2024 DEAM Idea Conference

DEAM IDEA Conference

In celebration of Disability Employment Awareness Month, Alberta Employment First Network (AEFN) is pleased to present the third annual DEAM IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility) Conference in Red Deer, Alberta on October 4th 2024. This conference will provide attendees with the opportunity to build upon their knowledge of inclusive and equitable employment and recruitment while examining topics of disability intersectionality within diversity and equity. Attendees will walk away with actionable steps they can use in their communities and workplaces.

Building on momentum from last year, attendees will gain insight from industry leaders with lived experience and will be provided with tangible tools that they can implement within their workplaces. The DEAM IDEA Conference is expected to have 200 attendees from across Alberta in human resources, business leaders, disability and human services, inclusive employers, employment service providers, community members, and self-advocates.

The 2024 conference call to action is "Authenticity in Action".

What is authenticity in action?

It's a reminder that without authenticity, inclusive employment journeys are unsustainable. Authenticity when taking actionable steps for inclusive employment will:

• ensure meaningful employment
• create sustainable workplaces
• improve workplace culture
• invite opportunities for talent matching
• retain employees
• create stronger EDI strategies

Learn more about authenticity in action for employment within the untapped labour pool of people with disabilities at the DEAM IDEA Conference on October 4th in Red Deer. Register now!

Registration Deadline: September 23rd 2024

DEAM IDEA Conference - Networking Event October 3rd, 6pm-9pm

Join us for a pre-conference event! There will exhibitors, a chance to build capacity with fellow Albertans and to share stories about inclusive employment. Come for chit chats, an informal actity and snacks.

Registration Deadline: September 23rd 2024

If you are a self advocate or person with a disability who would like to request support with purchasing a ticket to the DEAM IDEA Conference, please email Mariebelle at comms@aefn.ca.

Looking for accommodation?

Holiday Inn has rooms for the DEAM IDEA Conference. They're ensuring availability across all accessible rooms in their three Holiday Inn hotels in Red Deer.

To book an accessible room, please contact stephanie@planitsound.com to be directed to hotel management.

If you would like to discuss rates with the hotel, please contact them directly.

The 2024 Speakers

We are joined by Riccardo and Katie from Kello Inclusive as our keynote speakers. Kello Inclusive is a talent agency exclusively representing disabled and visibly different talent; because the beauty of disabilities, diversities, and differences deserves to be represented fairly and fully.

Presenting... Brandon Huynh - an audit associate at PwC, one of the Big Four firms renowned for their global professional services. In his corporate role, Brandon is an advocate for the Deaf community, promoting increased awareness and inclusion within his firm and the broader public. As a Deaf individual who primarily communicates through American Sign Language, Brandon's dedication to fostering inclusivity is evident in both his professional environment and his community contributions.

Our next speaker is Crystal Bowen - As an ADHD and Autistic individual with over 15 years advocating for diversity, equity, inclusion and psychological safety, 10 years of inclusive design experience and a lifetime of lived experience, Crystal brings a unique perspective on how neuroinclusion impacts opportunities to thrive in workplaces, learning environments and society. She is currently leading a team of experts in the fields of psychological health and safety, intersectional diversity inclusion, neurodiversity and learning design through the Harmony of Difference Learning Academy and Consulting Consortium to establish neuroinclusion standards, practices and competency development by design.

Last but not least, our employer panel will be moderated by Brooke Leifso, MA. She is a Disabled/Crip applied researcher and social change facilitator. She brings many levels of lived experience to the NorQuest College Workplace Accessibility research chair position and uses an intersectional disability justice social model approach in her work.

Stay tuned for an exciting emcee announcement and a list of the employer panelists!