Career Services’ Multi-Year Accessibility Plan 2024-2028

We are a service and business dedicated to expanding employment opportunities by working with
employers, partners and individuals facing barriers to employment. By providing specialized
supports, we help people pursue their work and life goals.

INTRODUCTION:
“We are a service and business dedicated to expanding employment opportunities by working with
employers, partners and individuals facing barriers to employment. By providing specialized supports,
we help people pursue their work and life goals.”
In pursing this mission Career Services:

Models and promotes a culture of inclusion in the community.
Invests in people, employers, and the community.
Aims to be on the “leading edge” through service and technology innovation.
Embraces both business and social service models.
Collaborates with a larger network of partners, bringing together individuals, education and
employment agencies, businesses, and other employers.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR AODA:
The accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act has general requirements that apply across all applicable standards, including those that relate to customer service, information and communications, employment and design of public spaces.

Under the general requirements, an organization must:
Establish accessibility policies.
Incorporate accessibility criteria and features when procuring or acquiring goods, services, facilities, or a self-serve kiosk.
Provide staff training.

ACCESSIBILITY POLICIES:
Career Services has developed and implemented two AODA-related polices – Accessibility for Ontarians
with Disabilities and Accessible Customer Service. We continue to monitor for any legislative amendments
to the Act and to update our policies, practices, and procedures to remain compliant with legislation.
Changes to policies are shared with staff as they come into effect. All new employees, as part of their
onboarding, review and acknowledge both policies.

PROCURING GOODS, SERVICES, FACILITIES OR SELF-SERVE KIOSKS:
Career Services complies with legislation when purchasing goods and services – we do not have self-serve
kiosks. We will continue to incorporate accessibility criteria and features into our procurement processes
when obtaining goods (eg. Computer equipment, software programs), services (interpreters, service dogs), facilities (off-site production sites, venues) to ensure we continue removing barriers for clients, visitors, and staff.

STAFF TRAINING:
All staff as well as our production team, receive training on AODA and accessible customer service
standards at point of hire. Refresher training is available to all staff through an online portal – AODA and
Accessible Customer Service policies as well as an in-depth presentation on AODA and an online “Customer Service Standard” Module offered through the government of Ontario.

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and the Integrated Accessibility Standard
Regulation (IASR) was enacted to develop, implement, and enforce Accessibility Standards in order to
achieve accessibility for Ontarians with disabilities with respect to:
Information and Communication
Employment
Design of Public Spaces (Built Environment)
Customer Service
Transportation – N/A – Career Services is not a transportation organization.

The AODA Multi-Year Accessibility Plan outlines the policies, achievements and actions that Career
Services has taken and the work underway to improve opportunities for people with disabilities. The current plan covers a five-year period (2024 – 2028).

STATEMENT OF COMMITMENT:
Career Services continues its commitment to providing a barrier-free environment for our employees,
program participants, visitors and community partners who enter our building and access our information.
We believe in inclusion and equal opportunity and remain committed to meeting the needs of people with disabilities in a timely manner and will do so by preventing and removing barriers to accessibility and
meeting accessibility requirements under the AODA.
Career Services has an important responsibility for ensuring a safe, dignified and welcoming environment for everyone. We are committed to ensuring compliance with accessibility legislation by incorporating policies, procedures, equipment requirements, training for employees/volunteers/students and best practices. Policies and procedures will be reviewed on a regular basis.

ONTARIO HUMAN RIGHTS CODE AND AODA:
Ontario’s Human Rights Code (HRC) and AODA are both pieces of legislation that promote and protect the interests of the disability community. The HRC requires organizations to accommodate persons with
disabilities to the point of undue hardship and is intended to be complaint-driven legislation with an
emphasis on actual or perceived disability in the areas of employment, housing, facilities and services,
contracts, and membership in trade, unions or professional associations.
The AODA, advances the interests of persons with disabilities through the implementation and enforcement of accessibility standards in key areas of daily living, customer service, employment, information and communication, transportation, and design of public spaces (built environment).

Although the HRC and AODA may overlap, there are important differences between them:
The AODA tackles access barriers systematically while the HRC requires accommodation
on an individual basis.
The AODA proactively sets standards for all organisations whereas the HRC is meant to be
interpreted reactively.
The HRC provides a mechanism for seeking reparation for discrimination whereas the
AODA does not.

