Founded in 1995 by Co-Leaders Keenan Wellar and Julie Kingstone, LiveWorkPlay provides employment supports to more than 300 job seekers and workers each year, along with Supported Independent Living for approximately 100 individuals. This work is made possible through an extensive partnership network of more than 200 employers, over 100 community organizations, and around 150 individual volunteers.
As part of The BUSY Group, LiveWorkPlay helps the community welcome and include people with intellectual disabilities, autistic persons, and individuals with a dual diagnosis.
LiveWorkPlay offers two distinct areas of support:
Employment Supports focus on matching the right employee with the right employer; — building mutually beneficial, lasting relationships.
Community Supports work alongside adults with intellectual disabilities, autistic persons, and individuals with a dual diagnosis to help them achieve their goals for community engagement and independent living. This includes Community Connecting and Supported Independent Living, delivered through the framework of the seven principles of the Just Enough Support approach.
Operating primarily in the Ottawa area, LiveWorkPlay has been recognized with numerous awards for its community impact and innovation:
