“Whereas under the Accessible Canada Act 2019, c. 10 (Section 133), throughout Canada each year, the week starting on the last Sunday in May is to be known as National AccessAbility Week, and is an opportunity to promote accessibility and inclusion across communities and workplaces, and a time to celebrate the contributions of Canadians with disabilities and to be inspired to further break down barriers; and
Whereas a national accessibility week was first established following Paralympian Rick Hanson’s Man in Motion World Tour in 1987; and
Whereas the County of Northumberland is committed to accessibility; and
Whereas for the week of May 25 – 31, 2025, the Northumberland Accessibility Advisory Committee (NAAC) approved a variety of awareness activities, in consultation with Communications; and
Whereas the theme of “Challenge your perspective: Rethinking Accessibility” encourages everyone to think about disability and the effects of inequality; and
Whereas the 3 County staff named below were honoured with a “Helping Hands Award” to recognize their efforts at embracing accessibility by going above and beyond mere compliance with accessibility legislation:
Keagan Philion, Communications and Digital Media Intern, Communications and Information Technology
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- For excellence in Information and Communications standards demonstrated by the development of accessible information such as accessible video content and graphics and co-leading the development of multiple accessibility-focused campaigns including International Day of Person with Disabilities and National AccessAbility Week in collaboration with the Northumberland Accessibility Advisory Committee and the Accessibility Coordinator.
Karrie Martin, Human Resources Coordinator, Corporate Services
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- For excellence in Customer Service, Information and Communications and Employment standards demonstrated by adapting her communication to ensure that individuals of all abilities have a clear understanding of the County's processes; by ensuring all print and digital job postings are in an accessible format and revising the HR orientation presentation to improve accessibility; by creating a barrier-free environment for all new recruits through the recruitment and on-boarding stages; by offering accommodations as needed adapting to requests from job candidates throughout the hiring process; and by including agencies that support people with disabilities looking for work when distributing external job postings.
Giselle Lech, Superintendent of Quality Assurance and Training, Northumberland Paramedics (and Ivy Joules, Therapy Dog)
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- For excellence in Customer Service demonstrated by her commitment to training and caring for therapy dog, Ivy Joules; and her dedication to supporting the mental and emotional wellbeing of Community Paramedicine-LTC clients, Paramedics responding to difficult calls, allied agencies, various County departments and schools through her visits with Ivy.
Now Therefore Be It Resolved That I, Warden Brian Ostrander, on behalf of Northumberland County Council do hereby proclaim May 25 – May 31, 2025, to be ‘National AccessAbility Week’ in Northumberland County.”