The “Inspire, Hire, Train, Retain” (IHTR) project, led by Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital and Halton Healthcare alongside ten other Ontario organizations, offers a free online resource to help support health-care employers when it comes to disability-inclusive hiring and employment.

The co-designed and pilot-tested resource consists of a training implementation guide, facilitator’s guide, and training slide deck that can be used by any health-care organization to train their staff. Funding for the IHTR project was generously provided by the Government of Ontario and the Holland Bloorview Foundation.

“People with disabilities and health conditions work and thrive in a variety of roles in Ontario health-care organizations, yet there is more to be done to ensure our policies and processes are truly inclusive,” says Tracey Millar, vice president, people and culture, Holland Bloorview. “The goal of IHTR is to spread confidence and competency with the human resources best practices that attract, train and retain individuals with disabilities.”

Gabriella Carafa, a collaborative practice leader at Holland Bloorview, has helped steer the development of the IHTR training materials from the beginning. “As a person with a disability who has worked in a variety of health-care organizations, I have faced hiring and accommodation barriers. We need to work through these,” says Carafa. “When we prioritize inclusive employment in health-care organizations, everyone benefits – including patients. Individuals with both visible and non-visible disabilities are an integral part of the planning and delivery of health-care services and can help ensure that care meets patients’ real needs.”

The following healthcare and employment service organizations co-developed IHTR together with Holland Bloorview and Halton Healthcare:  Health Sciences North, The Hospital for Sick Children, Norfolk General Hospital, Sault Area Hospital, St. Joseph’s Health Care London, St. Joseph’s Lifecare Brantford, West Haldimand General Hospital, Community Living Oakville, March of Dimes Canada, Ontario Disability Employment Network (ODEN).

“The IHTR training opened my eyes to strategies and resources that can help us all foster a more inclusive workplace. From rethinking how we design our job descriptions to ensuring our training programs are accessible to everyone, Inspire, Hire, Train, Retain provides a roadmap for creating policies and environments where everyone can succeed,” says Michelle Leroux, chief human resources officer, Halton Healthcare.

“Co-design brings together a diverse range of stakeholders—such as service users, experts, and community members—to collaborate in developing effective solutions. This collaborative approach is exactly what IHTR embodies. By offering training to healthcare organizations, it not only creates enhanced hiring opportunities but also promotes a more inclusive workplace,” says Tracey Morrow, employment specialist, Community Living Oakville. “The training provides healthcare organizations with the tools to assess and refine their hiring practices, while simultaneously building confidence in hiring individuals with disabilities. As a service provider, this initiative opens up greater opportunities for people with disabilities to be hired and valued, fostering greater inclusion and diversity within the workforce.”

Questions about the ITHR training materials? Contact Laura Bowman, project manager, lbowman@hollandbloorview.ca