8:00am - 4:30pm Eastern Time
The Mental Health Commission of Canada presents a free, one-day, interactive forum on practical tools and resources and innovative practices that promote employment of people living with mental health problems or illnesses.
Like conventional businesses, social businesses exchange goods and services in the marketplace, but they are organized to achieve social as well as economic goals. In the mental health arena, this includes creating employment opportunities for the almost 90% of Canadians with mental health problems or illness who are unemployed.
People who work are healthier, have higher self-esteem and higher standards of living. For those affected by mental illness who want to work and contribute, one of the biggest barriers to entering the workforce is stigma.
Social businesses help reduce the stigma of mental illness by engaging people with lived experience in positive social exchanges with others, including co-workers, supervisors, employers, and customers.
Around 100 social businesses have been identified in Canada who are providing employment opportunities for people with mental health problems or illnesses.
If you would like the opportunity to share your experience or discuss the future of this field with like-minded experts, this forum is for you.
Register for Discovering Hidden Talent
This forum is for:
- Social businesses employing individuals with mental health problems or illnesses;
- Policy-makers;
- People with lived experience of mental illness employed by social businesses;
- Researchers;
- Mental health service providers;
- Key stakeholders and other community champions; and
- People interested in the field.
This event has been made possible through the generous contributions of the following sponsors: Government of Canada - Employment and Social Development Canada; Sheridan College; McConnell Foundation; Rise Asset Development; Toronto Enterprise Fund; Air Canada; RBC Foundation; Canadian HR Reporter; Great-West Life Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace; and 3M Canada.
For more information, contact:
Nitika Rewari, Program Manager, Workplace Mental Health, at nrewari at mentalhealthcommission.ca
**Travel bursaries of up to $500 are also available and can be applied for within the registration process.
SOURCE: The Mental Health Commission of Canada
