York Region's 2008 Accessibility Plan Summary
5. Changing Attitudes and Raising Awareness |
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| Accessibility Achievements - 2007 |
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Negative attitudes and misinformation can shape and influence perceptions about people with disabilities. These invisible barriers can have a direct impact on the quality of life of persons with different disabilities.
York Region continued to make progress with its programs to raise awareness and change attitudes about different disabilities and the many benefits of greater inclusiveness. Our focus on educating and informing our staff and the broader community helps to make our region a more inviting and welcoming place to live for all our citizens. | |
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| Community and Health Services |
In 2007, the Department provided training sessions for staff regarding mental illness and learning disabilities, and provided a course on employment resources for Ontario Works participants with disabilities. Health Services produced internal staff newsletters providing information about the Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2001, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, and other accessibility issues, increasing knowledge and raising awareness of disability issues among our staff.
In 2007, over 100 employees across the Region participated in "Just Ask" inclusivity training offered corporately, increasing the awareness of staff to the needs of persons with disabilities.
York Regional Police worked with the Canadian Hearing Society to offer a Diversity Speakers component to the re-qualification training for officers and communications staff. The course is intended to help officers better understand how to interact with citizens who are deaf, deafened, or hard of hearing. YRP also:
- Developed a workshop for specialized police units where hearing loss is a potential issue as a result of workplace exposure
- Produced a variety of communications products to help officers when dealing with people who are deaf, deafened, or hard of hearing, such as notification cards and sun visor cards
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| Barrier Identification for 2008 |
Community and Health Services
In 2008, Community Services will conduct a comprehensive review of all its training materials to identify information gaps for staff concerning the needs of Community Services clients with disabilities. |
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| Barriers to Be Addressed – 2008 |
Community and Health Services
During 2008, the Department will be very active undertaking a number of initiatives to change attitudes and promote greater awareness. Initiatives will include:
- Increasing the community's awareness about the work of the York Region Accessibility Advisory Committee by developing a brochure
- Creating staff resource libraries in each Ontario Works office which will include information about mental illness issues, learning disabilities, and chronic diseases
- Conducting one-on-one interviews with Ontario Works clients with disabilities at the Vaughan Employment Resource Centre to inform them about resources and seek feedback on ways to improve service
- Organizing an agency fair for Departmental Staff Day, bringing community agencies together to educate staff and raise awareness
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| Each year, every department across York Region makes an ongoing commitment to provide staff with an opportunity to participate in the "Just Ask" inclusivity training offered corporately. To date, over 430 staff have participated in this training. |
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