WHAT WE DO
Learn more about our projects and programming.
ACCESIBLE
PROGRAMS.
Two of a Kind Virtual Buddy Program
Virtual Tutoring Program
About Our Volunteers
Disable the Difference is proud to offer two free virtual programs for youth with disabilities; the Two of a Kind Recreational Buddy Program, and an Academic Tutoring Program. Please click "Apply Now" to apply. The forms are the same for both programs, so please only fill it out once.
The Two of a Kind Recreational Virtual Buddy Program is a free program that aims to close the distance that many of us are experiencing during the pandemic, particularly for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We want to increase support for youth with disabilities and their families, providing them with online opportunities to interact with others, receive mentorship, and have fun virtually! Your child and their buddy would have a virtual meeting for approximately 1-2 hours/week where they would participate in a variety of activities; arts and crafts, reading, movie nights, online games, or simply just chatting to their new buddy! Various group activities will also be available for your child to virtually meet and interact with other volunteers and buddies!
The Virtual Tutoring Program is a free program that aims to provide virtual academic tutoring and support for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Your child would be paired with a high school or university student who has extensive experience in the subjects that your child would like to be taught. Your child and their tutor would have a virtual meeting for 1-2 hours/week where the tutor will help your child with their school work. If you let our tutors know in advance, they are also able to prepare lesson plans for a specific subject and teach your child new topics in the Languages, Math, Science, and Social Studies.
All of our volunteers have been selected via a rigorous written application and face-to-face interview process. All of our volunteers have received virtual training, ensuring they have the skills and experience to be a responsible volunteer. Every volunteer above the age of 18 is required to submit a background check from their local police station to ensure their eligibility to work with the vulnerable sector (elders, children, individuals with disabilities).
RESEARCH AND ADVOCACY.
In an endeavour to raise awareness about important topics in disability studies and disability justice, as well as the many barriers facing the disabled community and intersecting groups, we have formed a Research & Policy Team at Disable the Difference. Our researchers are involved in a variety of initiatives including a regularly updated Blog with evidence-informed articles relaying important statistics and trends, news, and politics on disability-related topics.
The team also conducts research and analysis to inform policy-based advocacy for inclusive education on a regional and provincial level. More specifically, we are creating a survey to be released to parents and youth with exceptionalities to better understand the barriers in the special education system and possible solutions. We are grateful to our partners at McMaster University, People for Education, Inclusion Ontario, and Inclusion Canada for their continuous support and guidance in our advocacy efforts. If you would like to partner with us in any of our initiatives, please email us at disablethedifference@gmail.com.
The Disable the Difference Podcast is geared for an audience that may not know a great deal about disabilities, but might want to educate themselves to be better allies of the disabled community. With a variety of guests including parents, academics, educators, policymakers, and youth, we will discuss barriers for individuals with disabilities in Canada and globally and how we might be able to educate and mobilize our communities to break down these barriers.
Listen to our podcast by clicking any of these icons below!
RAISING AWARENESS:
PODCAST.
