At ABEA we are committed to developing and practices policies that are inclusive, welcoming and ever-evolving to serve our community. As an organization we will always strive to live these policies every day and continue to work and act in positive ways.
These policies include
We are always open to feedback about these policies. Please connect with us.
Our Commitment to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion – Lifelong Learning is for Everyone
We value the individual experiences of every person. We will be responsive to the evolving needs of our community while respecting the uniqueness of all individuals. We strive to empower people through information, support and lifelong learning opportunities. We facilitate access to services.
Our Definitions
Equity – We provide flexible services to meet individual needs.
Diversity – We recognize that everyone is unique and we embrace people’s differences.
Inclusion – We intentionally reach out to those in our community who have been historically marginalised.
We we’re doing
- reviewing accessibility/inclusivity across all of our policies and procedures
- working with and learning from our community partners
- bringing a voice to our clients through advisory committees/community meetings/outreach to bring awareness to our services but also to highlight service gaps
- supporting clients through service navigation
- providing low barrier support (free services/ limited requirements)
- cultivating relationships and partnerships to eliminate client barriers and create clear pathways to personal goals
- creating access to education by identifying learning challenges and providing strategies to reduce barriers
- seeking out funding to advance and reach more clients
Our Commitment to Accessibility
We believe that everyone has the right to learn and reach their goals. Everyone should have equal access to services. We embrace accessibility guidelines to meet the needs of our clients.
We’re working diligently to make sure that our organization meets accessibility standards including our
- physical spaces
- website
- resources
- services
These will be adapted to individual needs as seamlessly as possible.
ABEA Website
Our intent is for our website to be compliant with
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA)
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2
To achieve this, we are completing an accessibility audit of our website. Our team will dedicate time to ensuring every page and function of the website will work for
- assistive device use
- multiple electronic devices
- individuals with neurodivergence and executive functioning challenges
- individuals who are learning English
At this stage, we have already made efforts to make our existing website user-friendly. We’ve been thoughtful in our design process to ensure that
- font is clear and easy to read
- there’s clear contrast between text and background
- clickable items can be navigated through the tab key on the keyboard
- keyboard users can click enter to open links
- clickable items are also outlined and highlighted when using the tab key
- images aren’t used to convey important information
- links are embedded in text to make them easy to locate with assistive devices
Accessibility Widget
We’ve added the Userway Accessibility widget to our website. This widget is located on the bottom right-hand corner of any page of our website. It stays at the bottom of the page when you’re scrolling.
This widget lets you change several features of your user experience.
Some of the features included are
- text size and space changer
- change light contrast
- dyslexia friendly font
- link highlighter
Clear Writing
We follow Clear Writing Guidelines on our website and in our work. Clear Writing says what you mean, simply and clearly. It’s knowing the needs of your reader and making the message clear for them.
ABEA Services
All our services have flexible delivery. We provide services in person and virtually using several platforms depending on the needs of our clients. Our office is located in the Central Branch of the Hamilton Public Library. It is fully accessible.
We can also meet clients in a community space if it’s more accessible to them. We’re willing to work with clients in any way that makes them feel safe and comfortable, keeping our own safety in mind as well.
To learn more about the services we offer, visit the following web pages
- Educational Pathway Planning
- Clear Writing Workshops and Consulting
- Workplace Education Services for Employers
- Consulting Services and Workshops
What We’re Working On
ABEA is committed to ongoing work to keep services as accessible as possible.
We know we have a lot to learn. We will continue to learn from our clients, community partners and industry experts to ensure we don’t miss anything. As we develop this plan, we will update our statement to remain accountable and transparent.
The Land We Work On
Adult Basic Education Association (ABEA) was established in Hamilton in 1983. ABEA operate on the traditional territory of the Haudenosaunee, Anishnaabeg and Mississaugas, and the Erie, Neutral, Huron-Wendat. We’re close to Six Nations of the Grand River that is home to Haudenosaunee nations. This territory that settlers have called Hamilton is covered by the Dish with One Spoon Wampum Belt treaty and the Between The Lakes Purchase of 1792.
Acknowledgement and ABEA’s Goal
One of our main goals is to provide inclusive and equitable services to adults in Hamilton and the surrounding community. We work in education. We must recognize that we are involved in a system that has directly caused intergenerational trauma across Turtle Island for Indigenous nations.
We also recognize that colonialization still exists in Canada. It continues to impact the lives of Indigenous Peoples and there is a lot of work that needs to be done to rectify that. We want to be a part of that work wherever we are welcomed. We still have a lot to learn about our role in decolonizing education and learning, and we’re committed to that learning.
A Reflection on Education in Canada
When Canada was colonized, Indigenous nations were forbidden from learning about their culture, language and traditions. Indigenous lives continue to be impacted by the Residential School System era. We’re inspired by the resilience of Indigenous nations that have been able to retain language and culture. We also recognize and mourn for the nations who lost language, family, their sense of safety and so much more.
We’ve reflected on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that guides how we can approach the future of learning in Canada. There are several points that resonate with us. We’d like to highlight 4 Calls to Action that we believe we can contribute to.
“7. We call upon the federal government to develop with Aboriginal groups a joint strategy to eliminate educational and employment gaps between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Canadians.”
We aim to
- build new partnerships and nourish existing partnerships with Indigenous Literacy and Basic Skills and education-based organizations
- collaborate with Indigenous organizations to learn what employment and education gaps we can help address
“10. We call on the federal government to draft new Aboriginal education legislation with the full participation and informed consent of Aboriginal peoples.
We will
- promote Indigenous-created education programs and supports, especially to Indigenous clients
- lend our support, resources and expertise to any projects, programs or resources that are in development to improve learning outcomes for all Indigenous Peoples
“57. We call upon federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal governments to provide education to public servants on the history of Aboriginal peoples, including the history and legacy of residential schools, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Treaties and Aboriginal rights, Indigenous law, and Aboriginal–Crown relations. This will require skills based training in intercultural competency, conflict resolution, human rights, and anti-racism.”
We will
- continue to participate in professional development created by or in consultation with Indigenous nations to learn more about Indigenous history, culture and reconciliation
- seek out Knowledge Keepers and resources to learn from our Indigenous neighbours instead of expecting them to teach us and tell us what to do
ABEA’s Commitment
We will support Indigenous individuals to access educational services that are culturally relevant when available. We will continue to build our capacity to serve Indigenous learners through partnerships and ongoing professional development.
We work adjacent to Indigenous-led organizations, but we don’t offer Indigenous-led services. We believe that work needs to be completed with Indigenous communities. We believe in uplifting that work and empowering those voices when we are welcomed to. We also continue to seek out opportunities to learn from Indigenous communities and contribute to decolonizing learning.
