.avif)
.png)
National AccessAbility Week: Celebrating Inclusion Beyond the Checklist
Each year, National AccessAbility Week (NAAW) offers communities across Canada the opportunity to reflect on how we’re creating spaces that are inclusive, welcoming, and accessible for people of all abilities. Originally introduced in 1987 as National Access Awareness Week, the initiative’s goal was to raise awareness about barriers faced by people with disabilities. Since then, the week has evolved into a nationwide call to action, encouraging workplaces, communities, and organizations to build environments where everyone can fully participate. Held annually during the last week of May, NAAW is dedicated to celebrating the leadership and contributions of people with disabilities, while recognizing the work of organizations and allies who are removing barriers and creating more welcoming, and inclusive spaces.
This year’s theme, “Breaking Barriers Together: Paving the Way for an Inclusive Future”, reminds us that accessibility isn’t a task for one group or sector to check off, but an ongoing, shared responsibility. It asks us to go beyond the limited scope of ramps, wide doorways, and elevators and to focus on fostering attitudes, policies, and practices that value the dignity, safety, and contributions of people with disabilities in every space, especially in community-based organizations like SMILE Canada.
Accessibility at SMILE Canada: More Than a Checklist
At SMILE Canada, accessibility is at the heart of how we operate, not just during AccessAbility Week, but in every program, event, and service we deliver. As an organization supporting racialized, newcomer, and refugee children and youth with disabilities, we understand that barriers aren’t just physical. For the families we serve, obstacles also come in the form of language, financial limitations, cultural stigma, and the lack of tailored, culturally safe services. That’s why we approach accessibility with a community-driven mindset. It means our team is always asking: Who’s missing from this space? What’s preventing them from being here? How do we change that?
When planning programs, accessibility at SMILE means ensuring we have sensory-friendly spaces, clear signage, language-specific support, and culturally responsive practices. It’s about recognizing that an accessible event is about people’s attitudes, about creating a space where families feel seen, valued, and safe without having to advocate for themselves at every turn.
Our Hospital Support Program makes long hospital stays more accessible by providing financial assistance for things like parking and meals, wellness kits for parents, and emotional support tailored to each family’s needs. Similarly, our Community Heroes Program gives youth with disabilities opportunities to lead, showing that accessibility also means creating platforms for young people with disabilities to shape their communities.
This week, as we mark National AccessAbility Week, SMILE Canada is proud to reaffirm our commitment to breaking down barriers alongside our families, volunteers, and community partners. True accessibility isn’t just a feature, it’s a way of working, thinking, and building community.
Learn more about our programs and services at smilecan.org