Notes from the Field

We had the pleasure of interviewing Amy Kipp, one of the Co-leads of the Live Work Well Research Centre’s Reimagining Care Cluster. Amy Kipp is the second person to have completed the PhD in Social Practice and Transformational Change (SOPR) from the University of Guelph as of January 28, 2025, when she defended her thesis. SOPR is a four-year, full-time graduate program that combines research-intensive classroom study with experiential and problem-based learning. The program started in 2019 with its first cohort.  

Global Accessibility Awareness Day falls on May 15 this year and encourages people around the world to think and learn about digital access and inclusion. It is important to recognize those who live with disabilities and impairments and how inaccessible web content can be a barrier to their knowledge and access.

National Caregiver Day on the first Tuesday in April of each year aims to recognize caregivers’ importance in society and to celebrate and thank caregivers for their work amid the challenges involved. Although caregivers are essential to healthcare and enhance the quality of life for those needing care, many difficulties impact their ability to provide this service for others.

In Canada, March is Developmental Disabilities Month, a time when we recognize the unique skills of people with developmental disabilities and the challenges they continue to face. During this month, we spread awareness for those living with disabilities such as autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and any form of a learning disorder.   

Vanessa Bonham is a fourth-year undergraduate student pursuing an Honours English degree with a minor in Creative Writing and works part-time with the Live Work Well Research Centre as the Communications and Research Assistant. She uses her writing as a medium to explore autism advocacy for late-diagnosed girls. She recently published an article outlining the challenges of using public transit, and in this blog she is exploring the barriers of going to university and being autistic.   

The Live Work Well Research Centre prioritizes making content accessible on the web. But what do we think you should know about apps that are specifically designed for the disabled community? Below are four apps we think should be on your radar, either as a member of the disabled community or not.  Each of these apps is available via iOS on the App Store and Android through Google Play.   

January is National Poverty Awareness month, an opportunity to shine a spotlight on the systemic challenges that perpetuate poverty and homelessness. It’s a time to rally together as a community to raise awareness. It’s also a time to recognize that we are all connected and have a role to play in ensuring everyone in our community can not only meet their basic needs but also live with dignity and thrive. 

We come together to remind everyone of the importance of Canada’s National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women on December 6. Considering the meaning of the day, which serves as a call to action in empowering survivors and preventing and reducing gender-based violence (GBV), we want to take a moment to recognize the important research being conducted at Dr. Paula Barata’s Supporting Survivors and Gender Equity Lab (SSAGE Lab).

Lorelei Root works as an accessibility specialist, with a focus in game development and making digital content more accessible to people with disabilities. She is the chair of the City of Guelph’s Accessibility Advisory Committee and a board member for the Canadian Centre for Disability Studies, and serves on a number of other boards and committees in an accessibility advisory capacity.

November 25 signifies International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and marks the start of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) campaign.