5. Changing Attitudes and Raising Awareness

Accessibility Achievements

Education and Outreach

Making York Region more accessible isn't just about physical changes - such as ramps, wider doorways, brighter lights and bigger signs - it's also about changing attitudes. In York Region, we want to create communities where people with disabilities are welcomed and valued. We want to make people aware of the strengths of people with disabilities and how little changes can help enrich all of our lives.

In 2006, a total of 335 York Region staff took part in inclusivity and accessibility training designed to raise awareness of the needs and rights of people with disabilities. The training appears to work: according to evaluations completed by staff who participated, awareness of how to provide better customer service to people with disabilities was raised, and many planned to pay closer attention to clients' needs in the future.

Some departments provided further education in addition to the training provided by the Region. For example, York Regional Police have trained a staff group to assess the accessibility of workspaces, so the Department can do a better job of integrating employees with disabilities. This initiative has helped raise awareness with the Department. In 2006, Community Services and Housing surveyed Ontario Works staff about their knowledge of resources for clients with disabilities. The Department is using the survey results to identify staff training or resource needs and improve services for clients.

In addition to educating its own staff, York Region is working to raise awareness of the strengths and needs of people with disabilities throughout the community. For example:

• York Region Transit now requires contracted bus operators to provide refresher accessibility awareness and sensitivity training for all bus drivers; and
• York Region celebrated National Access Awareness Week by setting up displays at the Administrative Centre and South Services Centre, holding a sold-out Know York lunch session, organizing a quiz/contest about accessibility, and producing a newsletter that featured tips from various organizations about serving people with disabilities.

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Removing Barriers

Education and Outreach

During 2007, we plan to keep up the programs that change attitudes. Although many of the Region's staff have already acquired specific skills to work with people with disabilities through their professional training, 146 other employees from across all Regional departments will participate in York Region's inclusivity and accessibility training. This will mean that even more staff will be aware of the wide range of disabilities and have the knowledge to provide more effective and respectful service for people with disabilities.

Some departments also plan to organize other training activities:

• Community Services and Housing will use staff survey results to develop training that will make employees more knowledgeable about employment resources for people with disabilities. The Department will also offer the mental health and learning disabilities training to all branches;
• Health Services staff - both internal and external - will be offered opportunities to participate in education sessions about the Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2001. This training will make staff more confident about working with people with disabilities and make health services more accessible; and
• York Regional Police will provide training and aids, such as notification cards, sun visor cards and tip sheets that will help officers communicate effectively with citizens who are deaf, deafened or hard of hearing. Recognizing that
  work-related hearing loss is an issue for some members of the police force,
  York Regional Police will also develop a workshop on hearing loss and ways to prevent it.