Here's our third recommendation.
SPHERE-Québec recommends that the Opportunities Fund be improved to take into account the actual needs of persons with disabilities.
Persons with disabilities isolated from the labour market are suffering from a triple disability. In addition to their functional limitations, they generally have little or no training and little or no work experience. For these people, the path to employment involves a number of step consistent with the rate of development of their employability.
The needs of persons with disabilities are not apparent solely at the start of the process, but may arise from time to time once they are employed. To maintain their employability levels, it is essential that the Opportunities Fund provide support to promote their employment retention.
In view of the many needs of persons with disabilities and the necessity of promoting their employment over the long term, SPHERE-Québec recommends, among other things, that consideration be given to the idea of funding job retention activities in the context of the Opportunities Fund.
Here's our fourth recommendation.
SPHERE-Québec wishes to remain the preferred partner in Quebec for the implementation of the Opportunities Fund.
Still with the same team since the Opportunities Fund was established in 1997, SPHERE-Québec has obviously developed undeniable expertise in assessing the actual needs of persons with disabilities. The SPHERE-Québec team has become part of the community's resources by putting in place a structure making it possible to work together with those resources in order to respond more effectively to the needs of persons with disabilities, which avoids overlap and helps to optimize the use of each resource.
Lastly, through its original structure, expertise, efficient management, promotional tools and results since 1997, SPHERE-Québec is the ideal candidate to remain the preferred partner in Quebec in implementing the Opportunities Fund for persons with disabilities.