The
Internet Business Development Program for Entrepreneurs with Disabilities
and the Business Abilities Program
| 
Sharron Swan, instructor & Participant
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Who
Sponsors these Programs?
The
Canadian Society for Social Development (CSSD) sponsors two programs
for Canadians living with disabilities; the Internet Business Development
for Entrepreneurs with Disabilities (IBDE) program and the Business
Abilities Program. CSSD is a federally incorporated society with charitable
status and is part of the Community Futures Network of British Columbia.
Federal
funding for these programs are provided by Western Economic Diversification
of Canada (WD), Human Resources Skills Development Canada, Social
Development Canada and the Vancouver Foundation.
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The
Internet Business Development for Entrepreneurs with Disabilities
(IBDE) Program
The "award winning" IBDE program provides an opportunity
for adults with disabilities to enhance their work and employability
skills in a self-paced and supported work and learning environment.
This program offers a creative and attractive way for the entrepreneurs
with disabilities to earn an income and work towards financial independence.
IBDE is
a three month on-line, accredited web design course (www.ibde.ca)
followed by a three month segment where students put their new skills
into practice building a website for their own business or for any
other small business, under the guidance of their online instructors.
Student's websites are then showcased in the www.virtualmall.ca
web portal.
The skills
learned in the IBDE program are used as the basis for establishing
participants in an affordable home-based web business, in as little
as six months.
In 2004
the IBDE program was the recipient of two prestigious awards: The
Conference Board of Canada's award for Community-based Learning Opportunities
for Persons with Disabilities and the Minister's Award of Excellence
and Innovation from Western Diversification in British Columbia.
Tuition
funding is available to qualifying individuals.
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Class in progress
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What
is the Virtual Mall?
Kay
Ryan, the Executive Director for CSSD, states that, "the Virtual
Mall acts as a portal for websites created by some of our IBDE Grads.
[It is essentially] one entrance to all the sites, offering one-stop
shopping!"
Once visitors
arrive at the VirtualMall.ca portal, they see a comprehensive directory
listing of all the different products available in the sites displayed
in the Mall. If you click on crafts, for instance, you will find a
listing of all the stores carrying handmade Canadian crafts.
One of the
benefits of this type of project is that the participants are trained
and then able to work from home. With the use of advanced technologies
such as web cameras and microphones, they chat with each other and
the instructors from the comfort of their own home.
To
tour the Virtual Mall, please click here.
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Instructor
Sharron Swan with Participants
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Business
Abilities Program
Each year an increasing number of persons with disabilities and chronic
health issues are looking at self-employment as a viable career option.
The Business Abilities Program is a free online program designed to
support participants in becoming self-employed. (www.businessabilities.ca)
The students
work through the program at their own pace and in the comfort of their
own homes. It begins by teaching the participants how to assess their
entrepreneurial skills, research their business idea and prepare their
own business plans.
Once participants
have their business plan completed and are ready to start their venture,
the Business Abilities Program continues to provide advanced business
management modules and continued coaching throughout the start up
phase of their business.
Throughout
the program the participants will be able to access tools and resources
one-on-one from their Business Coach via instant text messaging, telephone,
email, virtual classroom sessions and the Conversation Café.
How
to Get Involved:
All Canadian with disabilities interested in these programs should
check out: www.cssd-web.org
for more details. Small businesses interested in having a website
designed for their businesses should also contact CSSD for details
in how to get involved.
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Comments
from Participants:
