What We Do - Public Education

ACCD believes in the power of education and undertakes public education efforts with the intent of creating positive change. We monitor government and community programs and services and then educate with the intent of educating decision-makers about the circumstances of people with disabilities. As well, we work with the public to develop a fuller understanding of the circumstances surrounding the lives of people with disabilities and their families. We believe the public education component of our organization will impact legislation and improve the day-to-day lives of people with disabilities. The following projects outline some of our most recent and ongoing public education efforts.

Maintaining the Integrity of the AISH Program

ACCD strives to ensure that government representatives and consumers alike remember that AISH is one of the finest programs of its kind in Canada, and needs to stay that way! We have used our alliance with the Alberta Disabilities Forum to unify the disability voice in Alberta concerning AISH. As ADF's host organization and as active and persistent members of the Low Income Program Review committee, we have helped develop recommendations for enhancing the AISH program.

ACCD also met with members of the AISH review committee and attended forums to discuss AISH. When the review committee submitted its report to Yvonne Fritz, Minister of Seniors and Community Services, eleven recommendations, all of them addressing concerns raised by ACCD and other disability organizations. The report is available at www.seniors.gov.ab.ca/aish/AISHreview/review_docs/AISH_FinalReport.pdf

Complete Text: Low Income Review Response.doc

Edmonton Police Services

Starting in 2002, ACCD began to meet with police officers and other interested parties to provide a disability perspective to their Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) training offered by the Edmonton Police Services. These training sessions, which we participate in about two times a year, examine the ways that buildings and their surroundings can be modified to address safety concerns. Our role is to create awareness about accessibility and guide participants in understanding the links between accessibility and safety.

Family Violence Conference Committee

Since 2002, ACCD has been involved with the Family Violence Conference Planning Committee, a committee that hosts an annual fall conference in Edmonton on family violence. The purpose of the conference is to educate and provide tools to participants about prevention of family violence for all people and healing for those who have been affected. ACCD sits on the committee to ensure people with disabilities are represented at the conference and that accessibility needs are met.

Home Care Issues

In 2002, in partnership with the Alberta Disabilities Forum (ADF), ACCD played a key role in creating a series of five position papers on home care issues. The papers were developed with the input of consumer focus groups, ACCD members, ADF member organizations, and stakeholder groups.

The Health Working Group presented the papers to the Alberta Partnership for Health and at the Home Care and Support Association conference. As well, MLA's and Regional Health Authorities have received and been asked to respond to the papers.

In 2003, ACCD continued its work in the area of home care by playing an integral role in the Canada-wide project: A National Snapshot: Home Support Policies and their Impact on People with Disabilities. The project, a joint venture undertaken by the Council of Canadians with Disabilities and Ryerson University, builds on earlier research that found home support provision can be directly linked to the "health, work and general citizenship participation for people with disabilities."

Complete Text: Position Paper 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 (Adobe pdf); 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 (Word doc)

Defining Consumer Driven

Over the past decade, the term consumer driven has become an overused and often misused catch phrase adopted by many organizations. It no longer holds the power it once did, and its meaning is no longer clear. Wanting to reassess our own commitment to the philosophy of consumerism, ACCD decided to take a closer look at our connection to the term. At our Annual General Meeting in May 2001, we re-evaluated our status as a consumer-driven organization, asking ourselves, "What does the term consumer driven mean to ACCD today?"

We discovered that the term remained rooted in some of our guiding principles but extended beyond these principles to include other values, too. We determined that as a consumer-driven organization, ACCD is committed to the values of Full Participation, Choice, Independence, Accountability, and Integrity. By adhering to these values in all we undertake, ACCD will continue to be a consumer-driven organization.

Complete Text: Defining Consumer Driven

Edmonton Airport Accessibility Training

Up to six times a year, ACCD plays a key role in training Edmonton International Airport staff about physical disability issues. All airport personnel (taxi drivers, check-in agents, security staff, etc.) must take part in training that focuses on the unique situation of persons with a variety of disabilities. These two-hour sessions involve a video component, a question and answer session, and the perspectives of consumers.

School Outreach

Since 1988, ACCD has sponsored school visits that help students become better acquainted with disability issues and more familiar with the lives of people with disabilities. Individuals with a disability conduct the presentations and talk about their experiences living with a disability. In 2005 with the support of the Human Rights Education Fund, ACCD formalized the school outreach program by publishing the curriculum, Getting to Know Us: Raising Disability Awareness in Alberta’s Schools. The curriculum was developed with the input of teachers, parents of children with disabilities, and people with disabilities. It is aimed at disability advocacy organizations that would like to bring a message of inclusion and equality to schools in Alberta and includes lesson plans, presentation strategies, and tips for organizations that want to create their own school outreach programs.

Complete Text: Word document (527K) or Adobe pdf (971K)

Workplace/Business Accessibility Assessments

Each year, ACCD assesses Edmonton and area businesses in terms of their accessibility for customers or employees with disabilities. These assessments help and encourage business leaders to increase their customer base by becoming more accessible to people with disabilities.

Non Partisan Political Education

When municipal, provincial or federal elections are called, ACCD focuses on two objectives: educating candidates about issues of concern to people with disabilities and educating people with disabilities about the election process.