Live Work Well Research Centre

@liveworkwell.bsky.social

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A research centre anticipating & responding to the changing needs of families, livelihoods & living environments through research, teaching, & knowledge sharing. https://linktr.ee/liveworkwellresearchcentre

Promotional graphic titled ‘Call for Input – CRPD 20th Anniversary’ on a light blue textured background. Three speech bubbles contain key information: ‘The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities turns 20 this year’; ‘A study is being conducted on lessons learned and challenges in the development of human rights standards and norms’; and ‘The UN is seeking input from States, regional organizations, civil society organizations, national human rights institutions, academia, international organizations, and other relevant stakeholders.’ Decorative icons show dialogue, feedback, and approval symbols to promote submitting feedback. A gold button at the bottom reads, ‘Check out our latest news post to learn more.’
A quote-style graphic with the same background image of Carly Morencie in a crowded outdoor setting. The left side is darkened to highlight white text that reads: “We cannot theorize inclusion within our own institutions while leaving our neurodivergent colleagues and students to navigate unsupported and isolated.” Below the quote is attributed to Carly Morencie an her opinion on supports for neurodivergent social scientists.
Infographic titled “The five research clusters” from the Live Work Well Research Centre. Five interconnected hexagons represent the research clusters: “All My Relations” Indigenous Ways of Knowing in green; Disabilities, Access, and Inclusion in light blue; Sexual and Gender Diversity in orange; Reimagining Care in yellow; and Displacements, Emergence, and Change in dark blue. Purple arrows between the clusters indicate relationships and collaboration. A LWWRC Dragonfly illustration appears on the right. Below, a quote explains that research within and across the clusters examines impacts on diverse families and individual well-being, changes in work and livelihoods, factors shaping work and family relationships, policy changes, and community action. The University of Guelph Live Work Well Research Centre logo appears at the bottom.
Decorative promotional poster featuring bright yellow sunflowers and green Hidden Disabilities Sunflower lanyards around the edges of a pale green background. In burgundy text the poster announces a “New Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program in Waterloo, available at City of Waterloo facilities and the Waterloo Public Library.”
Promotional graphic with a light blue background announcing a new youth-focused mobile crisis team in Ottawa. The poster features an illustration of two people sitting together, with speech bubbles above them. One speech bubble shows three dots to indicate someone is typing, and the other features a heart emoji to indicate care. Text reads: “New in Ottawa – Youth-Focused Mobile Crisis Team.” A note at the bottom states: “Youth aged 0–17, 613-260-2360 or chat.ysb.ca.” The Reimagining Livelihoods logo appears in the top-right corner.
Graphic promoting Youth Skills Day with a calendar-style layout. The central calendar square prominently displays “Youth Skills Day” on July 15 in large blue letters outlined in yellow. Handwritten-style annotations jut out from the title with decorative arrows, outlining different youth skills including “unique perspectives,” “diverse knowledge,” and “innovation.” A megaphone illustration appears beside the title to symbolize outreach, and the EDID-GHDI logo is shown in the upper left corner. A banner at the bottom reads: “Visit the EDID-GHDI Blog!”
Poster for Non-Binary People’s Day 2026 titled “How does inequality shape livelihoods choices?” on a textured white background with green vine illustrations and non-binary flag colors in the lower-right corner. The poster features a quote from Wren from “Wren’s Story: A Recipe for Livelihoods.” The quote reads: “Although I loved growing my own plants in a big garden on the property of our old house, I had to acknowledge that as a Black, non-binary, disabled person, the city is a bit safer and more diverse. However, the city has its own issues, like the transit system. Frequently, women have shared with me their experiences of being assaulted on the bus either verbally, physically, or sexually. As a non-binary person that presents as more feminine, I’m constantly looking over my shoulder on the bus.” The Reimagining Livelihoods logo appears at the bottom left, showing the story’s connection to the project.
The first photo of Catherine Hall has been duplicated on slide 2, showing her sitting in her wheelchair in a garden. The photo has a black filter overtop to make a quote in white text visible, which reads: “We are an extremely resilient and creative group of people, but there are limits to the things you can see as possible for yourself when the world isn’t designed with you in mind.” The quote is attributed to Catherine Hall, about her stance on opportunities for mobility aid-users.
