Chairperson's Update: July 2012

Getting and keeping a job--what makes a difference

Call for Submissions

Despite barriers in the labour market, there are Canadians with disabilities who have been successful in obtaining employment and progressing in their chosen careers.  If this describes your work experience, CCD wants to hear from you about what has contributed to your employment success.

CCD plans to publish an anthology which will share information about what has made a difference in the working lives of Canadians with disabilities.   CCD will launch this new publication at End Exclusion 2012, which is a forum for the exchange of ideas between people with disabilities, government representatives, academics and members of the public.

Employment is a priority for the Federal Government, particularly Human Resources and Skills Development Canada and Minister Diane Finley.  The government often seeks new information on best practices.  Through this publication, people with disabilities will have the opportunity to share their experiential knowledge about best practices that contribute to finding, securing and advancing a career path.

Through introductory and concluding chapters, CCD will provide context which will assist the reader of the anthology to also gain an understanding of the public policies that either advance or hinder the employment of people with disabilities.  CCD will also share some recommendations on needed new policies to remedy barriers in the employment system that impede the employment of people with disabilities.

If you are a person with a disability who has had a successful employment experience, consider writing about it for CCD’s new publication. Email them to ccd@ccdonline.ca by 15 September 2012.  Please keep your submissions to one single-spaced page.  Some points and questions to guide your submission are as follows:

• A brief description of your job and you as a worker.
• What barriers had to be eliminated for you to be employed?
• What accommodations did you use to eliminate barriers?
• What have been your experiences with training and promotion?
• What has been the key to your success?
• What really made a positive difference for you in the area of employment?