Language and Approach: Respectable Approaches to Including People with Disabilities

Including people of all backgrounds and abilities is important for creating inclusive and caring communities.  Canadians with disabilities often face barriers to inclusion within society, including employment, financial security and social inclusion.  Discrimination isn’t always intended, but it can come from a place of not knowing how to reach out to people experiencing disability or come from a place of anxiety about saying or doing something that will be offensive.

This webinar is about working towards making our communities inclusive and accessible, starting with the language around disability and then the next steps, creating the ask.  Some of your greatest resources in your community may remain untapped because they weren’t asked.

About the Facilitators:

Jenelle Fortier, Employment & Transitions Facilitator. Inclusion Saskatchewan, Regina and Area

Jenelle joined Inclusion Saskatchewan in March 2024 as an Employment & Transitions Facilitator for Regina and the surrounding area. Jenelle began her career as a Recreation Coordinator at Elmwood Residences where she developed her passion for supporting people with disabilities and honed her skills in creating meaningful and inclusive opportunities for the people she supported. In her current role, she is committed to ensuring people with disabilities have the necessary resources and supports to achieve their goals and lead fulfilling lives.

Outside of her work, Jenelle enjoys spending time at home in Regina with her partner. Together, they love cooking and trying new recipes. As sports enthusiasts, they can often be found cheering for their favourite sports teams. Jenelle also enjoys socializing with friends and maintaining a well-rounded, active lifestyle.

Shandrea Verboom-Brodner, Director of Supports, Inclusion Saskatchewan

Shandrea is Inclusion Saskatchewan’s Director of Supports who works out of Regina and helps to oversee a team of Inclusion Consultants who provide support to people with intellectual disabilities across Saskatchewan. Shandrea is passionate about upholding the rights of people with disabilities and advocating for a more inclusive Saskatchewan for all. Some of her passions include helping people to find alternatives ways to support their loved ones without obtaining guardianship, continuing to advocate for improvements to Saskatchewan’s SAID program so all people with disabilities have what they need to live with dignity, and co-creating plain language resources alongside people with lived experience. Shandrea is excited to share more about the benefits of inclusion as well as more information about our work, resources, and programs.

About the Guest Speaker:

Leanne Madsen

Leanne is from Estevan, SK and is a very active member of the community. She loves to spend time at the rink to watch hockey and go for coffee with friends. Leanne has been connected to Inclusion Saskatchewan since 2000 and is a member of ICAN and has contributed her time and energy to co-create various resources alongside Inclusion Saskatchewan such as the Supported Decision Making Workbook and My Health Care Wishes. Leanne continues to lend her time and expertise on our Medical Decision Making Committee and Co-Policy Creation Committee. Leanne is an important member of Inclusion Saskatchewan who also sits on our Board of Directors and we are so grateful for her contributions. 

Registration Deadline: Monday, December 8

Download Event Poster (Coming Soon)

This event is part of our Inclusive Communities Workshop Series. Explore the full lineup of workshops and find the sessions that best fit your goals:

• Language and Approach: Respectable Approaches to Including People with Disabilities - Wednesday, December 10, 2025
• Best Practices for Disability Inclusion in Recreation with Taryn Barry - Wednesday, January 14, 2026