Promotional graphic for a virtual “DWP Town Hall” with text describing it as the “Disability Pride Month Edition.” The design features teal and white sections with bold text and a stylized illustration of a parliament-style building and a “disability without poverty” sign. Also pictured is the Disability Pride flag. Event details read: “July 22, 2026, on Zoom, 12 to 1 p.m. ET.” A description explains that Disability Without Poverty invites people with disabilities and their carers to share stories, connect, and learn how to advocate individually and collectively. A multicolored circular motif and a button reading “Learn more in our latest news post” appear on the right.
Promotional poster for a Canadian research study titled “Youth wellbeing in Canada & COVID-19.” The design features a light background with green text. At the center, a magnifying glass highlights an illustrated brain that has a blue COVID face mask attached to it, with small virus shapes and flowers surrounding it; a small Canadian flag appears on the brain signifying the target demographic. The headline “NEW RESEARCH STUDY” appears above, and below the graphic reads “Have your voice heard!” followed by bullet points: “Take part in interviews,” “Participate in photovoice activities,” “Create drawings, collages, videos.” At the bottom, a rounded banner states eligible participants are: “Youth aged 15–25 across Canada!”
A promotional graphic for “World Day for Rural Empowerment.” The upper half features a muted green background with a decorative scalloped border at the top. Centered text in dark lettering reads: “World Day for Rural Empowerment” with “July 6” displayed below in a light banner. The middle section shows a black-and-white photograph of an adult wearing glasses and a child touching noses, positioned face-to-face in a close, intimate composition. The bottom portion contains an illustrated rural landscape with rolling green and yellow fields, a large leafy tree on the left, and soft clouds in a blue sky. The overall design blends photography and illustration to highlight rural life and community connection.
A promotional poster for Multiculturalism Day 2026 with a clean, light-colored background. At the top, large green text reads “when cultures come together,” accompanied by a small globe icon. The center of the poster contains a quote from “Wren’s Story: A Recipe for Livelihoods.” It reads: “My co-worker Samira is great. She had noticed that I keep my hair quite short and wear gender-neutral clothing, so she actually asked what pronouns I use. After I told her I was non-binary—I don’t identify with any specific gender—she’s been especially good at remembering to use they/them pronouns when referring to me. Her family is Syrian, and she brings in Syrian recipes when we’re planning meals for the next week. That’s part of why I love the kitchen—I have my own family’s Nigerian recipes, but I get to learn about cooking from other cultures.” At the bottom, the logo for the Reimagining Livelihoods project is shown.
A graphic on a light wood-textured background features a detailed illustration of a dragonfly centered on the page. The dragonfly has a bright green body and four translucent wings with a mosaic pattern of pastel colors, including blue, purple, and pink. Surrounding the dragonfly, curved blue text reads “The LWWRC Dragonfly.” Beneath the image, a centered paragraph in blue text states: “In this dragonfly we see diverse individuals, forms of family, livelihoods, and beings within our living environment.”
A promotional graphic for Autistic Pride Day. Large, bold text at the top left reads “AUTISTIC PRIDE DAY,” and at the top right is the date “JUNE 18” beside a rainbow-colored infinity symbol. Centered is a light speech bubble containing a quote: “For me, the only way I could navigate university culture was through lowering my course load and having designated ‘rest’ days. However, this accommodation is often unachievable for many other autistics.” The quote is from Vanessa Bonham, Bachelor of English student, in her Notes from the Field blog post. Beneath the quote is a large dark chat bubble icon with three white dots, suggesting conversation or messaging. At the bottom, the Live Work Well Research Centre logo is featured as well as a label that reads “Notes from the Field.”
