We’re excited to share our 2025 annual report! This year’s theme invites us to reflect on the enduring nature of the disability rights and community living movements. It reminds us that these are not isolated moments in history, but living, evolving journeys rooted in decades of advocacy, resilience, and collective action. It is both a call to remember and a call to action. Reminding us to honor and protect the progress that has been made by self-advocates, families, and community allies, and to ensure we do not slip backwards. Community living - rich with inclusion and deep belonging - is not a destination but a continuous movement toward equity, dignity, and full participation for all. Our roots run deep, and our commitment to never settling and always striving for a ‘good life’ for each person we serve, remains strong. 

This week, we proudly join communities across Alberta in celebrating Community Disability Service Professionals Appreciation Week May 19 - May 25, 2025.

We’re looking for volunteers to support our Skills Society 2025 Casino—a key fundraising event, your participation directly contributes to building a more inclusive community where everyone is valued and supported.

This past year, Skills Society re-evaluated our strategic priorities for 2024–2027 with a commitment to listening and learning from our diverse community. Our approach is to create 'strategic intents' that evolve, allowing us to be adaptive, responsive, and resilient in a dynamic environment. These intents are shaped by our core values and the insights gained from those we serve, their families, our employees, and board members. Read more about our strategic priorities and how we plan to continue making a positive impact in our blog post.

Leadership in Action: Perspectives on Leadership from Leaders Within Our Community celebrates the essence of leadership beyond titles or authority. It's about the unique qualities each individual brings and the impact they make in their community.

Skills Society Summer Picnic 2024: A Celebration to Remember

On August 8th, the Skills Society community enjoyed a vibrant summer picnic at Laurier Park, with clear skies and a touch of thunder adding to the excitement. The event featured glitter temporary tattoos, live music by community members, a raffle with great prizes, and button-making at the CommuniTEA Van. Heartfelt thanks to all who made this day special, from our generous sponsors to the dedicated volunteers. We look forward to reuniting next year!

At Skills Society, we believe that innovation and progress in supporting people to live their best lives involve a thoughtful blend of the old and the new. Honouring our history and the wisdom of those who came before us is essential to our leadership practice. Recently, we had the privilege of speaking with four past and present Skills employees and volunteers—Elaine Baker-Rowe, Hart Chapelle, Jan O’Neill, and Karen Huta—who have been influential leaders in the sector since the 1980s. Through their stories, we explored significant moments in our history, effective leadership within disability services, and the enduring values that continue to guide our work. These conversations highlight the importance of advocacy, recognizing the leadership within everyone, and the ongoing pursuit of removing barriers to ensure people with disabilities can thrive.

Our vision at Skills Society is a community where all individuals are valued citizens, deserving respect, dignity, and rights. Our mission focuses on supporting individuals with disabilities and their families, ensuring their right to learn and grow within the community. For many, citizenship is synonymous with belonging and value, yet these principles aren't always extended to people with disabilities. Skills Society was founded to change that narrative, offering equal opportunities for all to contribute their talents and feel a sense of belonging. Citizenship for us encompasses leadership, participation, rights, and nurturing relationships, as exemplified by stories like Abdul's active community involvement and David and Karissa's enduring friendship and teamwork.

Skills Society congratulates the winners of the 2023 Skills Society Citizenship and Education awards. The awards were handed out at Skills Society’s annual general meeting on June 26th, 2024, to recognize and celebrate the efforts of individuals and organizations in our community who are contributing to fostering a vibrant and inclusive community.

As we delve into diverse perspectives on leadership, it is crucial to center Indigenous knowledge systems, which are as varied as the communities and lands they originate from across Turtle Island. We recently had the privilege of speaking with Diane Roussin, a respected Anishinaabe leader from Skownan First Nation. Diane brings forth profound insights into leadership shaped by her cultural teachings and community-driven approach. Through initiatives like the Winnipeg Boldness Project, Diane exemplifies leadership grounded in mino bimaadiziwin, advocating for holistic well-being and systemic change. Our conversation with Diane underscores the importance of learning from and honoring Indigenous ways of knowing, which enrich our understandings of leadership, community, and care.

We’re excited to share our 2024 annual report! This year’s theme, “We Are All Leaders: (Re)thinking Leadership”, celebrates the idea that each of us can be a leader and a catalyst for change. This theme echoes a powerful call to action that underlies our collective work - leaders who make a difference are those who do not settle and strive against all odds and barriers to insist on figuring out how to support people with disabilities to have good lives.

The month of June is a time to celebrate and commemorate 2SLGBTQIA+ people and communities’ joy, resilience, and history. This Pride season, we continue to celebrate and are grateful for the many contributions of our 2SLGBTQIA+ community members.

Statements provided by Inclusion Alberta and Disability Action Hall about the Canada Disability Benefit and how to support advocacy efforts to expand the benefit amount and the eligibility criteria.

Join us for Skills Society’s 43rd Annual General Meeting on June 26th at 6 pm.