Community Sites:

Community sites and Local Community Learning Network members realize that people with disabilities have many of the traits common to successful entrepreneurs. Their ability to adapt and be flexible contributes to business success. With their desire and determination to become more independent, to improve their quality of life and make a contribution to the social and economic life of their community, people with disabilities have many of the right ingredients for successful self-employment.

Assisting people with disabilities to explore and achieve their self-employment goals benefits people with disabilities and the community in a number of ways:

• Self-employment provides people with disabilities economic independence or partial independence and reduces expenditure on social assistance and income security programs.
• Successful entrepreneurs with disabilities contribute to the tax base.
• As their businesses expand and grow, entrepreneurs with disabilities provide new employment for other members of the community, including other people with disabilities.
• Business creates business, resulting in greater prosperity for all.

Moreover, the Business Development and Disability Organizations participating in the Building A Bridge Project know that by creating access to new economic development opportunities for one group in the community, greater access is created for all. They also realize that by sharing their particular knowledge of disability or business development with each other through the Project, each becomes more capable in assisting people with disabilities.

To assist members of the Local Community Learning Network in this Project, a Resource Centre has been provided on this website. It will assist counsellors to help people with disabilities interested in assessing the viability of their business idea.

Due to the confidential nature of information about Formal Project Participants held in the Centre, some areas are not open to the public.

Community Sites are listed below:

Richmond Disability Centre (RDC)

Established in 1985, the Richmond Disability Centre serves as an advisory body and spokes group to local government, business and community on issues and barriers faced by people with disabilities, and through its work has contributed to the overall physical and attitudinal accessibility of the community. The RCD's purpose is to give people with disabilities the opportunity to participate in the community to the fullest extent of their ability and to improve their quality of life by working for - Inclusion, Independence & Empowerment.

Ella Huang, Executive Director
Disability Resource Centre - Richmond BC
Website: www.drcrichmond.ca

Canadian Society for Social Development (CSSD) in association with Kootenay Career Development Society (KCDS)

The Canadian Society for Social Development (CSSD), a federally incorporated society, is part of the Community Futures Network of British Columbia. The CSSD ensures equal opportunities for all Canadians. Using internet based technologies, it provides entrepreneurial training that enhances employability for persons experiencing barriers to employment. The organizations mandate is to: provide employment and skills training to persons facing barriers to employment, including persons with disabilities, aboriginals, youth, the unemployed and individuals living in rural areas.

Kay Ryan, Executive Director
Canadian Society for Social Development - Nelson, BC
Websites: www.cssd-web.org

Kootenay Career Development Society (KCDS)

The Society is a non-profit society operated by a volunteer Board of Directors and incorporated under the British Columbia Society Act. The organization provides a variety of career development and employment services to the communities of Nelson BC and outlying areas. Sponsored by Service Canada, KCDS meets the unique needs of unemployed and underemployed clients. As well, the organization is well known for employment services for people living with a disability.

Jan Wright, Executive Director
Kootney Career Deveopment Society - Nelson BC
Website: www.kcds.ca

PARO

The word 'paro' is Latin for "I am ready". PARO Centre for Women's Enterprise is a not-for-profit charitable organization - a unique grassroots, community economic development organization with members involved in decision-making at every level. Founded in January 1995, PARO provides programs and services designed to increase the economic independence and self-sufficiency of women and their families. Women, as voting members, belong to 30 PARO groups (peer lending circles) located throughout Northwestern Ontario. The board of directors is elected annually from the membership.

Rosalind Lockyer, Executive Director
PARO Centre For Women's Enterprise - Thunder Bay ON
Website: www.paro.ca

The Glenn Crombie Centre, Cambrian College

The Glen Crombie Centres mandate is to provide a system of support services designed to allow students with any disability to achieve their potential for education at Cambrian College. The Centre creates an environment where persons with disabilities have every opportunity to succeed where personal autonomy, empowerment and self-advocacy are encouraged and respected where inclusion is promoted over segregation. The Centre is a catalyst for creating academic and career opportunities for persons with disabilities locally, provincially, nationally and internationally.

Susan Alcorn MacKay, M.Ed., Director Disability Services
The Glenn Crombie Centre, Cambrian College Sudbury ON
Website: www.homepages.cambrianc.on.ca/snrrc/

Dalhousie University College of Continuing Education

Since 1988, the College of Continuing Education (formerly Henson College) has worked with third party funders to develop and deliver relevant programming for entrepreneurs, to provide the skills, information and support necessary to succeed in starting their businesses. The colleges focus is on pre-start, start-up and young operations. It maintains a close association with the small business sector and established entrepreneurs to stay in touch with the current and forecasted economic climate and to best serve the needs of our clients. The college has developed and delivered services to groups expressing specific needs, including entrepreneurial services for persons with disabilities.

Jennifer E. Hann, Director Mature Student Services
Dalhousie University College of Continuing Education Halifax NS
Website: www.dal.ca/cce

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