Empower People with Disabilities

Help Wendy & Jodi Empower Vancouver’s North Shore Residents with Disabilities!

North Shore Disability Resource Centre (NSDRC) needs your help to launch an innovative pilot project for engaging local stakeholder groups to solve the North Shore’s labour shortage and reduce employment barriers for North Shore residents with disabilities.

Website: NSDRC.ORG 

We’re trying something a little different with this GoFundMe campaign, because we think it’s the perfect way to reach people in the community who want the opportunity to give something back and be part of creating a long term solution to a big problem that’s too often overlooked.

North Shore’s  labour shortage affects the entire community - it’s time we started seeing people with disabilities as a solution!

Unfortunately right now there are thousands of people with amazing abilities who aren’t able to find suitable work in our community. The North Shore’s unemployment rate for working age adults with disabilities is approximately 50% - that’s over 5,000 people! Sadly, the negative stigma attached to hiring a person with a disability is usually a contributing factor.

The Diversability Employment Project (DEP) aims to reset the way our community sees people with disabilities. DEP will address the facts and myths about employees with disabilities by bringing together open-minded, progressive North Shore employers and a largely untapped, enthusiastic and capable labour pool. 

Disability Facts:

·          Persons with disabilities make up approximately       20% of the Canadian population

·         Persons with disabilities have a much greater likelihood of living in poverty and becoming disconnected from their community.

·         12% have been refused a job in the previous five years as a result of their disability

The Diversability Employment Project will bring together community leaders, decision makers and other stakeholders to empower people with disabilities and create long term solutions that see the employment of people with disabilities not as a problem, but rather a solution to a stronger and healthier community.

We need your help now, so we can launch the project in the Spring of 2018!

Project outcomes:

 1.      Development of a step-by-step action plan to reduce employment barriers for North Shore people with disabilities.

 2.      Development of a targeted community awareness campaign addressing “facts and myths” about employees with disabilities;

3.      Development of a comprehensive resource guide and information packages for employers on the business case for hiring people with disabilities.

 4.      Creation of an effective medium (e.g. social media) for sharing success stories for employers and job seekers with disabilities

 5.      Offer supplemental training strategies through experienced job coaches knowledgeable about workplace adaptations.


Benefits to job seekers with disabilities:

·   People are acknowledged for their abilities rather than for their disabilities when employed and visible in our community

·   Being employed creates opportunities for skill development and increased self-sufficiency.

·   Employed people with disabilities face fewer barriers to finding affordable housing on the North Shore.


Benefits to employers include:

·     Increased access to a diverse & capable workforce

·   People with disabilities bring unique skills and insights that can help employers better understand their customers/clients

·    New opportunities to communicate specific employer needs

·    Increased access to employees who take pride in their jobs with more consistent attendance


Ability to Execute the Project

The NSDRC is a registered charity that has been helping North Shore residents with disabilities and their families since 1976. Each year the NSDRC serves approximately 2000 families with an array of services including residential services, community-based services and its information and advocacy program.  The NSDRC’s mission is creating a “Community for All.”

The NSDRC is a capable organization experienced in tackling complex social issues and is committed to creating a more inclusive community where people of all abilities are able to make valuable contributions and live fulfilling lives. The NSDRC has a broad network of community partners including not-for-profits, municipalities and many businesses that have supported us in past endeavors.

We need your help now, so we can launch the project in the Spring of 2018!

Please donate and share the campaign to help us build a more  inclusive Vancouver community.

Thank you for building a more inclusive community!