event, presented by local production house and record label Sharp 5 Records, raised incredible support for COR! Last week, we had the pleasure of receiving the donation during a cheque presentation with the organizing team — a moment filled with gratitude and celebration.

Held on Friday, December 26 at The Exchange & The Club, Hot Boxing Day brought together nine local bands for an evening of big energy and shared purpose. The event drew a full house of supporters and music lovers — all coming together to celebrate local talent while giving back to community.

This year, the team at Sharp 5 Records selected COR as the beneficiary of the annual event’s proceeds — a gesture that speaks to the values we share around inclusion, dignity, and belonging.

“We have always had the event as a way to close off the year with friends, family and community,” said event organizer Danny Jones.

“Part of that is giving back and providing a spotlight for the organizations that do great work in Regina. It is much more than an opportunity to provide financial support — our goal is to amplify their story and make more people aware of what COR is and what they do.”

The donation will help connect individuals to music and creative programming offered through the COR Studio, fostering community engagement through the arts.

“We’re so grateful to Sharp 5 Records and everyone who helped make this night a success,” said Michael Lavis, CEO of Creative Options Regina. “This donation directly supports our work alongside individuals experiencing disability to live full, meaningful lives in the community. We are deeply thankful for the heart behind this gift.”

To the organizers, the artists, the volunteers, and every person who bought a ticket or helped spread the word: thank you for showing up in such a powerful way. Your support matters!

Love, Sex & Human Rights: Dr. Karyn Harvey on Why Connection Must Be at the Heart of Support

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As Featured On: CBC Saskatchewan Morning Edition – October 2025

The Prairie Sexuality & Disability Conference – and Dr. Karyn Harvey’s keynote on love, relationships, and human rights – was recently featured on CBC Saskatchewan’s The Morning Edition with host Adam Hunter.

🎙 CBC Saskatchewan – The Morning Edition

“U.S. psychologist says Regina non-profit trailblazing sexual health approach for those with intellectual disabilities”

At this year’s Prairie Sexuality & Disability Conference, day two keynote speaker Dr. Karyn Harvey delivered a deeply moving and hopeful message grounded in humanity, connection, and rights. Her session, Love, Sex, and Human Rights, invited attendees to re-examine the way support is structured and to centre something essential: every person deserves real love, real intimacy, and real belonging.

Dr. Harvey opened with a powerful reminder that loneliness is not simply an emotion – it is a public health crisis. Drawing on research highlighted by the U.S. Surgeon General, she noted that chronic loneliness can pose a health risk comparable to smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day. It increases the likelihood of heart disease, stroke, and dementia. Neuroscience shows that exclusion even activates the same part of the brain associated with physical pain.

“We are biologically wired to connect,” she explained. When people experience isolation, exclusion, or a lack of meaningful relationships, the impact can be traumatic – especially for those who have experienced lifelong marginalization or institutionalization.

Loneliness as Trauma and Why Safety Alone Is Not Enough

Throughout her decades of work, Dr. Harvey has seen how many people experiencing disabilities carry layers of complex trauma, often linked to rejection, segregation, or the loss of meaningful relationships. And while support systems often focus on protection and safety, she urged the audience to recognize that safety is the baseline, not the goal.

People deserve the opportunity to build friendships, explore dating, and form chosen family. Yet, for many, their closest connections are with paid staff – not because staff are unkind, but because the system hasn’t always created space for natural, unpaid relationships to develop.

Meaningful connection, she emphasized, is not a luxury. It’s a human right.

Stories of Connection, Grief, and Possibility

Dr. Harvey shared several deeply personal and memorable stories – real examples of what becomes possible when people are supported to build relationships, and what is lost when they are not.

Christine & Derek

After the death of both parents, Christine withdrew from daily life. With grief support, community programming, and renewed connection, she began rebuilding her confidence. When she joined the singles group, she ultimately gravitated toward Derek – not her “assigned match” – and the two found a relationship that became a central source of stability and healing in her life.

Hinton & Mary

Hinton and Mary spent 30 years sitting beside each other at their day program in a state-run institution. They were known to everyone as a couple – but had never been supported to go on a real date, spend an evening together, or share a weekend.

