Access Ontario

The mission of the Bark Lake Leadership and Conference Centre is to provide high quality leadership and environmental-based programming to our clients in a fun, safe, and respectful manner.

In fulfilling our mission, the Bark Lake Leadership and Conference Centre strives at all times to provide its goods and services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. We are also committed to giving people with disabilities the same opportunity to access our goods and services and allowing them to benefit from the same services, in the same place and in a similar way as other clients.

The Bark Lake Leadership and Conference Centre is committed to excellence in serving all clients including people with disabilities and we will carry out our functions and responsibilities in the following areas:

• Communication

We will communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability.

We will train staff who communicate with clients on how to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities.

• Telephone Services

We are committed to providing fully accessible telephone service to our clients. We will train staff to communicate with clients over the telephone in clear and plain language and to speak clearly and slowly.

We will offer to communicate with clients by e-mail if telephone communication is not suitable to their communication needs or is not available.

• Assistive Devices

We are committed to serving people with disabilities who use assistive devices to obtain, use or benefit from our goods and services. We will ensure that our staff are trained and familiar with various assistive devices that may be used by clients with disabilities while accessing our goods or services.

We will also ensure that staff know how to use the following assistive devices available on our premises for clients: motor vehicles, climbing harnesses, and crutches.

• Billing

We are committed to providing accessible invoices to all of our clients. For this reason, invoices will be provided in the following formats upon request: hard copy, hard copy with large print, email, and/or email with large print.

We will answer any questions clients may have about the content of the invoice in person, by telephone or e-mail.

• Educational Programming

We are committed to providing high quality leadership and environmental-based programming to all clients.  Every reasonable accommodation will be made to all clients to ensure the maximum opportunity to participate in programming and activities within established risk management protocols.

We are committed to welcoming people with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal on the parts of our premises that are open to the public and other third parties. We will also ensure that all staff, volunteers and others dealing with the public are properly trained in how to interact with people with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal.

We are committed to welcoming people with disabilities who are accompanied by a support person. Any person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to enter Bark Lake’s premises with his or her support person. At no time will a person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person be prevented from having access to his or her support person while on our premises.

Support persons will be charged the same rate other group chaperones.  A support person is eligible for the 1:10 complementary chaperone deal. Clients will be informed of this by a notice that will be stated in Bark Lake’s communication.

The Bark Lake Leadership and Conference Centre will provide clients with notice in the event of a planned or unexpected disruption in the facilities or services usually used by people with disabilities. This notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated duration, and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available.

The notice will be placed at all public entrances and service counters on our premises.

Bark Lake Leadership and Conference Centre will provide training to all employees, volunteers and others who deal with the public or other third parties on their behalf, and all those who are involved in the development and approvals of client service policies, practices and procedures.

This training will be provided during scheduled training opportunities.

Training will include the following:

The purposes of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act 2005 and the requirements of the client service standard

How to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities

How to interact with people with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a service animal or a support person

How to use applicable assistive devices

What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty in accessing Bark Lake’s goods and services

Bark Lake’s policies, practices and procedures relating to the client service standard.

Applicable staff will be trained on policies, practices and procedures that affect the way goods and services are provided to people with disabilities. Staff will also be trained on an ongoing basis when changes are made to these policies, practices and procedures.

The ultimate goal of the Bark Lake Leadership and Conference Centre is to meet and surpass client expectations while serving clients with disabilities. Comments on our services regarding how well those expectations are being met are welcome and appreciated.

Feedback regarding the way the Bark Lake Leadership and Conference Centre provides goods and services to people with disabilities can be made by email, evaluation form, or verbally. All feedback will be directed to the Director of Programming and Marketing. Clients can expect to hear back in seven days.

Complaints will be addressed according to complaint categories already established in our company’s complaint management procedures.

We are committed to developing client service policies that respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. Therefore, no changes will be made to this policy before considering the impact on people with disabilities.

Any policy of the Bark Lake Leadership and Conference Centre that does not respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities will be modified or removed.

This policy exists to achieve service excellence to clients with disabilities. If anyone has a question about the policy, or if the purpose of a policy is not understood, an explanation should be provided by, or referred to the General Manager or Director of Programming and Marketing of Bark Lake Leadership and Conference Centre.