Self-Employment / Small Business Support for ODSP Recipients

[Jara]

I have been on ODSP for nearly one year now. I was in receipt of
Ontario Works for grand total of 3 weeks before my ODSP application
came through (because it took me THAT LONG to convince Ontario Works
that I warranted the support!)

While I was on OntarionWorks, i was given access to some useful self-
employment / small business initiatives, such as a mentorship
programme, that seemed to geniuinely be aimed at helping people get
off the assistance. When I was approved for ODSP, I was told by the
OW office, as well as the Mentorship Programme Administrators
themselves, that I would continue to qualify for some of these
initiatives through ODSP. Research on the ODSP website seemed to
confirm this.

However, once I qualified for ODSP, I was told that these programmes
were NOT available, since there was 'no need to become self-sufficient
as an ODSP recipient' In short, the Ontario government was happy to
support me 'forever' as a disabled person, while only for a limited
time period if able-bodied.

I have established myself as a professional artist in an effort to get
off ANY social assistance. I do not have any staff at this mpoint -
it is JUST ME! But I do need some help with my business. Can anyone
advise me on what - if any - programmes that I might qualify for. I
do know of the $100 employment bonus if I can show a 'profit' for the
month. But I am certain that there are other funds available that the
Ottawa Office is not telling me about - they really don't seem to have
a clue here! My business was established in November 2004, so start-
up funding is not an option, but I am still a LONG WAY from making any
consistent income!

Many thanks for any help that you can offer!!!!

www.jaraglassworks.ca

[abrowne]

JARA,
I wish there was such a program.  Employment Supports
theoretically can assist people with self-employment, but
you need to work with a service provider that works in the
area of self-employment ... there's only one in my region,
and they are feeling pressured by the targets they are told
to reach, and they advised me there is no more start-up
funding for self-employed people.  They could mentor a
person for up to three years, provided the person reaches
the point of having earnings within a period of time ...

... there needs to be more support for artists, period - not
just those seeking to get off social assistance.  Good
luck in finding something.  Do you have a local arts
council where you are?  Maybe they have some line-in
on some funding opportunities or exhibits.
A

Jara <saraj...@rogers.com> wrote:

 
However, once I qualified for ODSP, I was told that these programmes
were NOT available, since there was 'no need to become self-sufficient
as an ODSP recipient' In short, the Ontario government was happy to
support me 'forever' as a disabled person, while only for a limited
time period if able-bodied.

I have established myself as a professional artist in an effort to get

off ANY social assistance. I do not have any staff at this point -

it is JUST ME! But I do need some help with my business. Can anyone
advise me on what - if any - programmes that I might qualify for.

---

You rock. That's why Blockbuster's offering you one month of Blockbuster Total Access, No Cost.

[Slim Pickens]

There are programs out there if one is on ODSP. One requests the
Employment Supports agent and information is provided. A Vocational
Methodologist may be hired by Employment Supports to cover the cost of
helping decide on training and all the paperwork involved to get on
the program. If approved, the training will be paid for. Once that is
done ODSP will send the client a pile of paperwork outlining how to
declare income if self-employed, business expenses allowed, etc. The
next step, if one has ever worked is one can temporarily drop off ODSP
and go on a special EI benefits for one year. With a business plan
money may be available thro Fednor. fednor.ic.gc.ca This is the route
I sent on.

[bjr]

This adds fodder to my suspicion that The Ontario Works program is
functioning on funds stolen from The Province of Ontario Ministry of
Community and.Social Services...that money is "given" to the
municipalities, in a ploy the cities call downsizing...it goes into
the cities OW departments, leaving very little in the provincial
coffer for provincial beneficiaries of disability support.

The year OW came into being I was stricken with fibromyalgia and
could only function for about 3 hours at a time without crashing. I
had been enrolled to finish my Bachelor Degree and the financial aid
office at the university affiliated post-secondary college advised me
that the "bursaries" donated and designated, to cover my tuition,
living expenses, transportation and extended medical necessities
benefits where managed by odsp and I would have to apply for that
first. Once I finally got my odsp approval,...( which took four years
as they rejected the first application so I waited six months and
reapplied along with a current psychiatric report that they demanded
by means of rejecting all applications that didn't have one)...odsp
told me that they would require yet another assessment to determine if
I was fit and able enough to complete my employment goals.
What a catch 22 that is, as if I was determined to be fit and able by
the person they chose to do the assessment then I'd be bounced back to
OW..
If naught, then I'd qualify for other benefits...the extended health
care benefits that I haven't received...like home renovations and
emergency repairs, dentures, beds, air conditioner, washing
machine...on and on the list goes.
I'm sick and tired of being assessed. It seems there an entire
workforce of assessors and their support staff that do nothing
else...but recommend more programs that require more assessments to
qualify for.
I finally threw my hands up in the air and quit trying when I was
directed to go to yet another assessment to get educational
credentials necessary for employment and was told that my goals were
unrealistic and I should just go back to square one and get my grade
twelve from an adult education center, advice that contradicts all the
other assessments....I was one of those gifted kids they call special
now...I jumped ahead, had life experience, and got university credits
when my peers were still 'finding themselves", I work "independantly"
non-verbally, in role model led groups of 5 or 6, self-directed
learning...they've programmed and pigeon holed me from the get
go...I'm a failed social experiment...and this is what they get!
A whining recipient of disability support from the Province of
Ontario in their face, that refuses to shut up and die!

On Apr 7, 8:28 pm, Jara <sarajar...@rogers.com> wrote:
> While I was on OntarionWorks, i was given access to self-

> employment / small business initiatives, such as a mentorship

> programme, geniuinely aimed at helping people get