2025 OASIS Conference: Climbing Higher: Investing in Tomorrow, Today! – Call for Session Proposals

The OASIS Conference Planning Committee is hard at work planning and organising for the 2025 Annual OASIS Conference at Blue Mountain Resort from 30th April -2nd May 2024.

As part of this process, the OASIS Conference Planning Committee is now accepting session proposals for the 2025 OASIS Conference “Climbing Higher: Investing in Tomorrow, Today!”

This is an opportunity to showcase new and innovative ideas and best practices locally, provincially, nationally and internationally in the areas of:

• • supports and services to individuals with an intellectual disability and their families, and
  • governance, leadership and change management in service delivery agencies.

Topic areas and themes we are wanting to focus on with this year’s Conference are:

1. Housing:

Proposals for this stream would showcase creative strategies to address housing challenges for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Suggested topics include inclusive housing models, municipal zoning reforms, agency-led housing initiatives, and partnerships to create accessible living spaces. Share your expertise and solutions to help shape the future of housing for people with IDD.

2. Labour:

Submit a proposal to explore challenges and opportunities in workforce recruitment, retention, and development within the developmental services sector. We’re looking for presentations on strategies for attracting talent, addressing burnout, increasing wages, improving workplace culture, and advocating for system-wide workforce support.

3. Transformation:

We’re looking for proposals that highlight transformation in the sector. Not just the transformation being led by the government through Journey to Belonging but actual person-centred approaches, examples from other jurisdictions that could be replicated here, real innovative service delivery models, and effective changes within your own organisation. Share your insights on fostering meaningful change to ensure sustainable, impactful, and modernized services for individuals with IDD.

4. Health:

Propose a session addressing health-related challenges and solutions for individuals with IDD. Topics may include improving access to primary care, mental health supports, aging, or building collaborations across the Health and DS sectors. Help us explore strategies for closing gaps and ensuring health equity for those with IDD. 

5. Hodge Podge: 

This is an open call for innovative and diverse topics that don’t fit neatly into other streams. Whether it’s advocacy work, a new programme idea, research findings, leadership strategies, or something completely different, we welcome proposals that inspire dialogue and advance supports for individuals with IDD.

Interested parties are invited to submit a proposal to the OASIS Planning Committee.

The deadline to submit a proposal is Tuesday 18th February 2025.

If you have any questions, please contact Jonathan Bradshaw at jonathanbradshaw@contact.oasisonline.ca

Thank you for your interest in helping to contribute to this year’s event!