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Youth, Episodic Disability, and Work: Insights from a National Environmental Scan

On February 7, 2025, from 12:00 to 1:30 pm ET, the National Educational Association of Disabled Students (NEADS) will be joined by Tess Kern, Realize’s National Youth Episodic Disabilities Initiatives Coordinator. During this session, Tess will provide an in-depth exploration of the unique challenges faced by youth living with episodic disabilities as they navigate the world of work. Drawing from Realize’s environmental scan, we will delve into the barriers, gaps, and opportunities revealed in youth episodic disability and employment support programs across the country.

This webinar will delve into key themes from the environmental scan, highlighting the critical need for transition supports to assist youth with episodic disabilities in navigating the shift from education to employment. It will also emphasize the importance of accessibility tailored to the fluctuating nature of episodic disabilities and address systemic challenges, including barriers to obtaining diagnoses and accessing appropriate disability supports, which leave many youth underserved. Additionally, we will examine systemic inequities affecting?key populations?identified during the scan who face intersecting barriers rooted in geography, culture, and identity.

The session emphasizes the interplay between episodic disability, work, and broader systemic factors, identifying actionable insights to create more inclusive, equitable workplaces that truly meet the needs of youth with episodic disabilities. This webinar is ideal for employers, educators, community leaders, and young adults with episodic disabilities that are interested in learning more about episodic disability and employment.  

ASL interpretation and closed captioning will be provided. Registration is required – please register here. For further information and/or to discuss access needs, please contact Chloée C. Godin-Jacques, NEADS’s Educational Programming Director, at chloee.godinjacques@neads.ca This event is a feature of our Virtual Access for All webinar series, which is generously supported by Employment and Social Development Canada's Supports for Student Learning Program.

Meet the Presenter

Tess Kern

National Youth Episodic Disabilities Initiatives Coordinator @ Realize

Tess Kern, MSW, RSW (she/her) is a licensed social worker with a strong commitment to fostering empathy and compassion in her practice. After earning her Master of Social Work in Health and Mental Health from the University of Toronto in June 2024, she began her role as the National Youth Episodic Disabilities Initiatives Coordinator at?Realize. Tess brings a range of experience from her work in mental health support, research, and project coordination roles at institutions such as the University of Regina, Baycrest Health Sciences, and The Hospital for Sick Children. Her professional ethos centers on the belief that empathetic and collaborative care is essential to effective social services work.?

Chloée C. Godin-Jacques, M.A. (she/they) | chloee.godinjacques@neads.ca  
NEADS Educational Programming Director | Directeur.rice du program éducatif de NEADS
National Educational Association of Disabled Students (NEADS) | Association nationale des étudiant(e)s handicapé(e)s au niveau postsecondaire

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