Resource Centre for Organizations

The Guide is an important companion to Exploring Self Employment Opportunities for People With Disabilities - A Self Assessment Workbook Course. It provides business development and disability organizations insight and information to better assist people with disabilities considering self-employment as an employment option.

The Guide consists of four Modules:

Exploring Self Employment

The intent of this module is to assist business development and disability organizations to better understand self-employment opportunities and challeges for people with disabilities; and, plan and prepare to work with aspiring entrepreneurs with disabilites.

Using the Workbook in Providing Guidance and Support

This module of the Guide provides an overview of the workbook course contents for general information. The ‘Approaches for Coaches’ tips at the end of the overview of each workbook module, provides disability employment counsellors, who may have limited direct business experience, advice on providing business-related advice. By posing ‘coaching-type’ questions counsellors can help their clients further expand their vision and problem-solve around issues and barriers.

Guide-at-a-Glance

This module provides a quick reference about types of disabilities, appropriate language and etiquette to use when interacting with people with disabilities; and, special considerations such as adaptations to facilities or procedures required when working with people with various disabilities. Designed primarily for the use of business counsellors, it is intended to reduce unfamiliarity and increase a level of knowledge and preparedness that allows one to ‘see the person, rather than the disability, first’.

Special Needs Accommodation Planning

The intent of this module is to assist the aspiring entrepreneur to identify and consider the implications his or her disability has for successfully starting and operating their own business. By following the templates and guides provided, counsellors can assist their clients identify possible solutions to their accommodation issues through a discussion process.

To download the Practitioners' Guide, click here.

Literature Review

This literature review was conducted to identify primarily web-based information that would inform Project goals and provide possible resources. There are two distinct areas of focus. First, it identifies information and best practices from on-line resources available to assist people with disabilities in Canada in starting a business. Second, it identifies information and best practices from the field of community based training for developing E-Learning tools.

To download the Literature Review, click here.

Online Mentoring Review

The involvement of entrepreneurs with disabilities and other business people as volunteer mentors can be of significant assistance to persons with disabilities pursuing self-employment. The review is to inform Local Community Learning Networks on best practices in establishing online mentoring and the feasibility of doing so.

To download the Online Mentoring Review, click here.