A promotional poster with logos at the top for the Live Work Well Research Centre and their “Notes from the Field” blog. The background is a soft blue sky. The main text in the middle is an excerpt from a Notes from the Field blog, it reads: “Given the ongoing cuts and pauses to gender and sexuality studies programs on university campuses, it is more critical than ever to celebrate and amplify queer, trans, and feminist knowledge and activism on university campuses.” The quote is from Adam Davies, who uses they/them pronouns and is co-lead of the LWWRC Sexual and Gender Diversity cluster as well as an Associate Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of Guelph. Along the left side is a vertical line of rainbow hearts, and at the bottom of the poster, several raised arms extend upward from the lower edge, each wearing a rainbow-colored wristband and holding small rainbow Pride flags.
Promotional graphic with a light beige textured background and playful abstract shapes in pink, orange, green, and blue around the edges. Centered near the top in bold dark text is the headline: “New Article:”. The article title appears in large pink text: “Practicing feminist approaches to social media research.” Near the bottom center is an illustration of a social media reaction bar with icons including a thumbs-up, heart, angry, sad, surprised, and laughing face, with a cursor pointing at the thumbs-up icon. At the very bottom, inside a rounded rectangle, smaller text reads: “linked in our bio!” next to a hyperlink icon.
A poster titled “Indigenous History Month” with a soft beige and yellow background and decorative elements such as dotted borders and the Live Work Well dragonfly. At the top left, a label reads “Notes from the Field.” Two pinned, Polaroid-style photographs appear on the left side. The top photo shows a pair of purple beaded earrings with floral patterns laid on green grass. A caption beneath the photo reads, “A pair of earrings I made.” The lower photo shows a person standing outdoors under a sign reading “POLCIRKELEN / Napapiiri / Arctic Circle,” with trees and sky in the background. The caption reads, “Arctic Circle / Sámi wearing my ribbon skirt.” On the right side, a quotation reads: “Métis have been known as the ‘Flower Beadwork People’ for their floral designs since the days of the fur trade, and I knew that I was in the process of revitalizing something from my own family history.” The quote is attributed to “Maegan Ellis, M.A. History Student.” At the bottom, the Live Work Well Research Centre logo is displayed alongside a floral beadwork-style decorative corner pattern.
A promotional poster with a beige background and blue and yellow circular accents titled, “Call for Participants: Retired Baby Boomer Women with Disabilities.” The layout includes three photo cutouts: one shows an older adult sitting at a table holding a phone, another shows an older adult seated in a wheelchair with another adult standing nearby, and a third shows an older adult outdoors. A central text box includes a heading and bullet point list, reading reads: “You are eligible to participate if you: identify as a woman; were born between 1946 and 1964 (the baby boomer generation); acquired a disability prior to retirement; are currently retired; and live in Ontario, Canada.” A yellow circular callout on the right says, “Learn more in our latest news post. Link in bio!” At the bottom, a line of text reads: “A $25 gift card will be provided in recognition of your time and effort!”
Illustrated graphic with two watercolor-style hands reaching toward each other across the center of the image. The background shows faint charts, graphs, arrows, and flow diagrams in soft pastel colors, suggesting research, data, and systems. A yellow label near the top reads “Notes from the Field,” with a small illustrated dragonfly beside it. Large text across the lower half reads, “How the LWWRC’s Disabilities, Access, and Inclusion Cluster is working toward increased education and employment for people with disabilities.” At the bottom left is the Live Work Well Research Centre logo.
A 19‑second introductory Instagram reel from the Live Work Well Research Centre at the University of Guelph. The Centre’s logo appears on screen throughout. The video opens with yellow autumn leaves moving in the wind, followed by the word “families” and clips of a family walking at sunset and two students working together on a laptop. The word “livelihoods” appears next, with clips of a woman working in a factory, an older woman holding hands with a caregiver, and a work team cheering together. The words “living environments” follow, with clips of a child and adult planting together and a young girl drawing in a classroom. An image of an Indigenous teepee appears, signifying Indigenous presence and knowledge. The reel ends with the words “Join us!” and the Centre’s contact information: liveworkwell.ca and liveworkwell@uoguelph.ca.
A street‑level urban scene showing encampments made from camping tents, blue and grey tarps, cardboard, and wooden pallets arranged along a sidewalk. White text over the lower portion of the image reads: “Rethinking Municipal Responses to Encampments: Building a Human Rights Approach in Ontario.” Smaller text beneath reads: “From Wilfrid Laurier University’s Realizing the Right Project Team.
