Drawing on his lived experience as a person with a disability who works from home and who uses caregiving services, Andrew will explore how we can make caregiving spaces accessible for clients and consumers alike. We’ll look at different aspects of disability management, approaches to accommodations, and consider how these can impact psychological health. We will explore the difficulties of needing care in a workspace, challenges of working from home when one is severely disabled and so much more. Participants will walk away with the tools to support disabled people at work and at home and will also leave with the tools to confront their own ableism.
Learning Outcomes:
- Understand the unique needs of people with disabilities in work and home settings.
- Identify challenges in accessing caregiving services and creating accessible spaces.
- Learn practical strategies for accommodating disabilities in the workplace and remote work environments.
- Explore the psychological impact of disability on individuals and caregivers, and ways to promote well-being.
- Develop awareness of personal biases and tools to foster more inclusive environments for people with disabilities.
Our presenter
Andrew Gurza is an award-winning Disability Awareness Consultant and the Chief Disability Officer and Co-founder of Bump’n. Andrew uses they/he pronouns and identifies proudly as disabled. Their work has been featured on BBC, CBC, Daily Xtra, Gay Times UK, Huffington Post, The Advocate, Everyday Feminism, Mashable, Out.com, and several anthologies. He was the subject of an award-winning National Film Board of Canada Documentary “Picture This”. Andrew has guested on several podcasts including Dan Savage’s Savage Love and Cameron Esposito’s Queery. He has spoken all over the world on sex, disability and what it means to be a Queer Cripple. They were also a Production Consultant and Actor on the Queer As Folk reboot in 2022.
He also hosts “Disability After Dark: The Podcast,” which illuminates disability narratives. The podcast received a Canadian Podcast Award in 2021, earned a Queerty Award nomination, and was honored at the 2020 Webby Awards. It is accessible on all major platforms.