In 1975, a group of passionate parents fought to open doors for their children. Gateway Association emerged as the “Gateway to a better life” they envisioned for people with disabilities and their families.
Gateway is a family resource centre and an employment resource centre that provides education, family support, mentorship and inclusive employment. It is our mission to assist the community to understand disabilities.
We are passionate about empowering families and people who live with disabilities to live fully authentic lives. We envision a community where all children grow within a family; all children learn together in neighbourhood schools; all adults work at real jobs in the community; all adults have real homes and real friends; and all people are valued, contributing members of their communities.
Vision – Gateway envisions a world where all people are valued, respected members of their communities.
Mission – Gateway will be a global leader and influencer in community development that looks to our roots and expertise to break barriers for people with disabilities.
Purpose – Transformation of community through the lens of disability.
Every family is unique, with unique circumstances and needs. We focus our supports on filling the needs of families who live with disability in a way that best works for them. We assist families by providing: crisis support, visioning, navigation, planning assistance, idea generation, family coaching, resource information, inclusive education, transition planning, and collaborative advocacy.
Gateway builds meaningful, paid employment relationships that work for both employers and job seekers who live with developmental disabilities. Our approach involves extensive discovery with each employment candidate and full exploration with each potential employer. Support is ongoing for both the employer and the job seeker for the entirety of the working relationship.
Gateway empowers families with knowledge to help their loved ones lead rich and fulfilling lives. We provide information and resources, along with presentations and a variety of workshops, all centered around building an authentic life and achieving full inclusion for all people.
Gateway hosts a group for families who have a loved one with a developmental disability. Families support each other by connecting in person on an ongoing basis to inform, empower, and share their experiences and resources. Gateway also facilitates an online community of support for those families who are isolated or who prefer connecting online.
Nicole approached Gateway Association for support in finding her first paid job. She said working was her number one priority.
Nicole started work at Organic Box in December 2014. It’s a dynamic, friendly, energetic workplace and Nicole is incredibly excited to be a member of the Organic Box team.
Avril worked as an employment support clerk at the City of Edmonton, performing a variety of administrative tasks.
Adrian has been thriving at the SmartyPantz escape room, and has just purchased the Edmonton location making him a business owner!