The Employment Access Framework: Bridging the Gap to Employment for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Communities (E)

The Employment Access Framework (EAF) project was a 16-month, government-funded research project that successfully collected and analyzed multifaceted data from over 550 Deaf and Hard of Hearing (D/HoH) Ontarians while simultaneously identifying job vacancies and skills needed within local organizations to meet workforce demand. The EAF project used the data and lived experiences of the D/HoH community to build over 30 employer-focused resources to address interventions that ultimately enhance knowledge, skills and reduce barriers to employment.Within this 60-minute session, EAF team members will present and discuss the research strategy, findings, and recommendations, as well as tactics implemented to ensure the success of this project and future projects to come. Participants will also have an opportunity to learn more about the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community, including their skills, desire to work and ability to overcome obstacles at each stage of their life. The EAF project has uncovered a comprehensive, multi-sectoral approach to addressing unemployment and underemployment for D/HoH populations and believes this information should be shared to continue battling inequalities in recruitment, onboarding and retention strategies of marginalized communities.The EAF project presenters will welcome any questions from audience members at the end of the session. This presentation will be self-moderated by the panelists.