At the first formal singles event Dr. Harvey’s team organized – a lively evening with a party bus, formal outfits, dinner, and dancing – they finally had their first real date. Hinton arrived in a tux and top hat; Mary wore a beautiful gown. They danced, held space for one another, and radiated joy.

“It was their first date,” Dr. Harvey said. “Their first date in 30 years.”

Their story became a touchstone – a reminder of what happens when systems gatekeep love.

Dan & Maria

Dan and Maria met at work and fell in love, though family fears initially kept them apart. With compassionate persistence and support, their families eventually embraced their relationship. They dated for several years before marrying – fully, legally, with intention.

Dr. Harvey described how their relationship sustained them, even through job loss and the stress of the pandemic. And when Maria later developed early-onset dementia, Dan became her source of comfort and strength. “I’ll never leave you,” he told her at a medical appointment. “I’ll be here for you.” Their story illustrated the fullness and dignity of long-term partnership.

Tamika: Loneliness as Vulnerability

Dr. Harvey also shared the story of Tamika, a woman who survived sexual assault. The root vulnerability, Dr. Harvey explained, was not disability – it was loneliness. For years, Tamika had told her team the same goal: “I want a boyfriend.” When that desire wasn’t supported, she sought connection where she could find it, without the guidance or safety she deserved.

Her story underscored an essential truth: connection is prevention.

Identity, Autonomy & the Role of Supports

Drawing on the work of Andrew Solomon and Erik Erikson, Dr. Harvey explained how people develop identity through both their families of origin (vertical identity) and their chosen communities (horizontal identity). Many people with disabilities experience disrupted vertical identities and lack opportunities to build horizontal ones, leaving them without a clear sense of who they are or who they belong to.

This, she emphasized, is where support matters most. Staff should not be someone’s primary relationship or surrogate family. Instead, they can be coaches and facilitators of connection, helping people build skills for communication, confidence, boundaries, and relationships.

“We help people with daily living tasks every day,” she said. “We can also help them build the skills for love.”

Choice, Rights & Modern Connection

Dr. Harvey challenged the sector’s tendency to talk about “choice” while only offering limited, controlled options. Real choice means real possibilities – dating, friendships, online connection, and the ability to explore relationships freely and safely.

She encouraged embracing modern tools – including dating apps designed for people with disabilities – while also prioritizing safety, autonomy, and informed consent. “Why shouldn’t people with disabilities use the apps that helped my own children meet their partners?” she asked.

A Human Right — Not a Privilege

At the end of her keynote, Dr. Harvey spoke from her own life: love has healed her, sustained her, and shaped who she is. She reflected on how fortunate she was to have had opportunities for intimacy and partnership.

“I had that right,” she said. “I had that opportunity. And everyone deserves it.”

Her message aligns deeply with COR’s values: people flourish when surrounded by authentic relationships, natural supports, and opportunities to connect in ways that are meaningful to them. Love, intimacy, friendship, and belonging are not extras. They are human rights – and they must be central to how we support people, always.

Intersecting Identities: Understanding Disability, Gender & Sexuality with Natalya Mason

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At the 2025 Prairie Sexuality & Disability Conference, keynote speaker Natalya Mason – consultant, social worker, and sexual health educator – opened day one with a deeply informative session exploring how disability, gender, and sexuality intersect in people’s lives. Her presentation invited attendees to rethink long-held assumptions and to approach identity with curiosity, humility, and respect.

Natalya began with a clear message: every person has a gender identity, a sexual orientation, and a way they express themselves – including people with disabilities. Yet social narratives often deny or minimize this truth. Cultural myths, ableism, and queerphobia shape the way people are seen, and these layered biases can deeply affect self-expression, autonomy, and well-being.

A Framework Rooted in Liberation, Justice & Sex-Positivity

Natalya grounded her keynote in three guiding frameworks: theory as a liberatory practice, reproductive justice, and sex-positivity.

She described theory as a liberatory practice as an invitation for everyone – not just academics – to examine the world around them and imagine something better. When marginalized people are given space to reflect on their experiences, she said,

“the closer we get to collective liberation and freedom for everybody – and to a world where they have the freedom to thrive, and the freedom to love who they want to love and love how they want to love.”

