This is a free web design program delivered by the Canadian Society for Social Development (CSSD). CSSD is a federally incorporated, non-profit society with charitable status and is part of the Community Futures Network of British Columbia. Their mandate is to provide online employment and skills training to persons with disabilities across Canada.

The IBDE program teaches new marketable skills to adults with physical disabilities, in a self-paced and supported work and learning environment. (This program can be taken before or after the Business Abilities Program or on its own)

The IBDE program is a three month on-line, web design course followed by a three-month segment where you build a website for your own business or earn income by designing websites for other small businesses. Websites are then showcased at: www.virtualmall.ca. Throughout the six months you have access to the online instructors through instant text messaging, email and web conferencing in our virtual classroom. The course is accredited by Selkirk College and funded by Human Resources Skills Development Canada-Office of Learning Technologies, the Vancouver Foundation and Western Economic Diversification.

To be eligible you must:

• self-identify as someone with a permanent physical disability or chronic health issue,
• be unemployed (working less than an average 20 hours per week),
• be legally entitled to work in Canada,
• possess some computer skills (questionnaire is given to assess skills),
• have a computer that meets the requirements for web design work with an Internet connection.

Groups start in the fall of each year and those interested are encouraged to sign up for the next intake as spaces are limited.

For more information on CSSD click here: www.cssd-web.org