Students with Disabilities

Students with Disabilities York's Career Centre offers a range of services and events which are open to all York students and recent graduates as well as online resources to assist you with job searching, career exploration and finding volunteer opportunities.

The Career Centre's professional staff strive to provide quality career exploration and job search supports to York students and new graduates. In an effort to continue to make our services more accessible, students with disabilities may find supports in each of the areas indicated below.

Accessibility icon York's Career Centre is elevator accessible. York students who may require additional accommodations are encouraged to contact York's Counselling & Disability Services (CDS), which provides supports to York University students with disabilities.

Career Exploration Support at the Career Centre

Career Consult: A Career Consult is an in-person 20-minute intake appointment where students can begin to explore their career questions with a Career Counsellor. Students who are unable to attend an in-person appointment can request to complete their consult via telephone. A Career Consult is the entry point to more in-depth career exploration through Career Counselling.

Career Counselling: After students have completed a 20-minute Career Consult appointment they may schedule a one hour Career Counselling session to continue to discuss their career questions. Through Career Counselling, students can begin to clarify their career desires and move forward in their career path. Students who are unable to attend an in-person appointment can request to complete their session via telephone.

Career Conversations and Industry Insights events offer students an opportunity to learn about career paths and industries from employers and York alumni. Many of these events are now being video and/or audio taped to allow for remote viewing:

Watch video of Career Success: Employment Supports for York Students with Disabilities (2013)
See who participated in the Connections and Supports in the Workplace for Students with Disabilities Panel (2012)
Watch video of the Students with Disabilities: Connections and Supports in the Workplace Panel (2011)

Job Search Support at the Career Centre

Resumé Support: For increased accessibility, students may request to complete a one-on-one Resumé Feedback Session in person, via telephone, or via email. The Resumé and/or Cover Letter Writing workshops are prerequisites for one-on-one resumé support.

Job Search Advising: Students interested in expanding their job search resources, learning effective job search strategies, and networking and interview tips, may book a one-on-one Job Search Advising appointment with a Job Search Advisor. These are 20-minute sessions in which one of your job search questions can be discussed. Students who are unable to attend an in-person appointment can request to complete their session via telephone or via email.

Post-Graduate Studies Support: Students interested in applying to post-graduate studies such as master's and doctoral programs, teachers college, law school and professional studies may book a Post Graduate Application Support appointment (personal statement and CV review) or PhD Job Search Support session in person, via telephone or email.

Job Search Handouts such as resumé and cover letter examples as well as sample interview questions may be accessed on the Career Centre's website.

Job Search Support Services in the Greater Toronto Area

JobStart: employment opportunities for post-secondary students and graduates with disabilities
Workplace Essential Skills Partnership (WESP): an employment program designed for job seekers with disabilities. At no cost to the individual, WESP will support your employment preparation needs
Ability Edge: a national internship program for graduates with self-declared disabilities to assist them in gaining work experience
Lime Connect: offers scholarships and events which connect employers with students with disabilities
JOIN Toronto Region: assisting persons living with disabilities to find employment and assisting employers to recruit qualified candidates to meet their hiring needs
Epilepsy Toronto: offers counselling, employment supports, advocacy and education to assist persons with epilepsy

General Resources for Students with Disabilities

Government Resources

Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA): working to make Ontario more accessible to people with disabilities
Talk About Disabilities: Choose the Right Word on the Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services website
Opportunities Fund for Persons with Disabilities (Human Resources and Skills Development Canada): helps people with disabilities prepare for, obtain and maintain employment or self-employment
Entrepreneurs with Disabilities Program (Western Economic Diversification Canada): provides western Canadians with disabilities with easy access to business information, training and development, mentoring and one-on-one counselling services, and financing in their pursuit of self-employment and entrepreneurship
Ontario Human Rights Commission: protects people in Ontario against discrimination in employment, accommodation, goods, services and facilities, and membership in vocational associations and trade unions

Legal Resources

ARCH Disability Law Centre: Community legal aid clinic dedicated to the equality of rights for persons with disabilities in Ontario

Related Books

"Job Search Handbook For People With Disabilities" by Dr. David J. Ryan (available at the Career Centre's Resource Library)
"Transition to Postsecondary Education for Students with Disabilities" by Carol Kochhar-Bryant, Dianne S. Bassett, Kristine W. Webb
"Handbook of Career Planning For Students with Special Needs" by Thomas F. Harrington
"Learning Disabilities and Employment" by Paul Jay Gerber, Dale S. Brown
"Learning How to Learn: Getting into and Surviving College When You Have a Learning Disability" by Joyanne Cobb
"The Post-Secondary Guide to Nonverbal Learning Disabilities" by Carol Herriot

Online Resources

Ability Magazine: American magazine with articles and job postings for people with disabilities.
DisabilityAwards.ca: Canada's portal to awards and scholarships for students with disabilities
Learning Disabilities Association of Canada: provides leadership and support to people with learning disabilities (LD), their parents, teachers and other professionals.
Learning Disabilities Association of Ontario: a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of children, youth and adults with learning disabilities.
VSA, The International Organization on Arts and Disability: provides arts and education programming for youth and adults with disabilities around the world.
Denise Bissonnette's profile on the Employee Engagement Network: writer, trainer and keynote speaker on issues of diversity in the workplace.
Diversity World: the Diversity Shop offers DVDs, books, resources and a monthly e-newsletter, "True Livelihood."
NoNotes: a paid service which transcribes recorded audio files into editable notes.
SkyWorks Charitable Foundation is a participant in social change through community centred film making and public engagement.
Oolagen is a mental health centre helping Toronto youth and their families.

Please Note: Descriptions of many of these resources are taken from language used on external websites. Claims and opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Career Centre or York University.

Events for Students with Disabilities

Workplace Essential Skills Partnership (WESP) Spring 2013 workshops
May 21 – June 14, 2013
WESP is a FREE dynamic cross disability employment program for professional job seekers with disabilities.

Books in the Career Centre Resource Library

Job Search Handbook for People with Disabilities by Daniel J. Ryan (available at the Career Centre's non-circulating Resource Library

Career Centre Recruitment Policies and Disclaimer