Becoming Barrier-Free Benefits Everyone

We aim to be a more accessible, welcoming and inclusive organization and believe that breaking down the barriers to development for people with disabilities benefits everyone. Here’s a discussion with Rachel Desjourdy , Accessibility Lead at CBC/Radio-Canada.

Organizations — including our own — are fraught with barriers. Over 6 million Canadians identify as having a disability and, of these, about 2/3 are “invisible”. This means that these barriers impact far more people than we might realize, making them all the more important to address.?

22% of Canadians identify as having a disability

Source: Canadian Survey on Disability , 2017

What if we dared to create a fully accessible and inclusive organization where everyone had the opportunity to do their best work? This is our vision as a national employer and public broadcaster. Accessibility Lead, Rachel Desjourdy, explains:

“The concept of accessibility is based on ensuring the best possible experience for the greatest possible number of users — whether or not they have a disability.”

Breaking down barriers benefits everyone

Barriers hinder the full and equal participation of people in society. These barriers may be architectural, informational, behavioural, technological or policy-based in nature. Accessibility isn’t just critical for people with disabilities, it drives innovation that benefits all of society.?

Ramps help people with mobility impairments, but they also help parents pushing strollers. Audiobooks were designed to give blind people access to books but are commonplace the world over. A website that includes keyboard navigation for people who are unable to use a mouse also becomes easier for search engines to find.??

Setting our sights higher

In June 2023, CBC/Radio-Canada will table its first national plan aimed at proactively identifying, eliminating and preventing barriers to accessibility*. Committed to inclusion, we’re currently developing the plan with input from our employees and Canadians across the country who live with disabilities.

A series of public consultations in partnership with libraries across Canada will continue until January 2023.

Free to be you?

Our plan will have indicators to measure its impact. Above all, however, Rachel’s accessibility aspirations for CBC/Radio-Canada can be measured on a human scale.

“When you talk about accessibility, it’s easy to stay in the realm of theory. However, there’s one indicator that doesn’t lie, and that’s how you feel. Speaking for myself [as a person with a disability], I often fail to appreciate the sheer energy it takes me to adapt to a non-accessible space just to be able to operate. So whenever I encounter an accessible environment, it’s as if a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I breathe differently. Unconsciously, I relax. I sincerely hope that we’ll be able to bring this wow-feeling to our colleagues and audiences."

Attracting, retaining and promoting people with disabilities

Individuals living with disabilities are an undertapped pool of talent in the current job market. Being a barrier-free, more accessible organization helps attract, retain and promote them.?

Rethinking the way we do things, our processes, our attitudes, our workplaces will make our organizations better for everyone.

How can employers make themselves stand out?

Rachel shares six key points.

1. Leaders with disabilities — Having leaders who are open about their own disability helps open the door for those who might otherwise hesitate to discuss theirs in public. Doing so will help to eradicate the misconceptions by elevating examples of successful, open, motivated individuals who happen to have a disability.
2. Managers who are aware — It’s important that managers and colleagues get a sense of what living with a disability is really like. At CBC/Radio-Canada, we set out to achieve this through training, which generates discussion and serves as food for thought.
3. Employee benefits — Living with a disability has its own share of considerations in terms of physical and mental well-being. Among the benefits currently available at CBC/Radio-Canada is the Special Assistance Fund (SAF), which may also cover needs that are not part of the core plan. While a disability is often considered an exception, it’s reassuring to know that there’s a mechanism with which to address it.
4. Remote work options — Flexibility is one of the most sought-after accommodations. Our hybrid work model is a great example, though the terms can vary based on the position. Our Employment and Workforce policy also covers accommodation measures for persons with disabilities.
5. Professional development opportunities — It’s crucial to get opportunities to learn, develop your career and be assigned different roles. A common mistake is to assume that with disabilities, people are unable to do certain things. What we want to be doing instead is provide accommodations and mentorship that support development — for example, our INSPIRE program and EDI Development Fund.
6. An employee resource group for people with disabilities — Whether or not you participate, knowing that your employer supports a community of people with disabilities is liable to make you see your organization and its culture positively. Since 2016, our ERG abilicrew has been connecting workforce members who have visible and invisible disabilities. “Something magical happens when so many people pool their creativity to solve problems, help each other and raise awareness. This is one of our driving forces as an organization, and the momentum has only gotten stronger”, Rachel concludes.

* The aim of all federally regulated entities is to help build a Canada without barriers by 2040, according to the Roadmap to 2040 – A plan to guide the work of Accessibility Standards Canada .