The Canadian Association of Professionals with Disabilities is dedicated to maximizing the inclusion, job retention, and advancement of current and future professionals with disabilities.
We are solely and permanently committed to meeting the complex and emerging concerns of professionals with disabilities.
Our cross-disabilities based non-profit is controlled by professionals with disabilities who are cognizant of and committed to recognizing and supporting the diverse needs and interests of disabled professionals. We are also dedicated to building supportive and collaborative networks of individuals (with and without disabilities) and organizations that share our mandate, interests, and objectives.
Our non-profit supports professionals with disabilities regardless of when they became disabled or their career or profession, employment status, and degree of career success. They may be just ready to begin their careers, volunteering, on leave, unemployed, employed, underemployed, part time, self employed, unable to work, on pension, on welfare, or retired.
Our goals are:
- To provide a focal point for professionals with disabilities to define, develop, and implement resources and supports that enable them to successfully participate in work and the community.
- To increase the awareness, knowledge, understanding, and acceptance of professionals with disabilities and their capabilities.
- To encourage professionals with disabilities to develop to their full potential and to find, retain, and advance in employment commensurate with their skills, knowledge, and abilities.
- To highlight and address life and quality of life issues that impact and/or are impacted by the career realities that professionals with disabilities specifically face.
- To support professionals with disabilities to participate fully in society.
- To provide professionals with disabilities with opportunities for camaraderie, mentorship, and support.
- To improve the disability supports, rehabilitation, education, training, and employment and career development/advancement opportunities for professionals with disabilities and for other people with disabilities who want to enter a professional career path.
The Canadian Association of Professionals with Disabilities became a federally incorporated non-profit in 2003.
We are a grassroots creation that is based on a consumer controlled model and dedicated to social responsibility, collaboration, innovation, diversity, and inclusion.