FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Media Advisory:  Disabilities Mentoring Day (DMD) being held in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, March 21, 2018

(St. John’s), NL: Today, October 25, 2017, is Disabilities Mentoring Day (DMD) in many provinces across the country, during Disability Employment Awareness Month (DEAM).  DMD was founded by Dolphin’s Digital Technologies Inc., in Kingston Ontario, in 2011 and has expanded into a national initiative spreading into multiple cities and provinces across Canada.

In recognition of DEAM and DMD, several community organizations have partnered to announce that on March 21, 2018, a mentoring day for businesses and people with disabilities will be held for the first time in St. John’s, NL!  An organizing committee has been established and plans are in motion for the March 21 event, with the aim of joining forces with other counterparts to host a second mentoring day event in October 2018.

“DMD aims to connect employers to people with disabilities. It is a unique opportunity for both participants. For the Mentor (Business Employee), DMD enables qualified individuals with disabilities to experience a workplace environment and gain first hand insight from willing business mentors.” says Kathy Hawkins, Manager of Empower’s InclusionNL program. “It is an opportunity to establish strategic partnerships, and gain access to a valuable talent pool.” “For the Mentee (Job Seekers with Disabilities), DMD is a day of job shadowing with a business/employer to help increase experience in ‘real life’ knowledge, responsibility and focus which translates into an increased level of confidence and awareness of what is required to do the job.” says Hawkins.

“We are extremely excited about this initiative and working with our corporate partners at HospitalityNL and others to bring DMD to fruition.  Hosting Disabilities Mentoring Day in the early spring will help businesses look at new talent at the onset of a very busy tourism/hospitality season.” says Kimberly Yetman-Dawson, Executive Director of Empower, The Disability Resource Centre. “Businesses will gain disability confidence and opportunities to consider hiring people with disabilities to fulfill their labour shortage gaps by participating in this exciting event.” says Yetman-Dawson.

For more information or an accessible version of this press release, please contact:

Kathy Hawkins, Manager
inclusionNL: Employer Support Services
Empower, The Disability Resource Centre
Tel/Cell:  709-697-3323   email:  kathy@inclusionNL.ca