Since its founding in 1986, the National Educational Association of Disabled Students (NEADS), has had the mandate to support full access to education and employment for post-secondary students and graduates with disabilities across Canada.
NEADS is a consumer-controlled, cross-disability charitable organization (corporation # 1007761975RR0001). We represent our constituents through specific projects, resources, research, publications and partnerships. NEADS is governed by a national Board of Directors representative of all of the provinces and territories.
Our work as an organization focuses on three core Strategic Program areas:
- Student debt reduction
- Student experience in class and on campus
- Student and graduate employment
The organization functions collaboratively with post-secondary stakeholders, other non-governmental organizations, employers, disability service providers (on college and university campuses) and communities that can improve opportunities in higher education and the labour market for persons with disabilities in Canada. NEADS also provides ongoing expert advice to Employment and Social Development Canada and provincial/territorial governments. We have been a stakeholder group of the Government of Canada’s National Advisory Group on Student Financial Assistance — Chaired by the Director General of the Canada Student Loans Program — since 1987. Our work includes promoting government programs and services that support higher education for Canadians with disabilities. The Association is a member organization of the Council of Canadians With Disabilities (CCD).
National Office Support and Services:
The Association effectively delivers a number of core programs. Our primary activities include: maintaining a comprehensive, unique Web site www.neads.ca and financial aid portal www.disabilityawards.ca; offering skill training resources relevant to students with disabilities in post-secondary education and employment; conducting relevant research on access to post-secondary education and employment opportunities; and, holding regular regional events across Canada to provide resources and skill development to students with disabilities. NEADS has also developed a feature rich Breaking It Down employment portal: http://breakingitdown.neads.ca/.
The Association provides information and referrals to hundreds of post-secondary students with disabilities through its national office. It also responds to requests for information and advice from: employers, provincial and federal government departments, service providers and faculty members/teachers on college and university campuses, the offices of federal members of parliament and provincial and territorial members of parliament/legislature, and other non-profit organizations.
NEADS National Student Awards Program
NEADS runs three scholarship programs as well as the AMI Robert Pearson Memorial Scholarship. These awards provide funding to students in all fields of study and are the only programs of their kind in the country that recognize the academic and community achievements of post-secondary students with disabilities. The NEADS National Student Awards Program supports disabled students, who often need additional financial assistance to be successful in their studies due in part to accommodating their needs in the campus setting.
You can read more about each scholarship on our website:
Donate
Donate now to help NEADS Continue Its Work on Behalf of Post-Secondary Students and Graduates with Disabilities
The National Educational Association of Disabled Students (NEADS) is a registered charity. Donations are tax deductible and you will receive a charitable tax receipt for 100% of your gift(s) to the National Educational Association of Disabled Students.
To minimize administrative costs, NEADS uses the services of CanadaHelps for our on-line donation transactions. Canada Helps is a secure and easy way to give. To donate to our organization through CanadaHelps.org please visit their website at: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/344
Source: the main NEADS website.
See also: NEADS Board and Staff
Last updated: 2022-08-01