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Empower and Connect

Hrpurpose Empower and Connect Program

Hrpurpose’s Empower and Connect Program addresses a growing need related to social isolation, digital and AI exclusion, financial fraud and elder abuse, and barriers to independent living that disproportionately affect seniors, particularly those living with disabilities.

The population of residents in the Greater Toronto Area age 65 and older, has grown by 11.5% since 2016. At the same time, two in five older adults in Canada live with one or more disabilities, most commonly related to pain, mobility, or flexibility (Statistics Canada, 2023; City of Toronto, 2021 Census). Despite these trends, there remain limited programs designed to be fully accessible and inclusive for older adults living with disabilities. Drawing on nearly a decade of experience supporting persons with disabilities, Hrpurpose has designed this initiative to address this gap while advancing social inclusion, safety, and healthy aging in the community.

The program will deliver sessions across four integrated streams: Social Gatherings and Recreation sessions; Life Skills sessions in Financial Planning, AI/Digital Literacy accompanied with High Tea; Independent Living and Crisis Intervention sessions, and Chair Yoga and Mindfulness sessions. The program will also engage senior volunteers, who will play an active role in workshop design, peer support, facilitation, and community connection.

The program promotes volunteering, engaging seniors through mentoring, expanding awareness of elder abuse (financial and digital abuse), supporting social participation and inclusion, supporting healthy aging, preventing senior abuse particularly around digital awareness, celebrating diversity and inclusion, and supporting financial security. Expected outcomes, measured through pre- and post-program surveys, include at least 75% of participants reporting reduced social isolation and increased sense of belonging, 80% reporting improved awareness of financial fraud and scams, 70% reporting increased digital literacy and confidence, and 65% reporting improved financial confidence. Among senior volunteers, at least 85% are expected to report feeling valued, and 75% to report increased leadership skills and confidence. With sustained engagement, the program will also create the potential for 11,175 peer-to-peer connections.

The target group is seniors, with at least 50% self-identifying as persons with disabilities, reflecting both local demographic realities and Hrpurpose’s long-standing mandate. This initiative builds on Hrpurpose’s previous provincially funded seniors’ program delivered in partnership with Elmbank Community Centre, a City of Toronto facility, which exceeded its participation target at 108%

ALTERNATIVE TRAINING FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES Duration - 4 to 6 Weeks

This exploratory and preparatory program simplifies the process and makes it easier to determine the client's potential to pursue long-term training and employment in a specific career path. The goal is to prevent undesirable outcomes after investing a lot of time, effort, and money.

  • 1) Pre-employment counseling: This involves determining if the individual is ready for a job. (Including but not limited to physical and psychological evaluation) Program Professional Support Letter
  • 2) Registration and assessment: This includes identifying the accommodation needs of the individual.
  • 3) Ministry of Colleges and Universities authorized aptitude course chosen from the categories below and work-integrated learning: This step involves determining the individual's full-time job affinity, endurance, natural skills, acquired capacity, and likelihood of career success.
  • 4) Transition to long-term career training and/or exit into the employment
  • Anchor Program
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