Windsor- Essex Employment Group (WEEG) began in 1997 as a result of a meeting of employment providers in 1997 where Service Canada provided a forum for discussion. Service Canada brought the providers together to ask what they needed out of Opportunities Fund. During the discussions the providers saw the need for them to get together to discuss similar issues and felt a joint effort would be the best way to address emerging issues in employment. Over the years additional providers have been added as the need for the services has grown. It is now made up of both non profit and for profit service providers and the Principles as outlined in 1999 are as follows:

• All persons who have disabilities are entitled to participate in employment by choice.
• All persons who have disabilities will have access to up to date information regarding employment services in their community.
• Persons who have disabilities will receive service in a manner that is professional, respectful and accessible.
• Windsor-Essex Employment Group members share the responsibility to ensure information is gathered and distributed to the community and client group in a timely manner.

Chatham-Kent Employment Group (CKEG) began in 1991 and included all the agencies and organizations that assisted persons who have disabilities to secure and sustain employment at that time. An active group, they published quarterly newsletters, hosted job fairs and held education days to assist persons looking to get into the workforce either for the first time or re-entering after a period of unemployment. The goals and objectives are as follows:

• To harmonize local employment services through networking thereby creating and/or identifying accessible pathways for people in Kent County facing employment barriers.
• To actively recruit and involve community partners in the co-ordination of local employment services.
• To provide an on-going forum for information sharing among employment service providers.
• To facilitate activities in the local community to assist persons facing employment barriers.
• To act as a community resource in the provision of employment services and/or programs.

The combined WEEG & CKEG began as a result of changes to the Opportunities Funding. The providers met together in early 2007 to look at the barriers to employment and gaps in service to persons who have disabilities as part of a community planning effort. Out of the exercise it was determined that providers would need to cooperate in order to maximize the Opportunities Funding for our geographic area.

With the emergence of the new "Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act", the combined CKEG & WEEG received Service Canada funding to educate the employers in their areas to the Act and how their local service providers for employment can help them achieve compliance with the new legislation. Together they are now called LEAP for the BEST (Local Employment Accessibility Partners, Building Employment Solutions Together).

Our mandate is to make employers aware of the Act and to raise the profile and labour market potential of persons who have disabilities increasing employment opportunities. We support both the employer and the employee, provide on the job training, ongoing coaching and additional training support as indicated by each unique situation.