What is it?

In the most recent issue of ABILITIES magazine, we introduced you to EnableLink, a new online resource being developed by the Canadian Abilities Foundation (CAF) to serve Canada’s expanding population of people with disabilities.

EnableLink is a melding of the inspiration of Ontario’s Workers’ Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) chairman Glen Wright, and the mission of the Canadian Abilities Foundation -- "to provide information, inspiration and opportunity to people with disabilities, their friends, families and professionals working in their service."

The WSIB is the founding sponsor of EnableLink -- and we are anticipating other sponsors who will come forward to help EnableLink serve well for years to come.

EnableLink, scheduled to be launched early in the new year, will reside on the Canadian Abilities Foundation’s website. It will have a concentrated focus on those who acquire their disabilities suddenly, particularly as a result of accidents or illness in the workplace.

In the last issue of ABILITIES magazine we included a survey, part of which pertained to this exciting new resource. Thanks to those of you who took the time to complete it and send it back. Your input is extremely valuable to us. At this time we are still collecting information. We intend to provide you with specific feedback on the survey results within our next issue.

In this, our inaugural EnableLink section of ABILITIES, we will give you a little more information on just how EnableLink is coming along.


FEATURES
Here are a few of the services soon to be available to you on EnableLink:

THE DIRECTORY OF DISABILITY ORGANIZATIONS:
No matter where you are -- no matter what your disability -- all you have to do is plug in the most basic information and, in no time at all, the Canadian Abilities Foundation’s Directory of Disability Organizations will provide you with the Independent Living Resource Centre, community service organization or employment re-entry program closest to you. It really is that simple! We have an updated, catalogued and cross-referenced database of over 5000 organizations standing by to serve you.

NEWS AND EVENTS
EnableLink’s online calendar will provide EnableLink participants with a quick overview of relevant events happening across the country -- while the bulletin board will transmit important announcements on an ongoing basis. In other words, the News and Events section will allow each individual to stay connected to important opportunities -- virtually all of the time.

THE ABILITIES FORUM
The Forum comprises a special "meeting-place" section within ABILITIES magazine in which organizations, corporations and governments join together to share their opportunities and perspectives with the rest of the national community.

This same section will now be available through EnableLink. This will make it easy for EnableLink participants to learn about these important programs. There will also be an immediate opportunity to follow Forum partners back to their own websites -- where most of our Forum partners provide an in-depth explanation of their activities and the opportunities they each hold.

Michelle Falardeau-Ramsay, Chief Commissioner of the Canadian Human Rights Commission, says: "We have made a commitment to keep in closer contact with organizations representing people with disabilities by consulting them on our concerns and letting them know what we are up to. Our participation in ABILITIES magazine’s Forum section is an integral part of that effort."

THE GROWING LIST OF FORUM PARTNERS...
The following ABILITIES Forum partners have participated within the past year and a half:

Alberta Disabilities Forum
Canada Pension Plan
Canadian Association of Independent Living Centres
Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists
Canadian Bankers Association
Canadian Centre on Disability Studies
Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work
Canadian Human Rights Commission
Canadian Paraplegic Association
Canadian Transportation Agency
Canadian Wheelchair Sports Association
Centre for Worklife and Assessment
Council of Canadians with Disabilities
DiscoverAbility
Elections Canada
Federal Task Force on Disability Issues
Foundation on Independent Living
Garaventa (Canada) Ltd.
General Motors of Canada Mobility Program
Goodwill
Human Resources Development Canada
InfoAbility
Medtronic of Canada
National Clearinghouse on Family Violence
Ontario March of Dimes
PEI Choice and Opportunity Project
Rick Hansen Institute
The Roeher Institute
The SNOW Project
Tecogics Scientific Ltd.
University of Toronto -- Department of Physiotherapy

THE NATIONAL EMPLOYMENT SERVICE DIRECTORY:
Whether you are an injured worker getting ready to re-enter the workforce, a person with a disability looking for work, or an employer seeking the latest in accommodation, the Canadian Abilities Foundation’s National Employment Service Directory will be of invaluable assistance. As with our Directory of Disability Organizations, all you’ll have to do is plug in the geographic area in which you are looking for resources. Then, you’ll have your choice of over 1000 organizations standing by to offer such services as resume development, job postings, vocational assessment and employment training to people with disabilities. There will also be lots of information on assistive devices, human support services, places to access computers and self-employment.

