About Us
MAKING COMMUNITIES MORE INCLUSIVE FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH
Who We Are
Inclusive Communities Canada (ICCan) is a not-for-profit organization that seeks to bring together tools, learning resources and recreational programs to enhance inclusion within communities for all children and youth. ICCan takes a holistic, lifespan approach whereby we believe that in order to make communities more inclusive for children and youth we must acknowledge the importance of multiple community spaces (e.g., schools, playgrounds, sports) and we must teach about and discuss inclusion with individuals of all age groups and occupations. ICCan was built on three foundational pillars: Learn, Engage, Connect. Through these pillars we aim to improve inclusion within communities by: helping community members (e.g., children/youth, parents, educators and recreation leaders) learn bout inclusion and best practices for fostering inclusion, engaging children and youth through fun, inclusive programs that foster a sense of belonging and connecting with and supporting other organizations within communities that also work to enhance inclusion. We believe that through connecting, supporting and advocating for likeminded organizations we can, together, make a greater impact.
What We Do
Learn
By collaborating with experts in the field, ICCan creates and distributes resources for service providers (e.g., teachers, recreation staff) that focus on best practices for inclusion and how to teach children about inclusion. Through resource guides, webinars and training opportunities, we hope to provide communities with the knowledge and tools necessary to create inclusive opportunities for children and youth. In addition to creating our own educational materials, ICCan also seeks to promote and help dissemate learning opportunities and resources offered by likeminded organizations.
Engage
We believe an integral part of inclusive communities are opportunities for children of all abilities to come together and play, learn and, most importantly, have fun. ICCan seeks to design programming for children and youth of all abilities that bring families together in an inclusive environment for everyone to enjoy. Our programs are thoughtfully designed to include children with and without disabilities. We hope that by taking this approach we can continue to teach about and discuss inclusion with children and youth in a safe and supportive environment.
Connect
We want to change the world, but we can’t do it alone. ICCan is dedicated to using our platform to not only create new resources and programs to fill current needs within communities but to also leverage existing organizations that provide education on inclusion and inclusive programs for children and youth. ICCan seeks to advocate for the importance of inclusion by intentionally seeking out and partnering with likeminded community organizations. Our website will feature likeminded organizations in Canada to showcase the amazing work being conducted across the country in the field of inclusion and diversity.