Tag Archives: epilepsy

Ask Me Anything…about Employment

Our Employment Services Department’s “Ask Me Anything…” webinar series is an opportunity for employers to talk about their recruitment process, company, or a topic related to job search they are are experts on; and a chance for our clients to ask them questions in an easy, open, comfortable environment.

Nirav Patel will be joining us on Wednesday, June 22nd 2022 @ 1 pm-2 PM for an AMA (Ask Me Anything!). He will take questions around job search and disclosure of a disability. Nirav will be speaking as a person with years of experience in these areas, not as a representative of OPG. Please join us for an enlightening AMA with Nirav!

This online workshop is presented by Epilepsy Toronto’s Employment Services Department. To receive a zoom link to join, please complete this form to register.

About the Presenter

Nirav Patel is Vice President of Human Resources at Ontario Power Generation. He has been with the generation utility for 20 years taking on various roles within HR and leadership. He has a special interest in recruitment, and ED&I and was recently awarded as the 2021 Agent of Change award for his commitment to inclusion efforts in the electricity sector by the non profit Electricity HR Canada organization. Nirav is currently engaged in a number of HR transformations as his organization continues to focus on people, process and technology to create the HR organization of future focused on great employee experience. In his spare time, Nirav is an avid cycler and continues to raise funds to Princess Margaret Cancer Centre through the Ride to Conquer Cancer.

Ask Me Anything…About Recruitment

Have you ever wondered what recruiters look for in resumes, cover letters and interviews? How do they choose a candidate? Recruiters receive lots of resumes and are skilled at filtering information – they need to quickly identify the skills and experience their employers are seeking.

Danielle Helsby-Kwong will be joining us on Wednesday, July 20th 2022 @ 1 pm-2 PM for an AMA (Ask Me Anything!). Danielle, who has years of experience working as a recruiter, will take questions about the recruitment process, with the goal of enlightening job seekers on best practices when self-marketing for a job.

This online workshop is presented by Epilepsy Toronto’s Employment Services Department. To receive a zoom link to join, please complete this form to register.

About the Presenter

Danielle is an accomplished Human Resources Professional with demonstrated business knowledge in full-cycle Recruitment, HR Consulting, Coaching, HR Policy Design and Change Management.

Disclosure Dilemma Webinar

The topic of disclosure is often a difficult choice for people with invisible conditions like epilepsy to make.

Who do I disclose my disability to?

What are the consequences, if any, of disclosure?

Are there any laws to help me in this regard? How do I disclose and when?

These are just some of the questions that will be explored in this informative panel discussion followed by a live Q&A that offers three distinct points of view from a job seeker, a recruiter, and a lawyer. Special guests will offer their unique spin on a challenging subject!

Epilepsy Toronto’s Employment Services Manager, Carter Hammett moderates this Facebook Live event, which will include an interactive Q&A with the panel. Join him at 2 pm on Thursday, November 5th on the Epilepsy Toronto Facebook Page.

About the Panel

Jessica De Marinis is a staff lawyer at ARCH Disability Law Centre in Toronto, Ontario who practices human rights and disability rights law. Jessica joined ARCH in August 2017. Prior to working at ARCH, she practiced employment and human rights law in Hamilton, ON. Jessica has appeared before various courts and administrative tribunals, including the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario, the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal, and the Ontario Superior Court.

Shonet D’souza, BHRM, CHRL, is a Human Resources Specialist, Diversity, Inclusion & Invisible Disabilities Advocate, Speaker, Writer. She is a Certified Human Resources Leader with over a decade of people and culture experience. She is currently a Talent Strategist at Powerhouse Talent Inc. where she partners with organizations to develop their employer brand, consistently market their recruitment strategy and attract the right talent. Besides her work in HR, she is a passionate advocate for diversity, inclusion and invisible disabilities. She is a speaker, writer and guest contributor to various online publications. Shonet is an Epilepsy Ambassador at Epilepsy Toronto and Global Epilepsy Exchange and is also part of the United Way Greater Toronto Speakers Bureau.

Alyson Silk is a young professional and graduate of Queen’s University with diverse experience studying and working in Accounting, Data Analysis, Biology, Mathematics, and Statistics. Since she was diagnosed with epilepsy in 2017 and has faced numerous challenges in adapting to a life with this condition, including the pursuit of a career in finance and returning to school. She is currently a job-seeker navigating the hiring process as a person with a disability for the first time. Concerned with tackling the big questions of “when” and “how” to disclose, she has been working closely with Epilepsy Toronto to develop a disclosure plan and prepare for career success in the quickly-evolving modern workforce. She is excited to share her experience and learn from others to address the obstacles presented by disclosure of an invisible disability.

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