New Grant Program Launched that Promotes Awareness of People with Disabilities in the Workplace

Posted on Tuesday, June 30th, 2015

The Ontario Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the launch of a new grant program, the Abilities Connect Fund. This initiative aims to raise awareness among employers about the benefits of hiring, integrating, and retaining people with disabilities in the workplace.

 
Approximately 46,700 students with disabilities are enrolled in colleges and universities across Ontario. The Abilities Connect Fund is designed to encourage employers to leverage this untapped talent pool to meet their skills requirements, and provide early workplace experience for students and recent graduates with disabilities to help improve their employment outcomes and career trajectory. This includes funding for hiring and making accommodations for co-op students for four- and eight-month terms.
 
 
This pilot program has two funding streams:
 
1. Valuing Abilities Employment supports the hiring and training of college/university students or recent graduates with disabilities. The maximum an organization can receive is $20,000 for up to four employees; and
 
2. Valuing Abilities Workplace Solutions supports the purchase of assistive devices, specialized training, and assessments for new or current employees with disabilities. The maximum grant an organization can receive for this stream is $3,000.
 

 

For more information, please visit the Abilities Connect Fund website: http://www.occ.ca/programs/accessibility-works/abilities-connect/