AODA Accessibility Plan A Private Jewish School System in Toronto Ontario

Our AODA Commitment

Associated Hebrew Schools (AHS) is committed to working towards full compliance with current standards of the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (IASR) Policy, Regulation 191/11, under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA). In doing so, we affirm our commitment to providing quality services in a manner that respects the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities.

Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA)

The AODA Multi-Year Accessibility Plan outlines the policies, achievements, and actions that AHS has taken and the work underway to improve opportunities for people with disabilities. The current plan covers a three-year period (2020-23), to align with our strategic plan.

Statement of Commitment

AHS is committed to ensuring equal access and participation for people with disabilities. We are committed to treating people with disabilities in a way that allows them to maintain their dignity and independence.

We believe in integration, and we are committed to meeting the needs of people with disabilities in a timely manner. We will do so by removing and preventing barriers to accessibility and by meeting our accessibility requirements under Ontario’s accessibility laws.

AHS is committed to developing, implementing, and maintaining policies that govern how the organization achieves or will achieve accessibility through meeting this Regulation. To facilitate this commitment, AHS has established, maintained, and documented a multi-year accessibility plan, which is reviewed and updated at least once annually to identify progress made in addressing barriers, and which will be posted on the AHS website and Staff Intranet.

Standards of Accessibility Under AODA:

General Requirements

(i) Training

Accessibility and inclusion of people with disabilities is a core value for AHS. AHS is committed to training staff and volunteers on Ontario’s accessibility laws and on accessibility aspects of the Ontario Human Rights Code that apply to persons with disabilities. Training will be provided in a way that best suits the duties of employees, volunteers, and Board of Directors.

AHS has taken the following steps to ensure that employees are provided with the training needed to meet current standards and legislation:

Provide educational or training resources in an accessible format that takes into account the accessibility needs of a person with a disability.
Ensure new employees and volunteers complete training within 30 days of employment or placement.
Keep and maintain a database of the training participants’ names and dates of completion.

(ii) Accessibility Policies

AHS is committed to developing policies describing what we do or intend to do to meet the requirements of the regulation.

Our accessibility policies will be:
Documented in writing
Made publicly available, and in an accessible format upon request
Included in our statement of commitment to accessibility

(iii) Accessibility plans

AHS has developed, implemented, and maintained a multi-year plan that outlines strategies and actions to identify, prevent, and remove barriers for people with disabilities.

Information and Communications Standard

AHS is committed to meeting the communication needs of people with disabilities. We will consult with people with disabilities to determine their information and communication needs. We want to achieve the most effective and efficient access to information for all users.

AHS has undertaken the following plans to ensure compliance with this standard:

A feedback process has been established that is accessible; alternate formats are also available, such as telephone, mail, and in-person. These processes have been communicated to the public and are available on our website.
Our website has been designed to be user-friendly for people with a range of needs. AHS will conform to the International Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 level AA, as outlined in the standard.
The Accessibility Standards online course that includes the Information and Communication Standard module is provided to staff that are involved in developing or disseminating information internally or externally on behalf of the organization.

Employment Standard

AHS is committed to inclusive and accessible employment practices that attract and retain individuals with disabilities. We have taken the following steps to notify the public and employees that, when requested, AHS will accommodate people with disabilities throughout the recruitment and onboarding process.

Recruitment

AHS is committed to ensuring that our recruitment and assessment processes are fair and accessible. All supervisors and other employees involved in staffing of any type will be required to complete the Accessibility Standards online course that includes the Employment Standard module.

AHS will consider the following 3 stages of the accessible recruitment process:

Advertising the job position
Inviting job applicants to participate in the selection process
Offering a job to a successful applicant
When advertising the job position in job ads, by way of a statement on our website or other method, AHS will state that accommodations for job applicants with disabilities are available upon request
When inviting job applicants to participate in the selection process, AHS will state that accessibility accommodations are available upon request to support their participation
When offering a job to a successful applicant, AHS will inform them of our organization’s policies on accommodating employees with disabilities

Documented Individual Accommodation Plans

AHS will have a written process to document individual accommodation plans for employees with disabilities. This will help AHS to have a clear and consistent approach for accommodating employees with disabilities.