A promotional graphic for the 2024–25 Annual Report from the University of Guelph’s Live Work Well Research Centre. The design features a framed cover of the report, which includes two people outdoors, a young girl and a man, with the child holding a small yellow tube of bubbles. A dragonfly illustration appears near the title, which reads ‘Reaching out and Sharing Our Work.’ The background of the graphic includes overlapping diagonal shapes in pastel green, blue, purple, and yellow. The University of Guelph and Live Work Well Research Centre logos appear at the bottom.
Graphic celebrating 50 years of CRIAW‑ICREF, featuring a large ‘50 Years’ banner and text that describes the organization’s research and documentation of the economic and social situations of Canadian women. The CRIAW‑ICREF logo appears alongside a University of Guelph Live Work Well Research Centre logo and the words ‘Partner Spotlight.’
A wide view of Toronto City Hall showing the two curved concrete towers rising behind the circular council chamber. In the foreground, large letters form the “TORONTO” sign in Nathan Phillips Square. A warm orange filter covers the photo. Overlaid text at the top of the image reads: “Indigenous communities receive Key to the City in honour of Wahkohtowin.”
A corkboard-style background with office items arranged around a clear plastic badge clipped near the top. The badge contains the large text, “How can we create more caring academic futures?” Below the question is smaller text reading, “Department: Live Work Well Research Centre, Reimagining Care.” Surrounding objects include a black pen angled across the lower left corner, a set of keys on a blue keyring in the upper left, and a pink sticky note with a simple smiling face drawn in black ink on the right. The handle “@LIVEWORKWELL” appears at the bottom left.
A poster with a pink‑to‑orange gradient background celebrating the Working Women Community Centre winning the Toronto Community Champion Award. Text explains that this award is for, “Celebrating the extraordinary contributions of local organizations that support the health, well‑being, and resilience of Toronto residents.” At the top are three rectangular photographs arranged in a grid. The left photograph shows two people outdoors, one adult and one child, interacting closely. The top‑right photograph shows three people standing together holding cardboard boxes filled with vegetables and food items. The bottom‑right photograph shows two people seated at a table indoors, appearing to be engaged in discussion or shared activity.
Poster for an “Indigenization, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Event” with a warm orange border. Across the top are four vertical images: a close-up of a hand drum with a drumstick; a balance scale with gender symbols hanging from each side; silhouettes of several people standing together with raised arms against a sunset sky; and a rainbow pride flag hanging outdoors. Below the images, bold text reads: “Indigenization, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Event.” Smaller text underneath states: “Centring intersectional experiences, this workshop will foster community, learning, and collective empowerment!” Event details at the bottom list: Tuesday, May 26; 12–1:30 PM ET; and location: Albert A. Thornbrough Atrium, University of Guelph, alongside calendar, clock, and location icons.
Promotional graphic for Disability Without Poverty’s May Town Hall event. A stylized illustration of a brick town hall building sits centered on a warm yellow background with the words “disability without poverty” above. Below, large text says “Town Hall” and a calendar-style panel displays the event details: “May 25 2 to 3:30 p.m. ET on Zoom.” A circular badge on the left reads “with the Accessible Housing Network!” Along the bottom, a green footer lists: “Learn • Find Support • Share • Build Community.”
A poster-style graphic with a pale pink background. Large serif text reads, “International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexphobia, and Transphobia.” Centered below is an illustration of a handheld megaphone angled to the right, emitting a flowing rainbow banner with confetti-like shapes and small sparkles. Around the megaphone are starburst decorations in pink, purple, and green.
Promotional graphic with a photo at the top showing one person seated beside an older adult in a living room setting, with plants and a window in the background. A pink banner across the bottom contains white text reading, “Call for Participants: The Diverse Experiences of Young Carers.”
Graphic with a blue background announcing “North York Sexual Health Clinic Re‑opens” in white text. On the left is a rounded cut‑out photo of an empty clinic exam room with a blue examination chair, overhead exam light, rolling stool, cabinets, and medical equipment. Decorative white dots and curved shapes appear on the background.
