Our Professional Mentors Team is a group of individuals with disabilities who discuss personal experiences to help motivate and empower the participants to build up self-confidence within a workplace setting. The Professional Mentors Team sets up workshops and motivational speeches that assist students in the Developmental Service Worker program as well as the Personal Support Worker program.

Ability First Ottawa consulting has also supported persons with disabilities since 2015 to gain the skills necessary in order to give employment opportunities for persons with disabilities. We have many volunteers who mentor individuals so that they can be successful in networking events and self-promotion. Some volunteers have even funded supplies they require to participate in the business community. We also provide guidance to those we mentor at networking events such as eSAX Ottawa Entrepreneur networking trade shows, Entrepreneurs in Action hosted by Collab Space.

The CEO and Executive director, Christina Ranieri, SSW, DSW, BA, SOC, an OAMHP-affiliate Cert has provided support and insight to the entrepreneurship community/ organization projects as a consultant since 2008 and volunteers her time raising funds for this program through events and fundraisers via Ability First Ottawa Consulting as well as their other charity initiatives. Ability First Ottawa also provides service navigation to participants/members and their families as one of the day to day operations of Ability First Ottawa.

“I do my best to help so they can move towards a more positive living of their lives. I believe that building the confidence of persons with disabilities who are highly skilled directly impacts persons with disabilities views. From my personal experience, there are many barriers to the community becoming entrepreneurs. Many persons with disabilities are taken advantage of, they need guidance, and some need someone to stand up for them.” (Direct Quote: Christina Ranieri, SSW, DSW, BA, SOC and OAMHP-affiliate Cert, 2008)