Resources

Advocacy

Disability Is Natural

Disability is Natural is a powerful website full of information. The author of the website is Kathie Snow, a thought provoking speaker, mother and author. Kathie brings it home with Disability is Natural and the People First Language. This website will change the way you think!

Abilities Canada

Welcome! This website is an opportunity for people with disabilities and the broader community to engage in dialogue around issues that matter to all of us. INSPIRE - INFORM - EMPOWER. Make sure your voice is heard: join the conversation!

Advocacy Tool Kit

The Advocacy Tool Kit aims to demonstrate how to apply advocacy skills to different situations throughout early childhood and adolescence through useful tips, links to additional information, a list of local resources by provinces across Canada, and many other interactive features. It includes sections on self-advocacy, advocacy within the family unit, advocacy in the community, school advocacy, and advocacy in health care.

Aging and Disability

This site offers wisdom and practical tools to face the challenge of aging with grace and dignity.

ConnectABILITY

Online resources for people with developmental disabilities and their families/friends.

Easter Seals

At the core of Easter Seals is a common passion for caring, shared by its staff, thousands of volunteers across the province, and by those who support its mission. This heart-felt desire to serve children, youth and young adults with physical disabilities and their families, is what Easter Seals is all about.

Helen Sanderson Associates

Helen Sanderson Associates is an international development, training and consultancy team. We work with people to change their lives, organisations and communities through person centred thinking and planning.

Inclusion Canada

Inclusion Canada leads the way in building an inclusive Canada by strengthening families, defending rights, and transforming communities into places where everyone belongs.

March of Dimes

Since 1951, through advocacy and service, March of Dimes has improved the lives of Canadians with disabilities. Each year, they empower 50,000 people to lead more independent lives.

PADDLE

Our Vision: to provide a unique and appropriate Learning Centre for special needs adults. Our Mission: to offer a structured, meaningful, inclusive and community-based environment where dependent developmentally challenged adults continue to thrive and grow socially, physically, emotionally and intellectually.

The Learning Disabilities Association of Ontario

The Learning Disabilities Association of Ontario is a charitable non-profit organisation dedicated to improving the lives of children, youth and adults with learning disabilities. Our mission is to provide leadership in learning disabilities advocacy, research, education and services and to advance the full participation of children, youth and adults with learning disabilities in today’s society.

Autism

Autism Canada Foundation

Autism Canada Foundation is a registered Canadian Charitable organization that has been committed to improving the lives of Canadians affected by Autism since 2002. Autism Canada’s founding directors were all parents whose children were diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Having firsthand experience with autism, they were more than aware of the lack of representation in Canada for all effective treatments and therapies.

Autism Ontario

Autism Ontario (formerly Autism Society Ontario) is the leading source of information and referral on autism and one of the largest collective voices representing the autism community. Members are connected through a volunteer network of Chapters throughout the Province of Ontario.

Geneva Centre for Autism

Geneva Centre for Autism is committed to providing resources for parents, professionals and those who are affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders. Over the years, the Centre has compiled an extensive collection of resources offering a wealth of information about ASD and related disorders.

Family

Community Networks of Specialized Care

Provincial website for Community Networks of Specialized Care

AboutKidsHealth

Welcome to AboutKidsHealth! Our goal is to provide families with reliable, current information about all areas influencing child health and family quality of life in a format that is easy to understand. We launched this site in the summer of 2004 with an extensive collection of information on child development, common health problems, and health care, as well as regular expert columns, news, and features on the latest in child health research.

Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence

The Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence supports and empowers caregivers and care providers, advances the knowledge and capacity of the caregiving field, and advocates for effective and visionary social policy, with a disability-informed approach.

Family Service Toronto

Family Service Toronto (FST) helps people face a wide variety of life challenges. For almost 100 years, we have been assisting families and individuals through counselling, community development, advocacy and public education programs. Our services are available to everyone who lives or works in Toronto.

How to: Hiring a Support Worker

An in-depth how-to guide for hiring a support worker for yourself or your loved one.

Transition Guide for Students with Disabilities

New resource to help Ontario students with disabilities

A new Ontario resource guide, The Transition Resource Guide, has been created to ease the transition from high school to university or college for students with disabilities. The Regional Assessment and Resource Centre (RARC), based at Queen’s University, created the comprehensive resource with input from various stakeholders, including students with disabilities, disability service professionals at Ontario’s universities and colleges, and secondary school counsellors. The guide gives general information on choosing a school, applying for scholarships and bursaries, and accessing disability services, as well as providing institution-specific information. The guide is available online in French and English; print copies will be distributed to secondary school counsellors across Ontario. Allyson Harrison, Clinical Director at RARC, noted that “there is a great demand from students, educators and counsellors in Ontario to have this type of information available in a central, easily accessible place.” An advisory board of stakeholders will periodically review the guide to ensure it remains up-to-date and accurate. Queen’s News | Guide website

Financial Support

Benefits Finder

Discover benefits that can help lower your living costs, find affordable housing and improve your quality of life. If you need financial help, healthcare support, housing options, or special programs for seniors, students, or people with disabilities, the Government of Canada Benefits Finder can help.