Graphic inviting people to contribute to “Notes from the Field.” The top features a collage of photos related to community, inclusion, accessibility, and collaboration. Below, on a green background, bold text reads “contribute to Notes from the Field!” Smaller text says, “Have an idea for a blog? Review the guidelines for submitting a proposal to the Live Work Well Research Centre!” Circular photos appear along the left side of the text representing the Centre's five research clusters.
A banner reading “mental health care should be intersectional.” Below, a multicoloured illustration of a brain is centered, with lines connecting it to circular icons representing a wheelchair, hearing aids, headphones, a walker and cane, a first aid kit, an AAC communication device, and a person resting. The background is light beige.
promotional graphic with a light textured background and maroon and orange accents. At the top, a dark banner reads “Final of the Year.” Below is the GiiIA logo with the text “Gender‑Based Indigenous Intersectional Impact Assessment Network.” Large bold text reads “Community of Practice,” followed by “May 11, 2026, from 1–2 p.m. ET on Zoom.” A red speech bubble contains the text, “What other GBA Plus topics are you interested in exploring?” The handle “@liveworkwell” appears at the bottom.
A graphic poster featuring a red dress hanging from the branch of a leafless tree, framed inside a rounded arch. Snow and a roadside curve are visible in the background. The surrounding background is dark green with repeating abstract line patterns. Large text below the image reads “National Day of Awareness for MMIWG2S,” followed by the date “May 5, 2026.”
Smartphone camera screen showing a spring park scene with a paved path, green hedges, and trees covered in pink and white blossoms. Large yellow text in the center reads “Happy Spring!”
The words ‘disability without poverty’ are printed in word art, with a large bold font. Behind the word art, the background is a bright, mustard-coloured yellow, and there is also a graphic of a town hall building.
Evelyn and her son Bailey, from “Evelyn’s Story: A Livelihoods Journey from Practicality to Passion,” sit in an armchair together reading a story. A blue flag is sticking out from the back of the armchair, with an infinity symbol on it to represent autism advocacy. The title, “World Autism Acceptance Day” is printed in capital letters across the top of the page, and a rainbow prism and rainbow decals decorate the corners of the image.
A new blog post from the Live Work Well Research Centre’s Notes from the Field blog, called “Politics of Visibility: An Interview with EDID-GHDI Researcher Valérie Grand'Maison" has been released in collaboration with the EDID-GHDI partnership. A laptop sits on a desk, opened to the EDID-GHDI Blog page of the Live Work Well Research Centre website. A yellow mug and pencils sit beside the laptop, showing an active workspace. The EDID-GHDI logo is also pictured.
Characters from "Wren's Story: A Recipe for Livelihoods," Wren and Cyrus, sit on a bench together. Wren is a Black, non-binary person wearing neutral clothing and their hair cut short. Their wheelchair is also pictured. Cyrus is a white man, with short, blonde hair and casual clothes. The background of the image is the transgender pride flag and the title is: Transgender Day of Visibility.
Michael Lanc stands in graduation robes, holding his framed diploma for a picture. Behind him are lush gardens and you can vaguely see campus buildings. Michael collaborated on a blog post with the LWWRC called, “‘Intersectional identities can change our relationships with policy’: An interview with former LWWRC URA Michael Lanc.” It is featured on both the Notes from the Field blog and the EDID-GHDI Blog.
Graphic of a young woman with long brown hair, light skin, a white tank top, a blue skirt, and brown slippers. The woman is sitting in a wheelchair and behind her there are abstract shapes and star decals.
A bird’s eye view of an open book standing up, and a number of colourful butterflies flying out from between the book’s pages. For Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2026, read Patty Douglas’s blog “Thinking About Neurodiversity: An Invitation to Think Again” on the Live Work Well Research Centre’s Notes from the Field blog.
Dialogue on Calls for Justice from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG), an event hosted by the Gender-Based Indigenous Intersectional Impact Assessment (GiiiA) Network, with guest speakers Seraphine Lewis and Michelle Mungall.
