Celebrating Disability Employment Awareness Month 2026

Every October, Disability Employment Awareness Month (DEAM) gives us a reason to pause and look at what inclusive employment really looks like here in Regina. Not as a program or a policy, but in the everyday: hamper boxes stacked and ready to go out the door, a workstation set up just right, a familiar face at the front desk, a stadium cleaned before game day.

What stood out this year was how ordinary that work is, and how much it matters. None of these roles are charity or make-work. They’re real jobs that needed doing, matched with people who bring real strengths to them. And behind every one is an employer who chose to see potential, because inclusion doesn’t happen by accident. It happens by intention.

It works at every scale, too. From a community food hub to a national Crown corporation, the employers we met this month showed that inclusive hiring fits any workplace, and that no one has to figure it out alone.

Since launching in 2014, 4to40 has helped more than 80 people find paid jobs with about 50 employers across the city. The hope is that one day, we won’t need to call it inclusive employment at all. It’ll just be employment.

This month, we shared stories from four of those workplaces, hosted our annual Employer Reception, spoke at the Annual PSC Conference, and saw 4to40 featured across local media.

 

This Year’s Stories
The same theme came up again and again: these are team members their workplaces truly rely on.

Regina Food Bank – At the warehouse and the BMO Asahtowikamik Community Food Hub, Austin and Chris hold down roles the whole operation depends on. For employers considering inclusive hiring, Stephanie Wenger, manager of the Food Hub, puts it simply: “Jump off that fence as fast as you can and dive on in.”
Read the story → 

Farm Credit Canada – From configuring workstations to keeping supplies stocked across two towers, Roger, Taylor and Lesley are essential to their teams. “For me, it’s all about hiring the human, and then training the skill that fits their capability,” said Mandy McAfee-Hasz, Deskside Supervisor.
Read the story →

University of Regina – In the Faculty of Kinesiology, Jessie has become a familiar face on campus. “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,” said Eric Exner, Director of Operations.
Read the story →

REAL – Ted helps keep REAL District event-ready, from Mosaic Stadium to the concourse. “I can rely on Ted because I know he’s doing the job. He’s consistent,” said Thomas Scott, Assistant Manager, Custodial.
Read the story →

 

Celebrating Together
On October 20, about 85 employers, employees, families and partners gathered at Darke Hall at the University of Regina for the annual 4to40 Employer Reception, co-hosted by Creative Options Regina and Campus For All.

Michael Lavis, CEO of Creative Options Regina, and Tara Osipoff, Vice-Chair of COR’s Board of Directors, served as MCs for the evening, which featured remarks from Dr. Jeff Keshen, President of the University of Regina, and Greg Tuer, Deputy Minister of Immigration and Career Training, whose ministry is a key funding partner of 4to40. We were also glad to welcome Jenn Clark, Executive Director of Career and Employment Services with the Ministry, along with City Councillors Shannon Zachidniak and Victoria Flores.

Guest speaker Marco Deiana shared his family’s story. Mik, is a University of Regina student supported by Campus For All who works at Sticks & Doodles through 4to40, and spent this summer working with the City of Regina. Mik was featured in last year’s DEAM story →

 

Sharing What Works
Donna Flaman-Johnson and Ben Raine, Director of Support Services with Creative Options Regina, were also invited to speak about 4to40 at the Annual PSC Conference. They shared the initiative with an audience of about 300 people, and the feedback was excellent.

 

In the News
4to40 and DEAM were featured across local media this month:

• CTV Your Morning: Donna Flaman-Johnson, Inclusive Employment Broker with 4to40, and Aaron Orban, Executive Director of the Audit and Information Management Branch with the Ministry of Justice and Attorney General, shared how inclusive employment benefits employees and workplaces alike. Watch →
• CBC Saskatchewan’s The Morning Edition: Donna joined the program to reflect on Disability Employment Awareness Month. Listen →
• Government of Saskatchewan, Our Stories: Creating opportunities through inclusive employment. Read →

 

Thank You
To our employer partners, thank you for leading by example. To employees and their families, thank you for showing everyone what’s possible. And to the Ministry of Immigration and Career Training, the University of Regina and Campus For All, thank you for your continued partnership.

A special thank-you to Donna Flaman-Johnson and Joana Valamootoo for everything they pour into 4to40.

Watch our 4to40 DEAM Employer Reception thank-you video →

 

Learn More About 4to40
To learn more about inclusive employment and the 4to40 program, visit 4to40.ca.