Please note: The Association is a relatively new national organization.
As such, the Association has had to devote a significant amount of time to
organize its membership base and to develop an effective infrastructure to
support its membership. However, the Association has identified four
comprehensive activities as priorities that are currently underway and that
will form the base of its work for the next year. As a national organization,
all of the Associations activities are intended to benefit persons with
disabilities and the general public across Canada.
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Activity #1:
Identification of best practices and strategies for eliminating barriers
encountered by persons with disabilities, particularly persons with
disabilities from ethno-racial backgrounds, in the areas of employment,
education and health care services.
Description:
The Association is developing racially-sensitive resource materials (such
as handbooks on best practices) on topics such as improving literacy skills,
reducing the risk of poverty and providing accessible health care services
for persons with disabilities. Such resource materials are aimed at
governments, employers, educators and health care providers. The
effectiveness of such materials will be tested through training sessions and
seminars with intended beneficiaries such as employers and service providers.
In addition, the Association will pilot a racially-sensitive employment
counseling service that will be perfected and marketed to the public as a model
of appropriate service delivery for persons with disabilities.
Location:
This project is currently underway in Manitoba. The results of the Project
will be shared with employers and service-providers across Canada.
Activity #2
Provide opportunities for persons with disabilities to enhance their
computer skills and to have access to information available on the internet.
Description:
Through a Project entitled “Community Connections” the Association serves
as one of the sites equipped with specialized technology to enable persons
with disabilities to develop computer skills and to learn how to access the
internet.
The site is one of 8 sites featuring WEB-4 all technology and is part of a
large pilot of this technology in Canada. WEB-4 All sites have software
technology designed to address a variety of access needs including enlarged
screens and speech programs with voice output for visually impaired and blind
users. Having access to such technology enables persons with disabilities to
learn computer skills while conducting job searches and gathering information
about services and programs. The site is linked to 650 other sites offering
disability related services such as the Independent Living Resource Centre,
Reaching Equality Employment Services, the Canadian Centre for Disability
Studies and Success Skills Centre.
- Location of Activity: Winnipeg
Activity #3
Provide information on the purpose of the Canadian Charter of Rights and
Freedoms and related legislation such as human rights legislation and the
Employment Equity Act and their application to persons with disabilities;
Description:
The Association is planning to develop national communication mechanisms
to provide persons with disabilities with information about their rights as
defined by the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and related human rights
legislation. The purpose of this project is to give persons with disabilities
from diverse backgrounds the information they need to enjoy the
full legal rights afforded to all persons living in Canada.
This project will take place over a period of one-year culminating in a
national conference to be held in Winnipeg
in October, 2004. The Association will invite legal experts, persons with
disabilities and persons from the broader equality-seeking community to
attend the conference and share their knowledge and experiences in promoting
equality rights/human rights in Canada. Following the Conference, a report
will be produced that will serve as a public education tool for persons wishing
to obtain information about the protection of disability rights in Canada.
Location:
Administered in Winnipeg and implemented throughout Canada.
Activity #4
Collaborate and advise government agencies (such as CIDA) and
non-government organizations on issues of concern to persons with
disabilities in other countries.
Description:
The Association is acting as an advisor to an Internship Project sponsored
by National Center for Workforce Development housed by The faculty of
Education at the University of Manitoba that provides support to persons with
disabilities in other countries. For example, the Internship Project is
currently working with Persons with Disabilities who are Victims of HIV and
Other Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Sub-Saharan Africa”.
The Association provides advice and training to interns, who will be
working in other countries, on approaches to disability issues and best
practices when working with persons with disabilities. In addition, it
provides specific advice on how to ensure that educational information is
accessible to persons with disabilities who are at risk of contracting HIV
and other sexually transmitted diseases; e.g. providing information in
Braille or large print for blind and visually impaired persons and in sign
language for persons who are Deaf or hearing impaired. The Association is
planning to create a documentary based on its work with other organizations
that is aimed at increasing public awareness about the issues and concerns
confronting persons with disabilities living in other countries.
Location:
Implemented throughout Canada
in conjunction with other organizations.
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