Reproductive justice, drawn from Black women’s organizing, reminds us that people have the right to have children, not have children, and raise children in safe and healthy communities. For Natalya, this framework naturally includes 2SLGBTQ+ people and people with disabilities, and links sexual health to broader struggles against racism, poverty, and state violence.

Sex-positivity, she added, means recognizing sexuality as an “enhancing part of life” and working not only to prevent negative experiences but to “produce ideal experiences for people, instead of solely working towards preventing negative experiences.”

Language, Power & Identity

A central theme of the keynote was language as a tool of power. Natalya noted that power “often maintains itself by keeping other identities or other experiences silent, and it will literally do that by not providing people the language to talk about something.”

Many of the terms used to describe gender, sexuality, and disability may feel new to some audiences – not because these experiences are new, but because people have been discouraged from naming them. Natalya encouraged participants to keep learning, ask questions, and follow the language people choose for themselves.

She walked through her “Identity Pal” tool, which helps break down identity into:

  • Gender identity (who you know yourself to be)
  • Gender expression (how you present to the world)
  • Sexual orientation (who you love or are attracted to)
  • Biological sex (chromosomes, hormones, anatomy)

These elements are related but distinct – and understanding that difference is key to offering respectful support.

Gender & Disability as Social Constructs

Natalya spent time unpacking the idea of social constructs – systems humans create, maintain, and can change. Gender is one of them. Using examples like the history of pink and blue clothing for babies, she showed how norms around “masculine” and “feminine” shift over time.

She also challenged the idea that biological sex is simple, noting that there are many intersex variations. “People tend to think that those conditions are really, really rare,” she said, “but there are about the same number of people in the world who are intersex as there are people who are born redheads.”

Disability, too, can be understood socially: rather than seeing a “broken body” that needs to be fixed, the social model of disability asks how environments, attitudes, and systems create barriers – or remove them. Curb cuts, Braille, and accessible design are all examples of how society can shift responsibility away from the individual and toward collective inclusion.

Intersections, Myths & Compounded Barriers

Drawing on the concept of intersectionality, Natalya talked about how identities combine and compound. Her experience is not just about being a woman, or Black, or queer, but about being a queer Black woman – and how those layers shape her life. Similarly, people who are both experiencing disability and part of the 2SLGBTQ+ community can face higher rates of discrimination, mental health challenges, and barriers to accessibility.

She named common myths about disability and sexuality – like the idea that people with disabilities are asexual, necessarily heterosexual, or unable to understand their own gender or orientation – and connected them to old, harmful narratives about queer people more broadly.

This isn’t theoretical: it affects who gets information, whose relationships are taken seriously, and whose rights are respected.

Allyship as Action

Natalya closed with practical guidance on allyship, emphasizing that good intentions are not enough. “All of us are accountable to both our intentions and the impacts of our actions,” she said. “Ultimately, the impact matters more than the intent.”

She encouraged participants to:

  • Use people’s chosen names and pronouns
  • Practice gender-neutral language
  • Avoid making assumptions about gender, sexuality, or disability
  • Correct themselves proactively when they make mistakes

“The term ally – think about that as a verb, not a noun,” she added. “You don’t just get issued an ally card and then you never have to renew it. Allyship is something that you should be actively engaged in and always working on.”

Natalya closed with a quote from bell hooks, reflecting on queerness as “being about the self that is at odds with everything around it, and has to invent and create and find a place to speak and to thrive and to live.” For many people with disabilities and queer people, that description resonates deeply.

Her hope – and the hope of the conference – is that we build communities where people no longer have to fight for a place to exist, but are supported to explore, express, and celebrate who they are with dignity and pride.

COR Holiday Party 2025

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Sparkle, laughter and the spirit of togetherness!

Our 2025 COR Holiday Party was nothing short of magical! From joyous laughter to unforgettable moments shared at the incredible AGT Lounge at Mosaic Stadium; delicious food, joyful connection, and plenty of holiday cheer made it a night to remember. 🎄 Thank you to the 400+ attendees that ventured out to gather on the frosty winter evening.

Relive the magic through our holiday photos below: