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Disabled Post-Secondary Students & Recent Graduates Eligible For 20 Hours Of Free Virtual Job Coaching Through Building Employment Pathways Program Expansion

The National Educational Association of Disabled Students (NEADS) is pleased to announce that effective August 6, 2024 it is expanding eligibility for its Building Employment Pathways for Persons With Disabilities program.

Building Employment Pathways Program Overview:

The Building Employment Pathways Project aims to increase the number of disabled students and graduates employed by and exploring employment within the postal and courier service sector and other federally regulated fields. This project provides Canadian post-secondary students and recent graduates with disabilities the opportunity to access an innovative form of virtual job coaching and work readiness supports.

Delivered in collaboration with Canada Post, Sustainable Livelihoods Canada, Council of Canadians With Disabilities, the Quebec Association For Equity & Inclusion In Post-Secondary and Manitoba League of Persons With Disabilities, this project offer students and graduates with disabilities who self-identify as wanting support with pursuing or succeeding within current employment, the opportunity to receive free, personalized, virtual employment supports that will build the necessary foundation for a successful transition to work and/or foster success in current roles.

About The Opportunity:

Program participants have the opportunity to receive up to 20 hours of free remote, virtual support from a Sustainable Livelihoods Job Coach. Participants will work with their coach to identify their employment related barriers, build employment readiness skills, goal set, and strategize next steps. Participants will also have the opportunity to explore, current openings with Federally regulated employers as well as other organizations, and to receive support throughout their application process.

The Building Employment Pathways program is delivered by coaches trained by Sustainable Livelihoods Canada. Sustainable Livelihoods Canada is a national, not-for-profit social enterprise dedicated to promoting awareness and use of a holistic strength-based framework for building livelihood strategies and moving people out of poverty.

The Sustainable Livelihoods model of job coaching used in this project, takes a holistic approach to pursuing work or succeeding within current employment roles. Job seekers are guided through a process of identifying sources of vulnerability holding them back from employment related activities and are supported to build assets and strategies that will strengthen their capacity to participate in internships, practicums, part-time work, summer jobs or in their career. In the case of recent graduates who are currently employed, coaches can provide support in such areas as requesting and discussing accommodations, navigating promotions or lateral moves, handling issues of organizational disability culture and more.

Eligibility Expansion:

Previously only available to current students who applied to the NEADS Financial Assistance Program and focused on employment within Canada Post and the courier service sector, the organization is expanding program eligibility to include any current post-secondary student or recent graduate (within the past 5 years) who identifies as having a permanent, prolonged or persistent disability who feels they would benefit from employment related supports.

How To Apply: To apply, please complete the expression of interest form here and one of our coaches will contact you to schedule an intake conversation.

For Further Questions:

Contact Katja Newman, Building Employment Pathways Program Manager at katja.newman@neads.ca for any questions, concerns, or accessibility-related needs pertaining to the expression of interest form.

About The Funder:

Funded through three year contributions funding from Employment & Social Development Canada’s Workplace Opportunities Removing Barriers to Equity program, the Building Employment Pathways for Persons With Disabilities program is one of a 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.

Katja Newman, (she/her/elle), NEADS Financial Assistance Program Director | Directrice du programme d'assistance financière de NEADS, Co-Manager, Building Employment Pathways Program | Co-gestionnaire du programme Créer des parcours d’emploi, National Educational Association of Disabled Students | Association nationale des étudiants handicapés au niveau de l'éducation, Room 514 Unicentre, Carleton University | Salle 514 Unicentre, Université Carleton, Ottawa, Ontario  K1S 5B6

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