Spark Employment holds first conference in Sudbury focused on inclusion

Spark Employment Services held its inaugural conference in Sudbury on Thursday, focused on inclusion, diversity and equity in the workplace.

CEO Chantal Makela said there was a need for a conference like this.

“The individuals that we do serve -- and we do serve individuals with disabilities and who encounter challenges to participate in work,” Makela said.

“We identify this (as) a conversation that we often had with the job seekers. And now we know that it’s important for us to do the same thing with employers.”

The conference was held at the Radisson Hotel, with more than 100 attendees from organizations and businesses in the city.

There were speakers on topics such as mental health in the workplace, inclusion and accessibility.

Angela Gray, executive director of Independent Living Sudbury Manitoulin, was the keynote speaker.

“It’s telling employers to be the change,” Gray said.

“Make your hiring practices more accessible and accommodating and recognize that there are tons of people out there that have some amazing things that they can share with organizations, and they’ll help to reach that extra, higher level that you want to be at with your business, your organization.”

Aspen Groom with Reseau Access Network led a presentation about 2SLGBTQ+ allyship for employers.

More important than ever

During his inauguration, U.S. President Donald Trump rolled back transgender rights, declaring that the federal government would only accept male and female as acceptable genders.

In that context, Groom said holding conferences like this is important now more than ever.

“We’re seeing this shift towards things that are more dangerous and more threatening to people who don’t fit into that neat box of what is socially acceptable,” they said.

“When we’re having this conversation, it’s just so helpful to say what queer people are asking for is not that complicated. And if we think of our values of respect as people who have to navigate the world with other people ... good things that can come of it are not that complicated.”

Spark plans to host the conference annually.