Engaging youth leaders to encourage organizations to apply for funding under the Youth Innovation Component of the Enabling Accessibility Fund

On this page

• Application period Closed
• Objective
• Eligibility
• What you need to know before you apply
• Apply
• Contact us

Application period

The application period to become a Youth Accessibility Leader (YAL) is now open from June 3, 2022, to October 17, 2022, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT).

Objective

We are looking for young Canadians to help make Canada more accessible for persons with disabilities.

The Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF) is looking for dynamic youth who want to demonstrate leadership and a commitment to their communities. Through this process, youth volunteer their time to build a more accessible Canada.

Eligibility

We want you and what you have to offer, if you are:

• between 15 and 30 years of age
• determined to make a difference in your community
• you want to develop valuable skills and gain key experience, and
• authorized to work legally in Canada

Apply to become an EAF Youth Accessibility Leader!

About the EAF Youth Innovation Component

The Enabling Accessibility Fund (EAF) Youth Innovation Component provides an opportunity for dynamic youth who want to demonstrate leadership and a commitment to their communities to have a direct impact in the lives of persons with disabilities. By becoming a Youth Accessibility Leader, you will promote the program and engage organizations to apply for its funding. You can do this by addressing accessibility barriers in public spaces or workplaces within your community. Through this work, you will volunteer your time to:

• create greater awareness about accessibility needs
• encourage organizations to apply for EAF funding to address existing accessibility barriers, and
• build a more inclusive and accessible Canada

Role of the Youth Accessibility Leader

As a Youth Accessibility Leader, you will be part of a growing community of youth from across the country that have:

• found accessibility barriers in workplaces or public spaces
• talked with organizations about their existing accessibility barriers
• encouraged organizations to apply for funding to address their accessibility barriers
• helped an organization draft and submit a project proposal (valued at up to $10,000)
• helped promote the program at media events, and
• made a difference in the lives of persons with disabilities

Benefits of being a Youth Accessibility Leader:

• increased awareness of accessibility barriers in your community
• personal and community empowerment
• valuable presentation skills
• experience preparing or assisting in preparing project proposals
• networking opportunities, and
• social responsibility and volunteer experience that impacts your community

What you need to know before you apply

Description of the funding process

Read this section to learn more about the process:

• apply to become a Youth Accessibility Leader (YAL) by completing the online form. After you have applied, you will receive an email confirming receipt of your application to become a YAL. You will hear back from us within 10 business days
• if you are eligible, we will send you a tool kit by email with all the information required to help you start your journey. The tool kit includes the Youth Journey Journal, the application for funding form, and applicant guide. With this information, you will have a basic understanding of the EAF program and the eligibility criteria of the process
• you are now ready to think about your community or workplace and find accessibility barriers that limit persons with disabilities from participating in everyday life. You will talk to an organization with existing accessibility barriers and encourage them to apply for funding through the EAF Youth Innovation Component
• you will help interested organization to complete the funding application for funding up to $10,000 for accessibility projects

Eligible organizations

The following organizations are eligible to apply for EAF Youth Innovation Component funding:

• not-for-profit organizations (including social enterprises)
• businesses (maximum 99 full-time equivalent employees)
• Indigenous organizations
• municipal governments, and
• territorial governments

Ineligible organizations

• primary and secondary schools
• publicly funded health care institutions
• this applies to organization on public school/hospital property

In order to be eligible for funding, you must clearly and completely tell us how your project meets the following criteria:

• it will be for community or workplace use (as opposed to an individual, personal use)
• the end users are persons with disabilities, and
• the organization requires the device/project to support programming and/or services offered for persons with disabilities

Previously funded youth projects including are:

• mobile recording studio
• tandem bike for persons with visual disabilities
• adapted snowboards
• FM hearing loops
• accessible sensory room
• noise-cancelling headphones
• pool wheelchair
• purchasing specialized accessible communication equipment
• modifying a website to make it accessible for persons with disabilities
• installing of an FM loop system
• installing visual-audio fire alarm systems
• purchasing screen readers
• installing voice recognition software and speech synthesizers
• installing adaptive technology for a client service desk to render them accessible for employees with disabilities

Apply

The application period to submit your interest in becoming a Youth Accessibility Leader is from June 3, 2022, and October 17, 2022, at 5:00 p.m. (EDT).

Contact us

Please send any questions to EDSC.JEUNESSEFA-YOUTHEAF.ESDC-GD@servicecanada.gc.ca. We will answer any questions sent before October 17, 2022, at 5:00 p.m. (EDT).

Information sessions

We will also be holding information sessions virtually for those who are interested to become YALs, as well as, for organizations interested in applying for funding. Please email us at the address above to let us know of your name and participation in your chosen official language (English or French) on one of the following dates below.

The sessions will also be fully accessible and include American Sign Language (ASL), Langue des signes québécoise (LSQ) and Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART).

The date for the sessions are as follows:

• August 17, 2022 at 1 p.m.(EDT) - English
• August 18, 2022 at 1 p.m. (EDT) - French
• September 14, 2022 at 1 p.m. (EDT) – English
• September 15, 2022 at 1 p.m. (EDT) – French

You will receive an email invitation to a virtual session with a link and related material enclosed.

We look forward to hearing from you!