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Enabling Accessibility Fund - Youth Innovation

Seeking Youth Participation

Are you interested in developing your leadership skills and making a tangible difference in your community? Would you like to add a valuable experience to your resumé by volunteering a bit of your time?

The Government of Canada wishes to help develop youth leadership under the Youth Innovation Component of the Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF).

What is the EAF?

The EAF is a federal government grants and contributions program that provides funding to eligible applicants for projects that increase accessibility for persons with disabilities in community spaces and workplaces across Canada. These accessibility projects break down barriers and allow persons with disabilities to participate in community activities, programs and services, and access employment opportunities.

Note: As a potential youth accessibility leader, you are probably thinking about how to connect with an organization. As you know, COVID-19 is changing how we interact with those around us. We recommend following your local or regional public health and safety authorities for the latest guidelines before approaching an organization and consider reaching out using alternative methods such as email, text, phone or social media.

How youth can contribute?

Under this initiative, you can have a direct impact in the lives of persons with disabilities in your community by helping an eligible organization address an accessibility barrier in a public space and/or workplace near you.

If you are between the ages of 15 and 30, you would simply follow these steps:
• register your interest online before October 30, 2020;
• identify accessibility barriers in workplaces or public spaces;
• connect with eligible organizations and make them aware of existing accessibility barriers;
• encourage organizations to apply for up to $10,000 in EAF funding to address such barriers;
• assist an organization in developing and submitting a project proposal;
• inform EAF program improvements by providing your feedback.

Examples of EAF accessibility projects include but are not limited to:
• access ramps, automated doors, wider doorways, hallways and tactile surface indicators;
• screen readers, voice recognition systems & speech synthesizers, symbolic software, audiovisual fire alarm systems;
• snoezelen/multi-sensory rooms, accessible kayaks, sailboats or bicycles, accessible beach mats or wheelchairs, accessible pathways or raised garden beds.

If you are a youth interested in volunteering on this initiative, please inform the Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF) team of your interest by applying at: https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/funding/enabling-accessibility-fund-youth-innovation.html

Become a leader and help build a more accessible Canada!

Enabling Accessibility Fund Team
Employment and Social Development Canada




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