November 2023
The launch of WorkAbly: Because we all deserve decent work!
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
[Toronto, ON, November 27, 2023] – Researchers at Ontario Tech University, Nipissing University, York University and Durham College, in partnership with four disability organizations across Canada, including the National Educational Association of Disabled Students (NEADS), are excited to announce the launch of a new website: Workably.ca is the culmination of the Mid-Career Workers with Disabilities (MCWD) Project, funded by Canada’s Future Skills Centre. The Project focused on strengthening the career adaptability of persons with disabilities and supporting Canada’s growing accessible ecosystem so that all Canadians can look to a barrier-free future, including communities, workplaces, and services. The website features informative content to help individuals with disabilities working or seeking employment and others in the disability and employment sector connect in ways seldom experienced in the current environment.
Key features of the new website include:
– Resource library and learning tools developed by persons with disabilities
– Job and other opportunities boards
– Employer resources, including a free job posting portal
“We are thrilled to unveil our new website and provide mid-career workers with disabilities, employers, and advocates an opportunity to access tools and resources supporting employment,” said Sue Coffey, Associate Professor at Ontario Tech University.
Visitors are encouraged to explore the website and join as a member for enhanced features and newsletters. Additional features will be added in the coming weeks and months, including discussion forums and a peer-to-peer support program. For media inquiries, contact the project co-leads, Dr. Charles Anyinam (charlesa@nipissingu.ca) and Dr. Sue Coffey (sue.coffey@ontariotechu.ca).
About the Mid-Career Workers with Disabilities (MCWD) project and Workably.ca
All Canadians have the right to participate fully in Canadian society. Yet, individuals with disabilities continue to face challenges that include underemployment and unemployment, limited opportunities and access to post-secondary education, negative attitudes and discrimination in the workplace, and displacement due to labour market conditions. The Mid-Career Workers with Disabilities (MCWD) project, with grant funding from Canada’s Future Skills Centre, addressed these challenges through robust research and the development of evidence-informed resources WorkAbly.ca is the culmination of the MCWD project. The website houses the resources developed by project partners, research reports and additional resources shared by the partners and affiliates. The MCWD project and Workably.ca were made possible through partnering with non-profit organizations across Canada — NEADS, the Quebec Association for Equity and Inclusion in Post-Secondary Education (AQEIPS), the Council of Canadians with Disabilities (CCD), and the Manitoba League of Persons with Disabilities (MLPD).
For information contact:
Charles Anyinam
Associate Professor
Nipissing University
Charlesa@nipissingu.ca (705) 474-3450 ext. 4736
www.workably.ca
May 2023
NEADS National AccessAbility Week event, June 1, 2023: accessibility initiatives and best practices of disability organizations and post-secondary schools
National AccessAbility Week (NAAW) takes place every year starting on the last Sunday in May. It is a time when accessibility and inclusion are promoted across communities and workplaces and a time to celebrate the contributions of Canadians with disabilities. It is also an opportunity to recognize the efforts of Canadians who are actively removing barriers and ensuring persons with disabilities have an equal chance to participate in all aspects of Canadian society. To recognize this week, the National Educational Association of Disabled Students (NEADS) will host a panel event on Zoom highlighting accessibility initiatives and best practices of disability organizations and post-secondary schools. Join NEADS on June 1, 2023 from 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. ET for an interactive panel featuring representatives from Toronto Metropolitan University; The Centre for Research on Work Disability Policy; and Wavemakers. This will be a bilingual workshop and have ASL/LSQ and captions. Please register online by completing the Zoom form below. If you require any accommodations, contact Elizabeth Mohler at elizabeth.mohler@neads.ca
Online registration is required – register here. This event is supported by the Government of Canada through Employment and Social Development Canada.
National Educational Association of Disabled Students Launches The Building Employment Pathways For People With Disabilities Project with funding from the Government of Canada
The National Educational Association of Disabled Students (NEADS) is excited to announce that it has been selected as a recipient of contributions funding from Employment & Social Development Canada’s Workplace Opportunities Removing Barriers To Equity program for a three-year project.
On February 27, 2023, the Minister of Labour, Seamus O’Regan announced that the Government of Canada will invest 9.5 million dollars of funding through The Workplace Removing Barriers To Equity Program over the next three years in a select group of projects aimed at removing employment barriers experienced by women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities and visible minority groups within Federally regulated, private sector workplaces. The contribution agreement provided to the National Educational Association of Disabled Students as the lead organization in the Building Employment Pathways for People With Disabilities project is $967,887. Click here to read more.
March 2023
New report aims to spark discussion about future world of work for young adults with disability
In the fall of 2022, an Institute for Work & Health (IWH) research team led by Scientist Dr. Arif Jetha set out to examine how working life could change in Canada over the next seven years and what the implications might be for young adults with a disability.
Using established strategic foresight methods, the team created three scenarios of a future working world. These scenarios are designed to provoke discussion about the policies needed now to ensure inclusive work in 2030 for persons with disabilities.
A report outlining the three scenarios and the research methods behind them is now available.
Last Updated: 2025-09-09