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Best Brothers Group of Companies
November 8, 2019
UNITED STATES: For 2Gether-International founder Diego Mariscal, disabilities and entrepreneurship go hand-in-hand. From the moment we wake up, we have to figure out how to get dressed, how to get from one place to the next, how to communicate, and thats inherently an entrepreneurship skill, Mariscal said.
2Gether International aims to strengthen the community of entrepreneurs with disabilities.
Hes seen the proof in his organization, such as one entrepreneur who created an app to give away eyeglasses to those in need. Yet, he noted, the community faces some of the highest levels of unemployment and poverty in the world. In D.C., working-age people with disabilities face a 38.5% poverty rate.
2Gether-International is Creating an Accelerator Program for Entrepreneurs with Disabilities full article
The next government should make all new homes accessible and adaptable, according to a coalition of housing and charity groups.
The organisation, which has called itself Housing Made for Everyone (HoME), includes Age UK, Riba (Royal Institute of British Architects), Disability Rights UK, the National Housing Federation, and the Chartered Institute of Housing.
It has published an open letter calling on the next government to take greater action to secure housing suitable for an ageing population and people living with disabilities.
It reads: “Without action, we face an ever-mounting bill, with councils spending greater sums on trying to adapt homes retrospectively and the costs to our health and social care systems spiralling.
Next Government ‘Must Tackle Dangerous Shortage of Accessible Homes’ full article
by Shaun Heasley | November 4, 2019
Lyft’s new Jobs Access Program is aimed at easing transportation concerns for people with disabilities and other groups as they seek employment.
In an effort to help people with disabilities access job training and get hired, one of the nation’s leading ride-sharing services plans to offer free or discounted rides.
Lyft’s Jobs Access Program will provide complementary or lower-cost rides to individuals with disabilities and other targeted groups in more than 35 markets across the U.S. and Canada.
The company said rides will be available to get to or from job training programs, interviews and to get back and forth from work for the first three weeks of employment before new hires typically get their first paychecks.
Lyft Offering Rides To Job Seekers With Disabilities full article
The government is collecting feedback to develop legislation to reduce barriers for disabled people in B.C. Nick Eagland
Updated: November 2, 2019
Olive Olajide describes the issues she has boarding new transit buses during Saturday’s community consultation session in Vancouver for new accessibility legislation.
Thousands of disabled British Columbians are contributing ideas for legislation to make the province more accessible, including a large group that packed into a community meeting Saturday in Vancouver.
More than 150 people turned up for the public consultation session at a downtown hotel where Shane Simpson, Minister of Social Development and Poverty Reduction, asked them about the barriers they have experienced, what they think about framework proposed for the legislation, and how his ministry can improve it.
British Columbians Pack Meeting to Help Develop Accessibility Law full article
The Nova Scotia government is spending $29.5 million to build a new parking garage for the Halifax Infirmary. Natasha Pace
Published Friday, November 1, 2019
HALIFAX — The decision to spend millions to construct a new parking garage at a Halifax hospital is being met with some concern.
Thursday, Nova Scotia’s Minister of Transportation Infrastructure Renewal announced government had approved nearly $30 million to build a new parkade across from the Halifax Infirmary site of the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre.
Now, questions are being asked about the project and the accessibility of it. Some fear the parkade could create barriers.
Advocate Says New Parkade at Halifax Hospital Will Reduce Accessibility full article
By Debra Cassens Weiss
October 9, 2019, 2:11 pm CDT
Corrected: The current analytical reasoning section of the Law School Admission Test will eventually be dropped as a result of a settlement in a lawsuit by a legally blind man who said he was unable to draw diagrams to help him answer the questions.
But analytical reasoning also referred to as logic games will still be assessed on the test, according to a press release announcing the settlement. Over the next four years, the Law School Admission Council will develop different ways of testing analytical reasoning.
LSAT Will Change for All Would-Be Lawyers as a Result of Blind Man’s Lawsuit Settlement full article
by Nicholas Upton | Oct 24, 2019
Stuck because a robot won’t move out of the way might sound like a dumb episode of “Black Mirror,” but that was the reality for a doctoral student on the University of Pittsburgh campus.