LIBRARY:
EnableLink’s Library will offer a wealth of information, made conveniently available through five distinct channels. There will, of course, be a direct link to ABILITIES magazine, Canada’s premier publication serving people with disabilities, their friends, families and professionals operating within their service. Additionally, ABILITIES Archives will contain the indexed resources of over 10 years of ABILITIES magazine -- cross-referenced within easy-to-handle categories such as health, education, travel, transportation, housing and relationships. The Reference Library will consist of the most current disability-related publications in Canada, the Bookstore will offer an opportunity to browse through available publications -- and purchase them online, and the Reading Room will allow users to sit back and read through a wide range of topics.

COMMUNICATION CENTRE
The Communication Centre will provide three distinct services. The Chat Room will allow individuals and groups to hold discussions on a "real-time" basis, comparing notes and helpful information across town or across the country. The List Serve will allow individuals to pose questions or make a point to be shared with the entire EnableLink Community -- and each EnableLink participant will have an opportunity to respond. The online Conference Centre will host a number of real-time seminars and meetings in which experts in a variety of fields, as well as representatives from a number of organizations, will stand prepared to offer information and respond to your questions.

RESOURCE SECTION
EnableLink’s Resource Section, in addition to the Directory of Disability Organizations in Canada and the National Employment Service Directory, will offer services within four distinct information-rich categories. The listing of Canadian Resources will consist of annotated links, pointing the way to numerous important websites across the country. The International Resources list will offer an opportunity to see what is being offered globally. The on-line Product Catalogue will offer a vast range of practical solutions for virtually any disability-related issue. The listing of Advocacy, Support and Information resources will provide easy contact to numerous organizations standing by to lend a helping hand.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
Write, fax or e-mail us and let us know what parts of EnableLink will interest you the most! A very exciting structure is falling into place, but it’s not too late to add content to the services we intend to provide -- or even add new facets to the overall structure.

UPCOMING EVENTS
Send us upcoming events for the EnableLink Calendar (January 1999 and beyond). Be sure to include the following information:

Title of Event/Conference:
Date:
Location:
Description:
Contact Information:

LIBRARY, BOOKSTORE & READING ROOM
Send us your suggestions for book titles and articles of interest for our Library, Bookstore and Reading Room. Be sure to include:

Title:
Author:
Date:
Publishing House:
Subject:

LINKS
Tell us about your favourite websites. Don’t forget to include:

URL (Internet address):
Subject or area of interest:
A few of your personal comments on the site:


EnableLink is not an advocacy resource -- there are other organizations, by and for injured workers and by and for people with disabilities, holding such mandates -- and operating within our own mission will keep us busy enough. EnableLink will be a major information resource, serving injured workers and others with disabilities. EnableLink will also facilitate communication between injured workers, people with disabilities and organizations serving people with disabilities.

EnableLink is destined to become your resource, so take an active hand in making it information-rich and valuable!

RESOURCES! RESOURCES! RESOURCES!
To get you started, here is just a hint of the kinds of resources we plan to bring you through EnableLink:

COUNCIL OF CANADIANS WITH DISABILITIES
http://www.psc.mb.ca/~ccd/
A national advocacy organization that monitors federal legislation as it impacts on people with disabilities.

INJURED WORKERS ONLINE
http://www.injuredworkers.org
A collaboration of injured workers, trade unionists, community activists and doctors working to improve the treatment of people with work-related injuries/illnesses.

CANADIAN INJURED WORKERS’ ASSOCIATION
http://www.indie.ca/ciwa/
A national network of injured workers’ groups. Produces many manuals, reports and videos, available free or for a very low cost.

CANADIAN COUNCIL FOR OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY
http://www.ccohs.ca/
Includes a large database on safety and health regulations and codes of practice for both federal and provincial/territorial bodies.

CANADIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION
http://www.chrc.ca
Acts as a watchdog against discrimination, including discrimination based on disability, in federally regulated organizations.

HOW TO CONTACT ENABLELINK:
EnableLink
c/o Canadian Abilities Foundation
489 College Street, Suite 501
Toronto, Ontario
M6G 1A5
Tel.: (416) 923-9980
Fax: (416) 923-9829
E-mail: able@interlog.com