National Access Awareness Week Integrating National Access Awareness Week

By Suzanne Potvin

National Access Awareness Week (NAAW) will be held from May 26 to June 1, 1991. As a spin off from Rick Hansen’s Man In Motion Tour, this week is a vehicle for people to celebrate change that has already occurred and a time to evaluate areas still requiring attention – a time to begin to create positive change. The theme focus areas for this week are Transportation, Housing, Education, Recreation and Employment.

NAAW is largely funded by corporate sponsors, who contribute finances, time and resources. There are 10 corporate sponsors involved this year: Sears Canada, McDonald’s Esso, Air Canada, Canadian National, IBM, Cadillac Fairview, The Royal Bank, Ford Canada and Bell Canada. This year, all corporate partners will have an increased involvement in the activities of the Week. They have joined forces in a national program called “Face to Face.”

“Face to Face” is an employment awareness initiative for people with disabilities and employers. Activities will be held in 12 cities across Canada. The program will provide managers and persons with disabilities with an opportunity to come together in an informal setting, to share experiences, and to develop a clearer understanding of the realities faced by one another. It will be also be an opportunity for people with disabilities to gain access to a network of managers in a chosen field with relevant expertise and experience. Working committees with representation from the corporate sponsors, placement agencies for people with disabilities and NAAW organizing committees will be set up to organize the implementation of “Face to Face.” Contact your provincial office to find out the city closest to you.

On a national yield, a meeting was held in November 1990 in Ottawa to update all departments involved in NAAW. To date, 43 Federal departments are planning to participate. In Toronto, departments have worked together to plan a speakers’ tour by persons with disabilities aimed at receptionists and staff involved in information and referral jobs, managers who need to hire personnel and employees involved in human resources management.

The Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work (CCRW), has prepared a national workshop series entitled “Equal to the Task”, which is aimed at increasing the human resource potential of people with disabilities. This will be held from April 9 to May 24 in seven major cities. The topics to be discussed will be as follows: Day One – A New Source of Skilled Labour. Day Two – Sourcing, Hiring and Supervising. Day Three – Job Accommodation – Enhancing Productivity. For more information call CCRW at (204) 942-4862 or TDD (204) 944-0341.

This year the National Kick-Off Event will be held in Toronto, Ontario, on Sunday, May 26, 1991. Although the final plans are still being developed, initial ideas include the presentation of a media award for journalists who regularly portray Canadians with disabilities in their articles; the use of town criers who represent Five Star communities as announcers, and theatre presentations that focus on the concerns of different disability groups as they relate to the five key theme areas.

The Five Star Awards program is co-sponsored by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), the Department of Secretary of State, and the National Access Awareness of State, and the National Access Awareness Week Committee. The Five Star Awards recognize a community’s achievement in improving accessibility and integration for persons with disabilities in six key areas. Star Awards recognize achievements in any one of the key areas of municipal access, transportation, housing, employment, recreation and education. This is the third year that these awards have been presented to municipalities across Canada. Information on the Awards Program is available through the National Office of NAAW. The deadline for applications is April 30, 1991. A Selection Committee has prepared a selection process and will meet in early May to decide on winners for this year.

Minister of Secretary of State, Gerry Weiner will present the Five-Star Awards at the FCM Annual General Meeting in St. John’s, Newfoundland. The presentation will be on June 8, 1991. Rick Hansen has been invited to make a short speech during the presentation. Also during the meeting NAAW will present a workshop entitled “Municipalities and Accessibility” in order to promote awareness of disability issues among municipal leaders.

Last year a school package was developed entitled “Discover Together”. This package was distributed throughout Canada in the Fall of 1990. Over 400 English copies and 200 French copies were sent to schools, teachers and other interested individuals who were willing to pilot the materials.

The evaluation and subsequent modification process for the package was started in January, 1991. Revised material will be available for the beginning of the September, 1991 school year. A short video aimed at motivating teachers to use the package is being produced for the fall of 1991 and will accompany the kit.

If you are thinking of getting involved in NAAW in your community do not hesitate to call the people at the NAAW head office at (819) 953)-5005. They will be able to provide you with promotional items such as posters, pins, videos, guides to community activities and Five Star Awards Program information. Don’t wait – Get involved NOW and help make a change!