Developmental Services Ontario

Developmental Services Ontario helps adults with developmental disabilities connect to services and supports in their communities. There are nine agencies across Ontario to serve you. The DSO is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services. They can connect you to various resources in your area like Residential Supports, Caregiver Respite, Community Participation Supports, Professional and Specialized Services, Person-directed Planning, and more.

Ontario Autism Program (OAP)

Learn about the OAP and support for children with autism. Find out how to register for the program and get information about funding and service options.

Ontario Disability Support Program

The Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) was created to meet the unique needs of people with disabilities. The program provides income support including health and other benefits for people with disabilities in financial need. The program also provides employment supports to help people with disabilities prepare for, obtain or maintain a job. The intent of the program is to provide the supports necessary to enable individuals and families to live as independently as possible in the community and lead more productive, dignified lives.

Ontario Works

To be eligible for assistance from Ontario Works, you need to be in financial need and be willing to work towards finding employment. Learn more about eligibility and application requirements by clicking the link below.

Passport Program

The reimbursement program that helps adults with developmental disabilities in Ontario access services and supports.

Gender and Sexuality

Disability and Sexuality Resource Hub

The Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital team has developed an extensive list of resources to help youth with disabilities, parents and healthcare providers have conversations about sexuality.

LGBTQ+ People with Disabilities

Disability Belongs (previously RespectAbility) is a disability-led nonprofit that works to create systemic change in how society views and values people with disabilities. They fight stigmas and advance opportunities so people with disabilities can fully participate in all aspects of community. Disability Belongs has compiled a list of LGBTQ+ disability-specific resources for their site.

Parry Sound Pride

Celebrating LGBTQQIP2SAA Pride and Diversity in Parry Sound.

Justice

Administrative Justice Support Network

The Administrative Justice Support Network’s mission is to support people to feel competent and confident to proceed with an appeal before an administrative board or tribunal whether or not they have legal representation.

Lake Country Community Legal Clinic

Providing legal aid and services to people in our community.

PooranLaw – Guidance with RDSP

Introduced by the federal government in 2008, Registered Disability Savings Plans (RDSPs) are long-term savings plans specifically designed to benefit persons with disabilities. PooranLaw provides the guidance you need to incorporate RDSPs into your estate plan.

Research

Azrieli Adult Neurodevelopmental Centre

The first research and education centre in Canada dedicated to improving care for adults with neurodevelopmental disabilities and mental health challenges.

CanChild

CanChild is a research and educational centre that provides evidence-based information to improve the lives of children and youth with disabilities and their families.

Eviance

The Canadian Centre on Disability Studies is a consumer-directed, university affiliated centre dedicated to research, education and information dissemination on disability issues.

National Institute of Disability Management and Research (NIDMAR)

The National Institute of Disability Management and Research (NIDMAR), founded in 1994, is an internationally recognized organization committed to reducing the human, social and economic costs of disability. As an education, training and research organization, NIDMAR's primary focus is the implementation of workplace-based reintegration programs which international research has proven is the most effective way of restoring and maintaining workers' abilities, while reducing the costs of disability for workers, employers, government and insurance carriers.

Training

Inclusion Press

Inclusion Press creates person centered resource materials for training events, public schools, high schools, community colleges, universities, human service agencies, health organizations, government agencies, families, First Nations organizations - nationally and internationally.

Ontario Disability Employment Network

The Ontario Disability Employment Network is a professional body of employment service providers united to increase employment opportunities for people who have a disability.

Open Future Learning

An online learning provider 100% dedicated to the learning disability workforce. Learning through storytelling.

Real Xchange

A hub for resources, knowledge exchange, collaboration, and learning in the Developmental Services sector.

Safeguards Training for Children and Adult Services

Safeguards mandate is to provide state of the art training and resources to improve the well-being of vulnerable children, youth and families within the province.

St. John Ambulance- Courses and Training

St. John Ambulance is widely recognized as the industry leader in First Aid and CPR training with a proven combination of professional trainers, personalized instruction, how-to videos and learn-as-you-go training guides.

The Canadian Red Cross

We help people and communities in Canada and around the world in times of need and support them in strengthening their resilience.