Active Lives: Discover Your Roots Inaugural Hannukah Social 2022

Participants from life-skills education programs within the Greater Toronto Area and Northwestern Ontario engaged in a Hannukah Escape Room social event to kickoff the Active Lives: Discover Your Roots Program.

As a member of the 248 Community Action Network Toronto Cohort for the year of 2022, I was presented with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to collaborate with a not-for-profit that I have a personal tie towards. For me, that organization is Active Lives Canada, based in Orangeville and Shelburne, Ontario, where my brother, who is autistic and epileptic, is a participant in the Active Lives Day program. The Toronto Cohort was run by UJA Genesis, the volunteer and mobilization arm of the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, where I worked closely with their team to host an inaugural Hannukah social for physical and neurodiverse young adults between the ages of 18 and 30. Similar to how neurotypical young adults socialize with their peers in a restaurant after work or school, Active Lives Canada and I, along with UJA Genesis, were looking to create the same sense of belonging among the participants so they could create lifelong friendships with their peers.

Jake, who is one the residents at Roslyn Community Living in Mount Forest and is a participant in the Active Lives Day Program, operated by Active Lives Canada, is assisting me with the candle lighting ceremony to honour the first day of Channukah.

A goal of mine when I complete the MBA is to have a new program for physical and neurodiverse young adults for when they complete their daily life-skills education based programming so they can have the same socialization and feel like can have a further sense of independence after their day concludes. Wherever I accept a position, I seek to continue my involvement with Active Lives Canada so we can continue to build this innovative social structure within these unique individuals.