The words ‘disability without poverty’ are printed in word art, with a large bold font. Behind the word art, the background is a bright, mustard-coloured yellow, and there is also a graphic of a town hall building.
Does Walt Disney World’s Disability Access Service (DAS) Program serve the needs of its clients? A blog post by Vanessa Bonham in the Live Work Well Research Centre blog, Notes from the Field. There is a light pink castle with blue shingles and decorations against a dark grey sky, with leaf-bare trees in the bottom corners of the frame.
A cartoon pair of hands performing many tasks at once. The right-hand is scrolling on a laptop on social media platforms, while the left-hand is writing something down and also drafting a text message. The logos for Instagram, X, and Facebook are also pictured to show the constant presence of social media.
Logo for the Gender-Based Indigenous Intersectional Impact Assessment Network.
A school chalkboard with math lessons and the Disability Without Poverty logo. In front of the blackboard is a wheelchair as well as a desk with a braille book lying open on it, an apple, a hearing aid, and a pair of noise-cancelling earmuffs.
A coloured graphic of Earth is in the center of the screen, with a heart drawn over it and the words ‘why volunteer?’ Surrounding Earth are various speech bubbles including different reasons why people volunteer, including: fulfillment and purpose; skill building; new perspectives; community building; making a difference; inspiration; new connections; and mental health and wellness.
Reimagining DisAbled Futures: Focusing on the intersection of disability, gender and social justice, a DAWN Canada podcast hosted by Nashwa Lina Khan. The cover shows four women, each with different abilities and appearances. Next to the women is a microphone and an ambient sound symbol, demonstrating a recording is in progress.
Evelyn sits with her son, Bailey, in a blue armchair. They are reading and a bright overhead light is shining down on them. To the right is a close-up of a receipt being printed. On the receipt is a quote from Evelyn's story, saying: Sometimes it feels like my days are full of problems. Since Adam's death I've worked in retail at Marshalls, where I struggle not only with the transit issues getting there, but also with social cues, bright lights, and lots of noise. The overhead lights flicker just enough to give me a headache, the beeping cash registers create a rhythm that sends my brain into a panic, and customers expect a friendliness I can't always show. Social cues blue together like a language I haven't learned yet.
Close up of a dictionary entry for the word 'entrepreneur' alongside the logo for Disability Without Poverty.
Close up of a hand holding a compass alongside the Disability Without Poverty logo and an additional black circle that reads 'ODSP Ontario Disability Support Program.'
Lily, a young woman with a light complexion, long brown hair, and sitting in a wheelchair sends a text to her friend, Alice, that reads: I wish people understood that having a job isn't just about earning money—it is about having a stable life with a stable job that allows me to take care of my own well-being.
Wren has short, dark curly hair and a dark brown complexion. They sit next to their partner, Cyrus, who has a light complexion and pale blonde hair. Wren's walker is pictured as well as a brown bag full of groceries. Pieces of produce and other groceries circle the couple. A speech bubble is above Wren's head, they are saying: You see, I'm on provincial disability support, and it's really hard to try and eat healthy when you're living on such a tight budget. Cooking on a budget isn't just a skill—it's survival. I've mastered stretching out a meal, turning a few potatoes into something hearty.
A word cluster with 'Livelihoods' in bold black letters in the center of the page. Surrounding it are the words caregiving, family, gardening, artistry, living, accessibility, equity, inclusion, opportunities, belonging, hobbies, security, volunteering, policy, life, paid work, community, intersectionality, culture, benefits, accommodations, childcare, diversity, and reconciliation is various fonts and colours.
We are hiring!
Mad Studies and Education: Critical Pedagogy and Mad Praxis in the Classroom, a collection edited by Adam Davies, Lauren Spring, Mark A. Castrodale, and Jersey Cosantino and published by Palgrave Macmillan. The cover shows a graphic depiction of a woman staring up at bookshelves with her back to us.
As the LWWRC says goodbye to 2025, they share some engagement milestones. In 2025, they held 6 public events, including the Countering Policy Exclusions speaker series. By the end of 2025, the Centre had 842 followers across their social media accounts and 244 members connecting with the Centre. They also added 17 new entries to their Notes from the Field blog.