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Employment

Vision/Goal:

All adults with developmental disabilities who wish to work will be able to get and keep employment consistent with their interests, abilities, and needs.

Background:

Employment is a federally-required national priority area. It is also a key to successful community living and inclusion. Currently, only 29 percent of adults with disabilities nationally work either full or part-time. Of the 71 percent who are not working, nearly three-quarters want to work.

WCDD supports a person’s right to pursue the career of one’s choice and to have an equal opportunity to be trained and employed in work that is meaningful; the right to have the same opportunity as anyone else to a sufficient income to meet basic needs and maintain self-respect, with the same opportunity to pursue a higher standard of living; and the right to fair and equitable funding of necessary supports to accomplish these goals.

Over 20 public hearing participants (one in every five who testified) and approximately 100 written survey respondents (one in every three) raised various employment issues and concerns to the attention of the Council. These issues included the lack of adequate employment opportunities and employment service options; the continuing presence of barriers to employment, such as SSI/SSDI/MA work disincentives and discrimination amongst some employers; waiting lists for vocational services, the lack of adequate funding for long term supports needed by many individuals with developmental disabilities, and the lack of sufficient employment programs; and the lack of adequate accountability in the service system whose purpose is to help people get and retain jobs that they like and are prepared for. People with developmental disabilities remain a largely untapped labor market.

Objective:

By 2007, 100 new employers will employ a total of 150 adults with developmental disabilities who were not previously employed.

Funding:

$40,000/year.

Collaborators:

Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities, Department of Workforce Development/Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Department of Health and Family Services, Rehabilitation for Wisconsin, Association for People in Supported Employment, People First Wisconsin, ADA Partnership, Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce, and others as appropriate.

Strategies:

1. Develop a new capacity building business-to-business initiative in which employers will influence other employers to hire more people with developmental disabilities. This initiative would be implemented by utilizing various strategic options which could include:
   • Develop a new initiative (to be piloted with 5-10 local chambers of commerce) which provides avenues for local employers to influence other local employers to hire people with developmental disabilities, through awards, recognition, marketing/PR, training, and system coordination activities. This strategy builds on the contacts/success of the 10 Year ADA Celebration project which has involved the chambers of commerce and job centers in over 70 communities in Wisconsin.
   • Support/partner with the Business Leadership Network (BLN) federal/state initiative. The BLN is a national program led by employers in concert with the President’s Committee on Employment for People with Disabilities and the state Governor’s Committees that engages the leadership and participation of companies throughout the United States to hire qualified job applicants with disabilities. The program offers employers access to a pool of applicants with disabilities, pertinent disability employment information, a network of companies sharing information on specific disability employment issues, and the opportunity to provide training and work experience for job seekers with developmental disabilities. It also provides employers with recognition for best disability employment practices and access to a largely untapped market for their goods and services. Wisconsin does not currently have a BLN but, through DVR and the Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities, is currently developing resources to start a BLN. Any Council effort in this area would focus specifically on people with developmental disabilities rather than people with disabilities generally.
2. To de-stigmatize disabilities and further the employment of people with disabilities through a comprehensive convergence plan that combines public awareness, sound business strategies, and a new approach to community development. This initiative draws on traditional media and marketing opportunities. It creates new alliances within a variety of sectors to recognize people with disabilities as a sustainable human resource. This plan builds upon a foundation of a pilot project promoted and implemented by Nancy Christie of Meaningful People, Places and Food to change public attitudes toward people with disabilities and to create more community opportunities, specifically employment.

   There are four components to the plan:

   • Develop and market public service announcements (PSA). Obtain private sector funds to sponsor the PSAs and establish relationships with local media for coverage in print, broadcast, and Internet outlets.
   • Create a photo-essay on people with disabilities in the workforce.
   • Create a video to demonstrate the successful transition of a youth with complex disabilities into employment.
   • Form alliances and commitments within the sustainability movement to recognize people with disabilities as a sustainable human resource to be included in the workforce.
3. Other strategies involving private employers and community organizations that achieve the objective.