On August 13, 2021, the Federal Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, the Hon. Carla Qualtrough, announced the “Towards Excellence in Return to Work/Disability Management Professionalization” initiative to NIDMAR, with funding provided under the Government of Canada’s Sectoral Initiatives Program.

We are now able to provide details on this initiative which is designed to support improved Return to Work (RTW) and Disability Management (DM) knowledge, programs and practices, and promote Disability Management professionalization across Canada (with the exception of BC which developed its own similar initiative), and mirrors major efforts currently underway across the UK, Belgium, Malaysia and other jurisdictions.

This initiative recognizes that employers and workers jointly have a key role to play in achieving much improved socio-economic outcomes, which are reflected in successful efforts across Canada and comprehensive strategies in other jurisdictions. The various elements of this unique initiative include:

• Support for DM/RTW Continuing Education (delivered through the Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences – www.pcu-whs.ca)
• Scholarship opportunities in the Bachelor of Disability Management (delivered through the Pacific Coast University for Workplace Health Sciences – www.pcu-whs.ca)
• Support to obtain Professional DM Designations
• Support for workplaces to have an Assessment completed of their DM program

Join Wolfgang Zimmermann, Executive Director, NIDMAR, to learn more!

Detailed information regarding these opportunities can be found at: www.nidmar.ca