Call for Applications: Youth Innovation Component of the Enabling Accessibility Fund in Canada

Deadline: 10-Oct-23

The Employment and Social Development Canada is pleased to announce a call for applications to provide an opportunity for dynamic youth who want to demonstrate leadership and a commitment to their communities to have a direct impact in the lives of persons with disabilities.

The Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF) provides funding for projects that make Canadian communities and workplaces more accessible for persons with disabilities. EAF aims to create more opportunities for persons with disabilities to:

• take part in community activities, programs and services, or
• access employment

By becoming a Youth Accessibility Leader, you will promote the program and encourage organizations to apply for its funding. You can do this by addressing accessibility barriers in public spaces or workplaces within your community. Through this work, you will volunteer your time to:

• create greater awareness about accessibility needs
• encourage organizations to apply for EAF funding to address existing accessibility barriers, and
• build a more inclusive and accessible Canada

Role of the Youth Accessibility Leader

• As a Youth Accessibility Leader, you will be part of a growing community of youth from across the country that have:
  • found accessibility barriers in workplaces or public spaces
  • talked with organizations about their existing accessibility barriers
  • encouraged organizations to apply for funding to address their accessibility barriers
  • helped an organization draft a project proposal (valued at up to $10,000)
  • helped promote the program within your community, online and at media events, and
  • made a difference in the lives of persons with disabilities

Benefits of being a Youth Accessibility Leader:

• increased awareness of accessibility barriers in your community
• personal and community empowerment
• valuable presentation skills
• experience preparing or assisting in preparing project proposals
• networking opportunities, and
• social responsibility and volunteer experience that impacts your community

The Youth Innovation Component

• The youth innovation component encourages youth to find accessibility barriers in their communities. They work with local organizations to improve accessibility and safety in community spaces and workplaces.
• Project ideas include:
  • purchasing para-hockey sleds
  • building raised garden beds in a community garden
  • providing accessible beach mats and beach wheelchairs.

Funding Information

• Grant funding can be up to $10,000 per project.

Eligibility Criteria

• Eligible Organizations
  • The following organizations are eligible to apply for funding under the EAF Youth Innovation Component:
    • not-for-profit organizations
    • small businesses (99 full-time equivalent employees or less)
    • Indigenous organizations
    • municipalities
    • territorial governments

• They want you and what you have to offer, if you:
  • are determined to make a difference in your community
  • want to develop valuable skills and gain key experience
  • To be considered eligible you must be:
    • between 15 and 30 years of age at the time of the application
    • legally authorized to work in Canada
    • either a Canadian citizen, permanent resident or individual who has been granted refugee status in Canada
    • Apply to become an EAF Youth Accessibility Leader!
• Note, as a Youth Accessibility Leader, you can either work alone or work as a team and have friends and family support you throughout the process.

Ineligible Organizations

• Federal and provincial governments
• Publicly funded schools (primary and secondary)
• Publicly funded health care facilities and public hospitals
• Organizations located on public school or public health care property. Registered and/or licensed Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) centres on school property are an exception if the proposed project activity is solely for the use of the childcare centre/program
• For your project proposal to be eligible for funding, you must clearly and completely tell us:
  • what barriers to accessibility and/or safety for persons with disabilities you have found
  • how your project addresses the accessibility and safety needs of persons with disabilities
  • how your project increases the opportunities for persons of disabilities to participate in and contribute to their community and/or a workplace
  • which programs, service or employment opportunities persons with disabilities will be able to access after your project is in place.

For more information, visit EAF.