Emily Ackerman, a chemical engineering student who uses a wheelchair, said she was crossing the street as she does every day, but a Starship food-delivery robot blocked her path, leaving her stuck in a busy street. Ackerman was able to navigate up on the curb, and later took to Twitter to share her story.
Delivery Bots ‘Paused’ After Accessibility Incident full article
Blind users have been fighting for a more inclusive web for over 20 years. Are lawsuits like the one against Dominos going to make a difference?
A few weeks ago, Lucy Greco heard a story on NPR about more clothing retailers shuttering their stores and moving online. Oh, great, she thought, recalling some of her past experiences with online shopping: Youre clicking on something that says, graphic graphic graphic, or some numbered file name, or some gibberish like that.
The Internet Is for Everyone, Right? Not With a Screen Reader full article
‘It’s one of those things that you don’t think about till you live it’ Tom Steepe · CBC News · Posted: Oct 22, 2019
The Weeks family hold one of the Accessible Trick-or-Treating signs popping up on lawns across P.E.I. From left to right, Edison Weeks, Chris Weeks, Robyn Weeks and Kaidence Weeks.
An Island woman is doing her part to make sure children with accessibility issues don’t miss out on trick-or-treating this year.
Robyn Weeks of Clyde River has posted a bright orange sign on her front lawn, telling people her home is accessible for everyone trick-or-treating and helping to raise awareness.
Making Halloween on P.E.I. Accessible for All Trick-or-Treaters full article
By Troy Media on October 18, 2019
Mario Toneguzzi is a Troy Media reporter based in Calgary
Canadians with disabilities are already a large part of the working age population and will increase in importance as the population ages, says a new report by TD Economics.
Yet labour market outcomes for these individuals continues to lag. Even moderate success in narrowing gaps between people with disabilities (PWD) and the general population could provide an economic boost of more than $50 billion, said the Canadians with Disabilities: Seizing the Opportunity report.
“For employers, the case for becoming leaders in making workplaces more accessible is clear: generating a competitive edge in the growing war for talent,” it said.
People With Disabilities Could Boost Economy by $50 billion: Report full article
The project aims to raise awareness of the importance of societal changes for the disabled. October 20, 2019
By: Mideline Bony
In an effort to include people with disabilities which are often excluded from historical records, Carleton University is making a special addition to its library.
The Accessible Canada Act C-81, an act that focuses on creating inclusive and accessibility-friendly communities, workplaces and services, received royal assent on July 21, 2019. That same day, a film crew interviewed several key people, including the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Senator Jim Munson, James van Raalte, Sinead Tuite, Bill Adair and Frank Folino.
Carleton University Creates Video Library Focusing on People With Disabilities full article
Michelle McQuigge, The Canadian Press
Published Tuesday, October 15, 2019
Amy Amantea tuned in to the English-language federal leaders’ debate with modest hope there would be at least some discussion of issues relevant to disabled Canadians.
The first half of the campaign had passed with barely a reference, even from the party that had delivered a historic achievement in national disability policy. Earlier this year, the Liberals made good on a 2015 campaign promise when the Accessible Canada Act received royal assent, marking the first time any government had enacted accessibility legislation at the federal level.
Some Disabled Canadians Feeling Left Out of Discussion During Election Campaign full article
As a restauranteur, you hope to provide a great experience for everyone who patronizes your establishment. But then the question arises, how does one accomplish this?
By Laura Boniello Miller, Corporate Business Development Manager, JAWS Kiosk program, Vispero – 10.11.2019
According to figures from the CDC, 26% of the United States population identifies with having a disability. That’s 61 million people who may need additional accommodations to enjoy a nice meal out. As a restauranteur, you hope to provide a great experience for everyone who patronizes your establishment. But then the question arises, how does one accomplish this?