INTEGRATED ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS REGULATIONS:
Information and Communication:
Career Services understands the importance of having readily available information for all persons – we
work hard to ensure the information we share is understandable, easy to use, and accessible.
Information and Communication:
Forms and documents available in large print format for any person requesting this accommodation.
Employee information letters are provided in different languages to ensure our new to Canada employees are equally informed about changes within our organization.
Immersive reader is available for all Word documents.
Career Services has ensured all websites and content conform to World Wide Web Consortium Web
Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Level A by January 1, 2014, and conforms to WCAG
2.0 Level AA.
Continue to provide accessibility options when making modifications to the agency’s website and
printed materials.
Customer Service:
Career Services remains committed to ensuring we provide accessible customer service to persons with
disabilities and continue to follow the core principles of accessibility: independence, dignity, integration,
and equality of opportunity.
Customer Service:
Individuals can use their own assistive devices to access Career Services goods, services or facilities.
E.g. persons who are deaf, deafened, or hard of hearing can use devices/tools that provide
simultaneous translations.
Career Services’ staff will, when communicating with a person with a disability, do so in a manner
that is respectful and best supports the person.
Confirmed our commitment to openness to service animals (unless excluded by law) and support
persons as outlined in our Accessible Customer Service policy. The service animal must always be
under the care and control of the individual.
Provide notice when services are disrupted – posted on building entrances and/or on social media
platforms. The notice will include the reason for the disruption, how long it is expected to last, and
what alternative arrangements are available.
Should an employee or visitor to Career Services require any emergency procedures or plans be
made available in an accessible format, we will work with the individual to provide them with a
format that works for them.
Feedback Process – client satisfaction survey asks if the person felt their accommodation needs were
met. A comment box is also offered to provide more detailed information if needed.
For individuals participating in VjobReady (our virtual Careers Café learning environment),
accommodations are made for persons requiring a more specialized format. This includes offering a
seated experience rather than standing, providing a spacer within the VR headset to allow for most
eyeglasses and closed captioning.

Built Environment (Buildings and Outdoor Spaces):
Career Services does not provide or have public spaces available as defined in the AOD Act. We do take
pride in providing a building that is fully accessible and inviting for all persons. Accessible entrances,
accessible parking, outdoor seating and eating areas, and exterior signage are just a few of the
accommodations made to our building since 2004.
Built Environment (Buildings and Outdoor Spaces):
Installation of automatic door openers for all three main entry/exit doors.
Installation of automatic door openers for employee washrooms as well as entry/exit doors to
production areas.
Renovation of employee washrooms paying particular attention to accessible stalls, grab bars,
accessible counter heights, accessible hand dryers and paper towel dispensers.
Installation of new ergonomic door handles for all offices, storage rooms, and washrooms.
Redesign of parking area to accommodate persons traveling by para transit bus.
Added additional accessible parking spaces.
Employment:
As a provider of employment services for individuals facing barriers, Career Services remains committed to ensuring equal access to employment opportunities for all persons. Accessible accommodations are
available throughout the hiring process and employees will be supported throughout their employment with Career Services.
Career Services has a unique staffing model that is made up of three different options – full time staff funded under the MCCSS, production employees who work within our industry, and employees who work under our Employment Solutions division.
Employment:
As per our Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities policy (H.R. #013), Career Services is committed to fair and accessible employment practices across all stages of the employment cycle.
Throughout the recruitment and selection process, Career Services will continue to inform its employees and the public about the availability of accessible accommodations for applicants with disabilities. We will also continue to provide accessible accommodations to employees with disabilities. We remain committed to fostering an inclusive and accessible work environment.
Employees with disabilities are provided with materials in accessible formats when requested
through consultation.
Individualized workplace emergency response information is provided to employees with disabilities
as required.
All staff receive training on AODA and accessible customer service standards at point of hire.
Refresher training is available to all staff through an online portal – AODA and Accessible Customer
Service policies as well as an in-depth presentation on AODA and an online “Customer Service
Standard” Module offered through the government of Ontario.

Goals for 2024 – 28:
When dollars are available – re-design employee entrance (east door) to ensure it is safe for
wheelchairs to navigate. Currently, persons in wheelchairs use our fully accessible front office
entrance but it would feel more inclusive and appropriate for all employees to use the same entrance.
When dollars are available, replace any remaining interior doors with automatic openers.
Continue to build on accommodations for our VjobReady platform – offer increased contrast of
colours within the Careers Café and increase font size for all written information to accommodate
persons with vision impairments.
Establish a process to receive and respond to feedback from the public regarding accessibility.

Contact Information:
Questions or comments about Career Services’ accessibility plans, policies and practices are always
welcome.
To get more information or to give us your feedback, please contact:
Cynthia Sparring, Executive Director
Career Services
89 Hubbell Street
Brockville, Ontario
K6V 4K6
Phone: 613 342 5775 ext. 122
E-mail: [email protected]
Standard and accessible formats of this document are available upon request.