Introduction To Building A Bridge (The Project)

To accomplish this objective the Project will develop Local Community Learning Networks in each community, that are comprised of business development organizations and disability organizations working to increase access to self-employment opportunities for persons with disabilities in their communities. The Project is being piloted across Canada by Community Sites in: Richmond and Nelson British Colombia; Thunder Bay and Sudbury Ontario; and, Halifax Nova Scotia. For details of participating organizations please see Community Sites.

1. What does this Website provide to people with disabilities?
   
2. What does the Website provide to business development and disability organizations?
   
3. Why do organizations want to work with people with disabilities to explore self employment opportunities?
   
4. Project Objectives and Background
   
   

1. What does this Website provide to people with disabilities?

This website provides the Exploring Self Employment Opportunities for People With Disabilities - A Self Assessment Workbook Course. The site also includes other materials such as:

• A Business Plan Development Guide
• Exploring Self Employment Online Resource
• National Disability Organizations List
• National Business Development Organizations List

All are tailored to meet the needs of people with disabilities.

The workbook course provides a self-assessment tool to assist people with disabilities who are thinking about starting their own business, either full-time or part-time, and want to know whether this is the right time and opportunity for them. The workbook course is free.

If you live near one of the five Community Sites, we encourage you to contact that Community Site for more information and guidance as a Formal Project Participant. If you do not live near one of these Sites we encourage you to contact a business development organization in your area for general business advice. For a listing of business development organizations please see National Business Development Organizations in the Resource Centre for People With Disabilities.

Anyone is welcome to make use of the material on this Website on a casual basis. In order to test the effectiveness of the Project; however; Formal Project Participants with disabilities are being recruited only by Community Sites and members of Local Community Learning Networks. Please see Participant Eligibility.

2. What does the Website provide to business development and disability organizations?

The Website provides a Resource Centre for Organizations. The Centre features:

Exploring Self Employment Opportunities for People With Disabilities -
A Practitioners' Guide

The Practitioners' Guide is an important companion to Exploring Self Employment Opportunities for People With Disabilities - A Self Assessment Workbook Course. It helps business organizations and disability organizations to better understand self-employment opportunities and challenges for people with disabilities. It also helps counsellors prepare to work with aspiring entrepreneurs with disabilities who may require some assistance or guidance to complete the workbook course.

3. Why do organizations want to work with people with disabilities to explore self employment opportunities?

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.

4. Project Objectives and Background

The Project will test the effectiveness of online learning services and resources in assisting persons with disabilities interested in assessing the viability of her/his business idea. As well, a program of organizational capacity building activities has been developed that enhances the knowledge and skills required by disability and business development counsellors to use online services and resources to serve their clients with disabilities; and, increase knowledge exchange between business development and disability organizations.

During the first year of the Project (2005), significant research was undertaken on: self-employment services for persons with disabilities; access to online technology by persons with disabilities; online training capacity of organizations serving persons with disabilities; and, information sharing among disability and business development organizations. This was accomplished by conducting community assets mapping workshops and follow-up focus groups with 170 participants representing community organizations in the Project’s five Community Sites. Information and advice gathered was analyzed and has been used in the design of this Website and the development of the resources provided.