How Technology Can Enable Restaurant Accessibility And Inclusiveness full article
LIFT Philanthropy Partners is pleased to announce our Request for Qualifications for a new initiative aimed at support for “creating communities, workplaces and services that enable everyone to participate fully in society without barriers.”1
This initiative supports organizations that are removing barriers for persons living with disabilities, scaling innovative programs and services, and demonstrating measureable results, specifically towards employment or self-employment outcomes.
Under this initiative, disabilities are defined broadly to include physical, developmental, mental, and cognitive disabilities.
Request for Qualifications: Social Inclusion and Employment Outcomes for Persons Living with Disabilities full article
Accessibility benefits everyone because anyone can have an injury, advocate says Kathryn Marlow · CBC · Posted: Oct 04, 2019
Victoria’s Chris Marks says improved accessibility would make life better for everyone not just people with disabilities.
Chris Marks loves his hometown, Victoria, but he can only explore so much of it.
After a spinal injury over a decade ago, Marks gets around using an electric wheelchair. Every day he encounters design flaws that stop him from getting where he wants to go: things likes stairs, curbs, and even raised doorways get in his way.
‘We’re All in This Together’: A Push for Accessibility for All British Columbians full article
By Amanda Robert
October 7, 2019
The U.S. Supreme Court declined Monday to hear Domino’s Pizza Inc.’s appeal over its website and mobile app and whether they are required to comply with federal disabilities law.
With its order, the high court let stand a decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, which held in January that Guillermo Robles, a blind man, could sue the national pizza chain under the Americans with Disabilities Act if its website and mobile app did not work with common screen-reading software.
SCOTUS Rejects Pizza Delivery Company’s Appeal Over Web and Mobile App Accessibility full article
We’re making progress but statistics show still more opportunity to recruit diverse talent. Jeannette Campbell
Updated: October 7, 2019
Diversity and inclusion have to be part of the workplace philosophy if Canada is to take advantage of its educated and skilled disabled workers.
October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month. It’s the official month every year for celebrating and recognizing workplace contributions of people who have a disability and the business successes they help create. But it is significantly more than that.
It represents a critical opportunity for all businesses to examine their recruitment strategies and make improvements. Statistics show many companies are still missing out on a vast untapped pool of employees: skilled people who have a disability.
Campbell: Hiring Qualified Disabled Workers is Good for Business – and Society full article
Darby Young fights to make businesses more inclusive, aware and accessible Hannah Kost · CBC News · Posted: Oct 04, 2019
“When people see persons with disabilities, they think they scream ‘accommodation,’ and that’s not necessarily true,” says Darby Young, the founder of Level Playing Field.
October is Disability Employment Awareness Month, and one Calgary business owner is encouraging employers to be more inclusive through both her advocacy and her day job.
Darby Young was born with mild cerebral palsy (CP) and says it taught her early on about the obstacles people with disabilities face in the workforce.
‘Give Us the Opportunity,’ Calgary Disability Advocate Tells Employers full article
Winnipeg’s public transit for people with disabilities limits drop-offs to within 500 metres of bus stops CBC News · Posted: Oct 02, 2019
Maureen Anderson, a 76-year-old Winnipegger with fibromyalgia, is calling for changes to the city’s Transit Plus system after being told last week the transportation service could only drop her off at the nearest bus stop to her destination and that she would have to call a cab to get the rest of the way there.
“Close enough” isn’t a good enough approach when it comes to Winnipeg’s public transportation system for people with physical disabilities, says a Transit Plus user.
Transit Plus Rider Wants Changes to ‘Absolutely Ludicrous’ Rule on Stop Locations full article
Scott Jones · for CBC News · Posted: Sep 30, 2019
Scott Jones says that he struggles with suicide, but not because of his paralysis. Instead, he says the way in which others treat those with a disability can be the harder pill to swallow.
Editor’s note: Scott Jones was attacked outside a New Glasgow, N.S., bar in 2013, which left him paralyzed from the waist down. The musician and music teacher founded the Don’t Be Afraid campaign shortly afterward to encourage others to speak out against homophobia.
I struggle with suicide on a daily basis.
I Was Paralyzed 6 Years Ago and Now I Struggle with Suicide – But Not for the Reason You Think full article
