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National Educational Association of Disabled Students Approved For Three Years Of Operational Funding Through Government of Canada’s Social Development Partnerships Program, Disability Component

(Ottawa, June 16th 2023) 

The National Educational Association of Disabled Students is pleased to announce that it has been selected as a recipient of three year operational funding from the Government of Canada’s Social Development Partnerships Program, Disability Component.

The Social Development Partnerships Program, Disability Component supports projects aimed at improving the participation and integration of persons with disabilities in all aspects of Canadian society. The program strives to increase the effectiveness of the not-for-profit sector servicing the disability community through strategic grant- and contribution-based investments. Projects funded under the program address social issues and barriers confronting persons with disabilities in the areas of learning, work and community life.

NEADS will receive a total of $450,000 of funding between April 2023 and March 2026 intended to help the organization continue to support the inclusion of persons with disabilities in post-secondary education and the Canadian Labour market. The funding will be invested in numerous organizational activities including hosting accessible virtual board meetings, holding annual in-person Executive Directors meetings, updating our strategic plan and drafting new partnership agreements. This funding will also enable us to continue to produce our electronic newsletter, expand our current results reporting practices and keep on hosting monthly, online, bilingual, accessible Zoom events on various topics of interest to post-secondary students and recent graduates with disabilities. NEADS will also utilize the funding to support the maintenance and content creation on our main website (NEADS.ca), Financial Aid Portal (DisabilityAwards.ca), Breaking It Down Employment Portal and human rights website: DisabilityRightsOnline.ca 

The grant funding from the Social Development Partnerships Program will also enable the organization to cover some of the costs relating to its staff and consultants with disabilities, who will be focused on core operational activities.

“We are thrilled to have been selected for three years’ worth of operational funding, from the Government of Canada’s Social Development Partnerships Program, disability component,” writes NEADS' Chair, Adam David. “Everyone at NEADS is cheering on the Government of Canada for its commitment to ensuring that persons with disabilities are included and not left behind, when it comes to post-secondary education and the labour market. This funding makes it possible to positively impact a lot of lives, of students with disabilities. We are humbled that you believe in our organization’s ability to effectively support students and graduates with disabilities across the country.” - NEADS Chair, Adam David.

MORE ABOUT NEADS: 

NEADS is a consumer-controlled, cross-disability charitable organization. We represent our constituents through specific projects, resources, research, publications and partnerships. NEADS is governed by a national Board of Directors representative of all of the provinces and territories. 

Our work as an organization focuses on three core Strategic Program areas: 

• Disabled student debt reduction 

• Disabled student experience in class and on campus 

• Disabled student and graduate employment 

NEADS functions collaboratively with and provides expert advice to:

• Employment and Social Development Canada and provincial/territorial governments 

• Post-secondary stakeholders 

• Other non-governmental organizations

• Employers

• Disability service providers (on college and university campuses) and 

• Communities that can improve opportunities in higher education and the labour market for persons with disabilities in Canada. 

Other involvements: 

• Since 1987, we have been a stakeholder group of the Government of Canada’s National Advisory Group on Student Financial Assistance — chaired by the Director General of the Canada Student Financial Assistance Program Program. Our work includes promoting government programs and services that support higher education for Canadians with disabilities. 

• We are an independent group, but also a member organization of the Council of Canadians With Disabilities. 

National Office Support and Services: 

NEADS effectively delivers a number of core programs. Our primary activities include: 

• Offering skills-training resources relevant to students with disabilities in post-secondary education and employment

• Conducting relevant research on access to post-secondary education and employment opportunities 

• Holding regular regional workshops, conferences and other events across Canada to provide resources and skill development to students with disabilities. 

For further information:

National Educational Association of Disabled Students (NEADS)
Rm. 514 Unicentre, Carleton University
Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5B6

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