Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Facilitating the onboarding of disabled interns at CBC with a line manager workshop.
Nick Davis (Executive Director of Engagement & Inclusion) and Cathy Katrib-Reyes (Adviser/Project Manager) work for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation known as the CBC.
Toby came to work with them on their CAPE Program.
CAPE Program
This is a 12 week paid placement program for people with disabilities. CBC offer the opportunity to around 10 participants, once a year. It has a variety of different roles available including researchers and communications assistants.
Before the program participants join, CBC likes to run workshops for the hiring managers. This is the point at which Toby first came in to share his lived experience and advice on how to be more inclusive. The workshop was designed to be interactive and practical for managers.
Workshop for managers
The workshop for managers looked at specific things to think about when somebody with a disability joins their team. It also shaped some general principles for inclusivity and there was a good discussion around inclusive leadership traits.
Cathy said, ‘The workshop was so well-planned and well presented. I know people have talked about it afterwards. They were really, really happy with the suggestions that Toby came up with. He shared his experiences of working in different areas and companies. They found that so useful and valuable.’
Nick’s reflections on the session were that ‘We want to be an inclusive company and needed real clarity on how we can do that. After the workshop, one of the managers realised the accommodations they would need to make for people with disabilities was no greater, or even less than, the accommodations for non-disabled people every day. That awareness-raising helped managers feel more comfortable about how to be inclusive.’
Workshop for CAPE participants
Toby planned this workshop as an orientation and career development opportunity for participants. It was delivered when everyone was working at home. Cathy and Nick felt that the tips for preparing to work within a new environment remotely were practical and helpful.
Nick said it is one thing to bring people into a company. It is quite another to design an onboarding process that makes people feel comfortable and reassures them they have made a good choice.
Nick felt the partnership with Toby helps the different people feel more comfortable about working together.
‘Managers can understand what they need to know. The CAPE Program participants feel wanted and valued here. Through the session, Toby helped make them feel that way.’
Working with Toby
The training for the CBC CAPE Program is bespoke. Toby worked with Cathy and Nick to define the expectations and goals for the sessions before delivering them.
Speaking about the process, Cathy appreciated the clarity Toby brought to the work.
‘Toby swooped in and offered a lot of practical, useful suggestions in terms of how to shape the sessions. We met and talked it through then Toby came back with a draft presentation to tweak together. The sessions were very smooth, well organised and executed.’
Nick appreciates Toby’s depth of expert knowledge on diversity, equity and inclusion combined with his flexibility.
Nick concluded, ‘Whatever our needs are, Toby never hesitated. He always adapts and figures out how to support us, tailoring and meeting our needs in a way that makes it a very special thing. That’s why I love working with Toby.’
