Employment
CDSS Employment Planning Hub
Ready for your next steps in your employment journey? The Employment Planning Hub is full of employment resources for people with Down syndrome and was designed to be used by self-advocates along with their family supports and their employment service providers who can help them develop their personal career portfolios and achieve their employment goals.
People with Down syndrome have a right to be employed in the community, where they can work alongside people of all abilities and earn fair compensation. These following resource links can provide the information needed to help guide decisions about their careers, different places of employment and how they can have meaningful work in their communities.
Have You Joined Inployable Yet?
Inployable is the world’s first Down syndrome employment network on LinkedIn and it’s free to join! It’s a space where jobseekers with Down syndrome can connect with employers. Learn more about how you can use Inployable to find paid work.
CDSS Position Statement:
Supported Employment
The CDSS’s position statement on supported employment has been developed to explain our view on supported employment and issues facing the Down syndrome community.
CDSS Employment Planning Workbook
Whether you are a 14 year old teenager with Down syndrome thinking about a part-time job; an 18 year old who is wondering what to do after high school; a 29 year old who is reassessing what kind of career path to follow, or anywhere in between, this workbook was built for you! CDSS developed this easy read resource to help people with Down syndrome and their families start conversations about finding work and begin preparing for the work world.
English
French
CDSS Down Syndrome Answers
Can a person with Down syndrome have a job?
Anyone can get a job they enjoy! The best person to answer a question about Down syndrome is a person with Down syndrome.
Click here to view video
Canadian Supported Employment Resources
Government of Canada, Hiring Persons with Disabilities
Inclusive workplaces are good for business. Find out why. Find out how.
Ready Willing & Able, Building an Inclusive Labour Force
Funded by the Government of Canada and active in 20 communities across the country, RWA is designed to increase the labour force participation of people with an intellectual disability or Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
CASE, The Canadian Association for Supported Employment
CASE is a national association of community-based service providers and stakeholders working towards the Employment Inclusion of people with disabilities. This Association strives to promote full citizenship and personal capacity for persons with disabilities through the facilitation of increased labour market participation and outcomes. Through such workforce participation, CASE also supports social inclusion for Canadians with disabilities.
ODEN, The Ontario Disability Employment Network
ODEN has over 140-member agencies, all in the business of helping people with a disability get into the workforce. Members are from every corner of the province and support people of all disability types. Beyond Ontario, we have connections with organizations in most provinces and territories of Canada.
MentorAbility
MentorAbility is a national supported employment initiative that provides an opportunity for education and awareness to be shared between employers and people experiencing a disability in communities across Canada.
The Inclusive Workplace
The Inclusive Workplace is for people who are on the autism spectrum or have an intellectual disability. It helps them to find jobs or to work during COVID-19 and beyond. It helps companies hire good workers and build an inclusive workplace. It helps employment agencies support job seekers and employees too.