Our Commitment to Accessibility

NSSSA understands that we have a responsibility for ensuring a safe, dignified, and welcoming environment for everyone. As Canada’s leading student-led organization promoting student leadership, we recognize our role as trailblazers in our programs and accessibility practices.

NSSSA is committed to making accessibility a reality.

Creating a truly accessible and barrier-free NSSSA is a shared effort. We enthusiastically invite stakeholders with disabilities to participate, share feedback with us, and get involved in our accessibility planning process.

Our ambition is to go beyond compliance and cement accessibility as one of NSSSA’s core values.

Our Vision: Accessible by 2030

In 2023, NSSSA launched a long-term Accessibility Strategy with the goal of becoming fully accessible by 2030. This strategy is our roadmap to inclusion. It outlines the steps we are taking to identify, understand, and eliminate barriers that prevent youth with disabilities from participating in our life-changing events.

We know that accessibility is a journey, not a checkbox. That’s why our approach is phased, thoughtful, and guided by the lived experiences of disabled youth and accessibility professionals.

What We’re Doing

  • Leadership & Accountability: We’ve added a new role: Co-Lead, Accessibility. These new leadership roles are held by a persons with disabilities who champion our accessibility program and ensure accessibility is embedded in everything we do.
  • Inclusive Planning: We’re establishing an Accessibility Advisory Committee to help shape our accessibility plans. This committee will include individuals with disabilities and experts in accessibility.
  • Legislative Alignment: Our work is informed by the Nova Scotia Human Rights Act and the Accessibility Act. We recognize our duty to accommodate and are committed to going beyond compliance.
  • Barrier Identification: We are actively identifying physical, social, and systemic barriers within our organization. This includes reviewing our events, communications, and volunteer practices.

Looking Ahead

By 2030, we aim to be a model of accessibility in youth leadership. We are building an NSSSA where every student can lead, grow, and belong.