Tag Archives: Inclusion

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS News -2025-06-25- Library Of Things celebrates OTF grant at annual summer garage sale

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CKMS News -2025-06-25- Library Of Things celebrates OTF grant at annual summer garage sale

dan kellar
Kitchener, ON – The Library of Things of Kitchener-Waterloo has been awarded a big grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation which will facilitate a new project and lead to 5 new part-time staff positions for folks who have developmental or intellectual disabilities. The $440,100 grant was celebrated at the annual community garage sale on June 24th at the organization’s headquarters on Moore St in Kitchener.

The LoT, which freely lends out items such as tools, camping gear, and kitchen appliances, and is the social enterprise of the charitable service organization Extend-a-Family has a mission to “build a sharing economy in Waterloo Region by equipping individuals with the tools and resources they need to create, build, and explore, while fostering equity through meaningful employment opportunities for people with disabilities.”

This episode features clips from speeches given at the event, including from Kitchener-Centre Green Party MPP Aislinn Clancy, and a short interview with Kim Sproul, the Community Program Manager for the Library of Things.

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS News -2025-04-04- Sensory Backpack initiative launched in Waterloo

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CKMS News -2025-04-04- Sensory Backpack initiative launched in Waterloo

dan kellar
Waterloo, ON – The city of Waterloo has unveiled a new tool to support the sensory needs of community members while visiting city facilities, the sensory backpack.  Packed with items to help individuals reduce or increase sensory input, such as noise cancelling headphones, sunglasses, and fidget tools, the new initiative was launched on April 2nd, World Autism Awareness day.

The backpacks also include information about Waterloo’s inclusion services, and items for self-regulation and communication such as a timer, a drawing pad, and Picture Exchange Communications System (PECS), which allows folks to communicate through pictures.

These kits fit in with the city’s reconciliation, equity, accessibility, diversity and inclusion framework, and are accessible to any visitor at 6 city run facilities. Similar programs have been launched in other Ontario cities including Ottawa, Toronto, and Barrie.

This show features an interview with Molly Riediger, the Inclusion Services Coordinator at the City of Waterloo.

CKMS Community News, Newsroom, Shows

CKMS News -2025-03-04- City of Waterloo launches “Get READI” plan to address systemic inequity.

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CKMS News – 2025-03-04- City of Waterloo launches “Get READI” plan to address systemic inequity.

dan kellar
Waterloo, ON – As Waterloo works to incorporate reconciliation, equity, accessibility, diversity, and inclusion, the launch of the Get READI plan in mid-February will now guide all city divisions as they plan and provide programs and services for the community. 

While announcing the launch, mayor Dorothy McCabe said that the work the city does must reflect the growing size and diversity of the city’s population. The city has been working towards this goal since 2017 to address historical systemic denial of equity.

This show features an interview with Divya Handa, the director of reconciliation, equity, accessibility, diversity and inclusion at the city of Waterloo.  Handa discusses the Get READI plan including the genesis and origin of the city’s work, the cooperation needed in drafting the plan, how implementation will happen, and addresses some of the critiques of DEI that have been raised.

In Conversation With Rashmi

Robyn Hobbs & Stephanie Rozek – In Conversation with Rashmi

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Robyn Hobbs has a passion for sustainability, fashion, woman empowerment, self-love and community. This inspired her to create Le Prix Fashion and Consulting, a women’s fashion social enterprise that sources second-hand and new sustainable and ethical fashions from all over the world. But this didn’t come easy for Robyn, she has had her fair share of struggles and after being discouraged several times, she continued to peruse her passion. Robyn spoke all about creating Le Prix Fashion, this year’s summer trends and so much more. Robyn has a home shop in Waterloo and online store, where she creates a fun shopping experience, by free appointment, for women to discover their style while buying environmentally-friendly and socially just products.

A strong advocate for diversity and inclusion, Stephanie Rozek is the award-winning co-founder of Marit Collective organization that promotes thoughtfulness and change at the personal level through constantly evolving, honest human dialogue. An established coach, writer, and speaker, she has over 20 years experience working with clients and companies locally in Waterloo Region and across North America, in industries including software development, healthcare, industrial automation, and academia. At present she is the KW Ambassador for TechGirls Canada, and a board member with the inter-arts collective Pins and Needles Fabric Company. Stephanie has worked at a leadership level with National Engineering Month Ontario, the Waterloo Region chapter of Canadian Women in Technology, TEDxWaterloo, and Engineers Without Borders Canada, and sat on the Women in Engineering committee at the University of Waterloo as an alumni member for four years. She has received both the KW Oktoberfest Women of the Year Entrepreneur award (2014), and a Waterloo Region 40 under 40 award (2013). Stephanie shared her amazing work in our community and her work with Marit Collective

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