Notes from the Field

Read the latest post from the Centre’s blog, where we invite organizations and individuals whose work and values align with our own to share their thoughts and musings about their work and anything that may be important to them. Are you interested in writing a blog? You may be eligible for an honorarium of $100 for a blog of 500-900 words on a topic that fits the Centre’s Work, Vision, and Values. The blog contribution is approved by the Director and edited as needed by the Centre. Please send your proposal to liveworkwell@uoguelph.ca and let us know what you would like to write about!  

A stacked library shelf filled with books.

The LWWRC Summer ‘25 Reading List to Engage with Our Clusters

The Live Work Well Research Centre (LWWRC) is home to five research clusters exploring complex themes and the ways they influence work, family, and well-being in all their diverse forms: “All My Relations” Indigenous Ways of Knowing; Disabilities, Access, and Inclusion; Displacements, Emergence, and Change; Reimagining Care; and Sexual and Gender Diversity.  

In the past, the Centre has developed engagement lists for our members to further understand our research clusters. Now that summer is finally here, we have pulled top picks from previous engagement lists and also added new suggestions to the mix. Check out our book recommendations below, and stay tuned for future engagement lists featuring podcasts, movies, and TV shows! 

A photo of Maegan Ellis standing under and pointing at a sign for the arctic circle. She is pictured with long brown hair under a ballcap, an orange skirt, and a traditional ribbon skirt.

Woven Stories: How Beadwork Reconnects Me to Indigenous History

I was told from a young age that I am Métis—or “May-dee,” depending on who you ask. With maternal roots in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, and paternal roots in Georgian Bay, Ontario, my family history is rich with Indigenous–settler relations I only recently started exploring. I was raised in Midland, on the shores of Georgian Bay and traditional territory of the Chippewa Tri-Council, on land within Treaties #5 and #16.

Amy Kipp crafting at 10C, creating material for the SOPR Stories Student Blog.

Social Practice and Transformational Change PhD: An Interview with Amy Kipp

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.  

A graphic of various elders and people with disabilities and their caregivers.

National Caregiver Day: The Many Forms of Caregiving

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.

Community Living Guelph Wellington logo

Everyone Counts: The Growing Crisis in the Developmental sector

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.   

A purple background with a woman sitting and reading with headphones on leaning against a pile of books that are sitting on a large graduation cap.

Navigating University with Autism Spectrum 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.   

A graphic of a hand holding a smartphone with various disability-related symbols flying out of the screen.

4 Apps for the Disabled Community

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.   

A green background, overlayed is the silhouette of a house and silhouettes of various figures standing in front of the house holding hands. On top of these silhouettes is a red, orange, pink, and blue graphic of a hand holding a megaphone.

Poverty Awareness Month: Centring Lived Experience and Community Collaboration to Create Lasting Change

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. 

News Archive