Who Do We Serve?
To address career barriers faced by mid- to senior-level professionals and executives who live with a disability or chronic health condition.
Why “Career” Barriers?
We intentionally focus on career rather than just employment. Unlike an employment agency, we recognize that barriers don’t just stop once a person is hired. Career barriers can impact:
- Obtaining and maintaining meaningful work.
- Professional development and occupation transitions.
- Career advancement and leadership growth.
- Success across all work arrangements: contractor, employee, consultant, or entrepreneur.
Our Unique Focus
While many organizations support persons with disabilities, our unique focus is on meeting the needs of mid-to-senior level professionals and executives through a research-driven approach, policy influence, education and customized programs.
Who We Serve
We support experienced professionals across Canada, regardless of age, sector or industry. This includes individuals currently in, or retired from these levels:
- Specialists
- Non-management roles with significant expertise.
- Management
- Middle and Senior Management (Directors, VPs).
- Leadership
- C-Suite Executives (CEO, CFO, etc.).
- Entrepreneurs
- Consultants, artisans, gig workers, and fractional employees.
- Transitioning
- Through professional development, returning to school.
Looking Ahead
As we grow, we plan to expand our programming to include support for caregivers and develop social enterprise offerings to serve individuals, groups, and employers.
Why Breaking925?
Why Breaking925?
It’s time! By speaking together, professionals with disabilities and chronic health challenges can use our cohesive voice to drive real change. Building on the “Nothing Without Us” rally call, we stand ready to tackle the career barriers that impact our lives and our professional futures.
Beyond the Job Search
Addressing career barriers is about more than just finding an accommodating role or overcoming hiring bias. It is about addressing:
- Inclusion
- Ensuring social and professional belonging in the workplace.
- Growth
- Gaining access to succession planning and career development.
- Transitions
- Providing adequate support during and after a return to work.
- Accessibility
- Delivering professional training through accessible modalities.
Breaking the “9 to 5” Barrier
We intend to address the systemic barriers faced by thousands of experienced, highly educated professionals who have the capability to lead but cannot fit into a traditional, consistently in-person “9am to 5pm” position due to a disability or health condition.
Often, these barriers leave talented individuals.
- Reliant on savings, social support, or disability insurance.
- Unable to obtain credit or maintain financial independence.
- Facing challenges with housing, food stability, health, and relationships.
Our Broader Impact
Many organizations only serve those who are willing to disclose, and we know many more are struggling in silence. Mid to senior career level professionals also often face ageism, along with discrimination and bias related to other intersecting identities. These are some of the factors that have made gathering accurate statistical data a challenge. To solve this, Breaking925 is growing a Research and Policy Team with a trauma-informed approach, capable of managing confidential information, to develop a clear picture and better meet peoples’ needs.
Our mission to dismantle these barriers is not just for the individual — it is an investment in supporting families and strengthening the Canadian economy.
What Career Barriers?
There are many!!
Inflexible job design, uninformed management, restrictive employment legislation, lack of workplace accommodations, attitude because you have asked for an accommodation, biased hiring practices, outdated health and disability insurance policies — to name a few!
Often capable people have been forced to give up their careers; have lost advancement opportunities, been demoted, passively released or encouraged to retire. The impact of this is profound.
A loss of one’s professional role impacts self-confidence, motivation, a sense of being a valued part of society, how others interact with you, and your financial security. This increases the risk of other mental and physical health challenges for all those impacted.
On a macro level, these factors increase Canada’s health care costs, and decrease the strength of our economy by reducing the purchasing power and buyer confidence of those impacted, not to mention, gutting Canada in the areas of knowledge management, economic stability and innovation.
Dismantling career barriers will benefit all Canadians.