Coalition of Persons with Disabilities Newfoundland and Labrador

About COD-NL

Operating at the provincial and local levels, COD-NL is an advocacy organization concerned with all persons with disabilities, promoting their rights and raising public awareness of their needs. COD-NL is proactive, working to improve legislation and services at all government levels and networking with national and regional groups to support independence and foster positive self-concept of its members, to whom it is accountable and from whom it takes its overall direction.

Services/Programs Offered

Because COD-NL’s role is information and advocacy, it does not provide any direct services to members. It does strive to involve its members and all persons with disabilities in its objective of influencing change.

COD-NL acts as a catalyst, bringing together various organizations of and for persons with disabilities among themselves and with government and other non-government agencies to address issues of mutual concern. COD-NL works with individual and representatives organizations to address policy and program issues around education, training, employment, labour market strategies, social and economic development, human rights, accessibility, accommodations, income support, home support services, etc. COD-NL also works with Federal and Provincial government departments in consultation and advocacy capacities.

Population Served

COD-NL is the cross disability advocacy organization for persons with disabilities in Newfoundland and Labrador. COD-NL serves people with all disabilities, advocating for the necessary support to assist with exercising their citizenship rights provincially and nationally.

Participation in this Partnership

The mandate of COD-NL is to:

• educate all people by changing attitudes concerning the rights of persons with disabilities;
• influence regulations, laws, and actions at all levels of government to ensure that all persons with disabilities have the opportunity to participate fully in society; and
• involve members and all persons with disabilities in influencing change.

This mandate fits well with the CRWDP research program, as the primary goal is to educate employers and change attitudes regarding persons with disabilities in the workplace.  COD-NL hopes that this project will impact all levels of government to ensure that persons with disabilities have the opportunity to participate more fully in the workplace, and we anticipate seeing more persons with disabilities in the workplace as a result of this initiative.