Disability Affinity Program

The Disability Affinity Program is a space for University of Waterloo students, staff, and faculty to seek peer support, community, and collaboration. The Disability Affinity Program comprises the Student Disability Community Network, the Employee Disability Community Network, and the Accessibility Ally Network. 

The Student Disability Community Network and the Employee Disability Community Network will host monthly meetings starting in January 2025 for persons with lived experience with disability to build community.

The Accessibility Ally Network hosts monthly meetings starting in January 2025 for those with academic areas of expertise, accessibility mandates or ambitions, and/or disability-lived experiences to collaborate and exchange knowledge through presentations and discussions.

The Disability Affinity Program is launching in January 2025. To receive emails with virtual meeting links, as well as updates regarding meeting dates, times, and activities, please sign up for the mailing list. 

If you need accessibility supports for a specific event or meeting, please reach out to aoda@uwaterloo.ca or 519-888-4567 x43428. 

There are opportunities for members of the University of Waterloo community to engage with the advancement of accessibility and disability inclusion across our campuses, including we work towards AODA consultation requirements (such as the Multi-Year Accessibility Plan, development of physical spaces, etc.), the proposed AODA Postsecondary Education Standards, and other University strategic initiatives. Opportunities for consultation and community engagement with campus projects will be promoted to members of the Disability Community Networks and the Accessibility Ally Network through email newsletters and be discussed during Network meetings.

If you have any questions about community engagement opportunities or would like to promote your University of Waterloo community engagement opportunity, please contact aoda@uwaterloo.ca.

The Disability Community Network is a university-wide initiative with the goal of creating space for community members with disabilities to seek peer support, knowledge exchange, and community. The Disability Community Network is open to all persons with current lived experience of disability, including apparent and non-apparent disabilities. These informal networks meet monthly, alternating between in-person and virtual meetings.