On Ways to Improve Employment Possibilities for Disabled Youth
Date: 18-6-2004
By Glenda Watson Hyatt, Soaring Eagle Communications, Vancouver, Canada
I think what is needed is more than simply "enhancing employability" of youth with disabilities. Over the years, as a person with a disability, I have noticed that the focus has been on the person with the disability. It is as if we could "fix" the person by providing more training, more skills, more accommodations, more on-the-job supports, then suddenly employers will be lining up to hire these people with disabilities.
Now, please do not misunderstand me - I am not saying these factors are not necessary. They definitely are, and in some or many cases that may be enough to find them employment. But, stepping back and looking at the larger picture, so much more is needed than simply focus on the youth who happens to have the disability.
Many other factors are important. Such as wheelchair access and including it in the building codes. Also, access for people with other kinds of disabilities, such as blindness and deafness. It means educating city planners and building inspectors on the codes and ensuring they enforce the codes. It means educating architects, possibly at the university level, on accessible design. (Regardless of my personal views of the United States being in Iraq, when they are rebuilding hospitals, schools and such, I hope they are building according to universal design. That way those buildings will be accessible to all). Including youth with disabilities in the education/training system means that teachers need an understanding of disabilities, which means that topic needs to be included in teacher training. And appropriate supports need to be available to the teacher. It also means the other students need to be comfortable and have an understanding of people with disabilities, which means addressing their questions and fears in an open and honest manner. It means teaching/supporting parents and their children how to advocate for the appropriate education placement and supports. I have American friends with kids with disabilities who still need to fight for their kids to receive an appropriate education. So this is not only an issue for developing countries.
For youth with disabilities to get to school or work, an accessible transportation system is needed, which means those in charge of designing and buying vehicles need to be aware of the issues. In turn, they need the appropriate funds to do so.
For youth with disabilities to be hired, employers need to overcome their 'heebie-jeebies' in hiring people with disabilities. This means they need educating, which could be done back in business school, or through seminars in the workplace. Ideally, if children are raised in a completely inclusive environment, then once they become teachers and managers and such, they won't see disabilities as much of an issue.
For youth with disabilities to be motivated to get an education and then to seek employment, they need to see what is possible, to have hope, to dream, to see they do have a future if they strive for it. This means providing role models either through direct contact or through indirect contact (i.e. through the media and such). I think this needs to be done in the early years, like elementary school - and this has given me an idea for a website project, if anyone has funding to spare. Once youth reach High School or Trade School, introduce career mentors (in whatever fashion) so that youth can explore career/employment options and learn about workplace accommodation, disclosure, etc.
For youth with disabilities to explore employment options and to conduct a successful job search, labour market information needs to be relevant and accessible to them. See the Web site http://www.workinfonet.bc.ca/webaccessguides/ for information about how to make Electronic Labour Market Information (LMI) accessible - it's more than simply Web accessibility. Surely some of these suggestions can be adapted for non-electronic LMI.
And the list goes on and on and on.
I understand this list may be overwhelming and idealistic, and somewhat utopian. I realize that much of this is long-term and it won't assist youth with disabilities TODAY. However, I'm now 38 and am facing many of the same barriers now as I did as a child. And much of it has to do with awareness, attitudes and acceptance -- I call it the AAA Principle.
I envision building a framework based on these factors (and more), and from there developing and implementing an action plan specific to the needs of the region or community. It may seem like a daunting task, but with a coordinated effort by many sectors of society it could be do-able, long-term. I would love to try this approach in a brand new society.
I realize this got very long, and I thank you for reading to the end. I'm simply passionate about this kind of work.
Thanks for listening,
Glenda Vancouver, Canada.
Editor's note: Glenda's article was first published as an item in the World Bank's "Employment for Disabled Youth" On-line discussion event, June 2004.