Accessibility Standard for Customer Service

The Canadian Women’s Foundation is committed to excellence in serving all customers including people with disabilities. This Plan includes our policy and procedures for all people with a disability to access our services, remembering the principles of independence, dignity, integration and equal opportunity.

• We endeavour to make all our public events accessible to those using assistive devices, including this in site visit and selection considerations.
• The public area of the office is limited to the main Reception and will always be kept clear to enable accessibility of all guests.
• Committee members will be able to access meetings with clear access to the Boardroom and with accessible bathrooms provided by the building on the main floor. Meetings held at a third-party location, will include accessibility as part of the selection considerations.
• For public events, we will notify possible attendees of any limitation for assistive devices as appropriate.

• We will communicate with people with a disability in ways that take in to account their specific needs.
• We will endeavour to provide communication in formats widely accessible and in simple language.
• Where necessary, we will directly ask and work with a person with a disability to find a method of communication that meets their needs in as convenient a way as possible.

Note: Efforts have been made to make this website compliant with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) following WCAG 2.0 AA standards.

• We welcome service animals in the public areas of our premises.
• We endeavour to make all our public events accessible to those using service animals, including this in site visit and selection considerations.
• When supporting an event being held on our behalf by a private home owner, we will ask them to allow service animals in their home. If this is not possible, we will communicate directly with invited guests this might affect.
• For public events, we will notify possible attendees of any limitation for service animals as appropriate.

• A person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to have that person accompany them to our premises.
• If Canadian Women’s Foundation is hosting an event that we control, we will waive the costs for a support person.
• If an event or venue has costs for participation which we do not control, we will work to try to obtain as low a cost as possible for a support person.
• Where there is a cost for support person to attend which we can not waive, we will communicate with invited guests directly.
  For public events, we will notify possible attendees of any limitation for support persons as appropriate.

• Our offices are not public areas for customers, so disruptions in access will affect staff, volunteers, suppliers, and invited guests.
• When access to the office building is limited (e.g. broken elevator, road work), guests will be informed accordingly.
• All staff will be informed of any limitation to access the building so that they can communicate with their guests.
• If an unexpected circumstance changes the accessibility of a venue holding an event hosted by us, we will communicate via email (or phone if email not available) to all confirmed guests, and posted on website with event information. Options will be discussed with each affected individual, or refunds will be given.
• Communications will include nature of disruption, reason and expected duration.

• All staff will receive a written training Pack covering: the basics of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, the basics of the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service, how to interact with and communicate with people with various types of disabilities, how to interact with people with a disability who use an assistive device, or require the assistance of a service animal or support person, the Canadian Women’s Foundation Accessibility Standard for Customer Service Policy & Procedures. This written training will be kept by staff as an ongoing resource and reference.
• Training will be part of staff orientation. Each staff should review and complete training within the first month of employment.
• At least once a year, will review as a group the policy, procedures, questions, experiences, and new considerations as a group at All Staff Meeting.
• Staff who may use the TTY machine available in office will be trained in its use.

• Customers will be informed of our Policy & Procedures on our website.
• Customers who wish to provide feedback on the way we provide service to people with a disability may do so by email, phone or written letter.
• Customers can expect to have the communication acknowledged within 5 business days.
• All feedback will be directed to the Senior Director of Operations to review and address as necessary, as per our existing feedback program.
• Following review of feedback, customers will receive a follow-up as required.

Do you have website corrections to share? Contact engagement@canadianwomen.org

“This program would not be what it is today without the Canadian Women’s Foundation’s support. Words cannot thank you enough!” (Paige Van Praet-Guthier, Program Coordinator, Girls’ Mentoring, Sarnia-Lambton Rebound)

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