LiveWorkPlay recognized Axiom News with its 2012 Media Award June 7, highlighting the relationship between the organizations and shared interest in storytelling and communicating the value of people who have an intellectual disability.

Axiom was recognized both for its work writing on behalf of Community Living Ontario through its news program, Community Living Leaders, and the stories it runs on AxiomNews.ca.

Ottawa-based LiveWorkPlay is an independent charitable organization and affiliate of Community Living Ontario that supports people who have an intellectual disability to have a good life.

LiveWorkPlay co-leader Keenan Wellar says Axiom is a bit of a different recipient than what was envisioned when the award was created. Introduced in 2011, the media award is meant to recognize media coverage of LiveWorkPlay and issues that impact people who have an intellectual disability in a way that demonstrates respect.

“Axiom is already coming from the perspective that they will use their journalistic talents to help promote inclusive communities, so this was not a matter of considering a handful of stories that stood out as friendly and respectful of LiveWorkPlay and our issues,” says Keenan.  

The relationship with Axiom is “much more like a partnership,” he says. Over the past year, Axiom and LiveWorkPlay have connected on several occasions around issues ranging from employment and disability to the importance of social media in the non-profit sector, he notes.

As a result, LiveWorkPlay was featured in eight Community Living Leaders stories, four AxiomNews.ca stories, as well as many conversations through Twitter and Facebook.

“There is a lot of great energy around LiveWorkPlay and that’s the kind of energy that catalyzes change,” says Axiom News CEO Peter Pula.

Peter says an award like this “amplifies what’s working,” while legitimizing that long-standing relationships such as the one between Axiom News and Community Living does create constructive change.

With many transitions occurring within Community Living and society at large, Peter says partnering to discover and co-create new ways of doing things and to reshape the story we live into is one of the most important things journalists can do.

Axiom Generative Journalist Kristian Partington attended LiveWorkPlay’s Engines of Success June 7 recognition banquet. The event recognizes employers, community partners, volunteers, families and people with intellectual disabilities.

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