Employability

Building Your Employ-Ability

Access 2 Accessibility (A2A), a Canadian non-profit created November 13, 2017, is a central resource hub for people with disabilities and older adults. A2A delivers programs based upon empowerment of people with disabilities, focusing on their strengths and abilities, over their disabilities.

In 2019, Carol-Ann Chafe and Mary Daniel created their "Building Your Employ-Ability" (BYEA) presentation. This was based on a project Mary developed and delivered at college. Carol-Ann and Mary created BYEA by drawing on their own experiences, barriers and misconceptions they faced in their education and career paths as people with disabilities.

Access 2 Accessibility Imparts Valuable Career Advice to Disabled Jobseekers

Becoming successful, or "Employ-Able," is a full-time job for people with, and without, disabilities. We know that for people with disabilities there are extra barriers and attitudes that must be overcome to achieve an equal opportunity for success. Until those barriers and attitudes are removed, people with disabilities turn to events like the Abilities Expo with workshops and programs, such as Access 2 Accessibility's Building Your Employ-Ability.

Building Your Employ-Ability is a live, interactive workshop that has been delivered to in-person—and virtual—events and conferences. In this workshop, people learn about tools and resources to navigate their career journey. It provides tips and steps to become a professional/entrepreneurial person with a disability. At the Abilities Expo, Building Your Employ-Ability workshop participants will learn how networking is an effective way to create opportunities for their career growth. Members of the audience are invited to engage with the presenters throughout the workshop.

Carol-Ann and Mary deliver this workshop as part of fulfilling the mantra of Gandhi who said, "Be the change you wish to see in the world." They know first-hand some of the difficulties people with disabilities face on their journey of fulfilling their career aspirations. For people with disabilities, it is not just the physical barriers to overcome but also the attitudes based on the myths and biases about people with disabilities who often are not accepted, or seen, as professionals.

In the workshop, Carol-Ann and Mary discuss programs in Access 2 Accessibility that are a benefit to people with disabilities especially the Entrepreneurs & Professionals, with disAbilities program that launched in April 2018. Members of the program benefit from networking, workshops and sharing resources. To-date, Entrepreneurs & Professionals, with disAbilities has almost 500 members and is still growing.

Many successful individuals have disabilities, some may be visible, and some may be invisible. Our disabilities do NOT define us. Let us empower and support one another as we show the world that #WeAreAble.

Make Connections to Support your Employment Endeavors

The Access 2 Accessibility Team has created a community of people with disabilities, advocates, organizations and community leaders to forward the efforts of job-seekers with disabilities. In 2018, they started with holding in-person networking sessions (Meet-Ups) where members share resources, learn accessibility in technology and support each other.

To learn more about Access 2 Accessibility programs, visit access2accessibility.com. You can also email [email protected] or connect with them via social media on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube and Meet-Up.

Feel free to reach out directly to Carol-Ann and Mary through the following channels:

Carol-Ann Chafe                                                    
Founder & Chair                                                           
Twitter: @C_AChafe                                                     
LinkedIn: Carol-Ann Chafe                                            
Email: [email protected]                

Mary Daniel
Business Development/Community Engagement
Twitter: @danieltaylor31
LinkedIn: Mary Daniel
Email: [email protected]