An individual accommodation plan will record and review the workplace-related accommodations that will be provided to an employee with a disability. AHS will work with an employee with a disability to find the appropriate accommodation to meet the employee’s accommodation needs.

Workplace Emergency Response Information

Individualized emergency response information can help both employees with disabilities and AHS to be better prepared for a range of emergencies such as fire, power outages, or severe weather. AHS will provide individualized workplace emergency response information to employees with disabilities.

Performance Management, Career Development, and Redeployment

AHS will provide a performance plan document suitable to a person with a disability.

AHS will review an employee’s accommodation plan to understand the individual’s accommodation needs and determine whether it needs adjusting to improve their performance on the job.

AHS will adjust accommodation supports or update an accommodation plan, with the employee’s participation, to meet the employee’s new role or responsibilities in the event the employee is promoted or redeployed.

Return to Work

An employee with a disability may sometimes need to take time off work for treatment, recovery, or other reasons. In addition, a disability such as an injury or illness can happen at any time. As a result, AHS will develop a process that supports employees who have been absent due to a disability and require disability-related accommodations when they return to work. The return to work process will:

Be documented and outline the steps that will be taken to facilitate an employee’s return to work
Use documented individual accommodation plans.

Customer Service Standard

AHS is committed to excellence in serving all customers including people with disabilities, and we will carry out our functions and responsibilities in the following areas:

Communication

We will communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability.
We will work with the person with a disability to determine what method of communication works for them.
We will train staff who communicate with customers on how to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities.

Telephone services

We are committed to providing fully accessible telephone service to our customers. We will offer to communicate with stakeholders by email and other means if telephone communication is not suitable to their communication needs or is not available.

Assistive devices

We are committed to serving people with disabilities who use assistive devices to obtain, use, or benefit from our services. We will ensure that our staff are trained and familiar with various assistive devices that may be used by customers with disabilities while accessing our services.

Billing

We are committed to providing accessible tuition invoices to all of our customers. For this reason, invoices will be provided in the following formats upon request: hard copy, large print, e-mail.

We will answer any questions customers may have about the content of the invoice in person, by telephone, or via e-mail.

Use of service animals and support persons

We are committed to welcoming people with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal on the parts of our premises that are open to the public and other third parties. We will also ensure that all staff, volunteers, and others dealing with the public are properly trained in how to interact with people with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal.

We are committed to welcoming people with disabilities who are accompanied by a support person. Any person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to enter AHS’s premises with their support person. At no time will a person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person be prevented from having access to their support person while on our premises.

Notice of temporary disruption

AHS will provide customers with notice in the event of a planned or unexpected disruption in the services usually used by people with disabilities. This notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated duration, and a description of alternative services, if available.

The notice will be placed at all public entrances and at the front desk on our premises.

Training for staff

AHS will provide training to all employees and volunteers who are involved in the development and approvals of customer service policies, practices, and procedures.

Training will include the following:

The purposes of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, and the requirements of the customer service standard
How to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities
How to interact with people with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a service animal or a support person
What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty in accessing AHS’s services
AHS’s policies, practices, and procedures relating to the customer service standard

Feedback process

The ultimate goal of AHS is to meet and surpass customer expectations while serving customers with disabilities. Comments on our services regarding how well those expectations are being met are welcome and appreciated.

Feedback regarding the way AHS provides services to people with disabilities, and on our feedback process itself, can be made by e-mail, verbally, suggestion box, etc. All feedback will be directed to the Executive Director. Customers can expect to hear back in 3-5 business days.

Contact Details

For more information on this accessibility plan, please contact:

Associated Hebrew Schools

252 Finch Ave West

Toronto, Ontario

M2R 1M9

Phone: 416.494.7666.

The receptionist will direct the call to the Director of Operations

Standard and accessible formats of this document are available at no charge upon request.