What’s the Big Deal?

By Crystal Bolduc

THE CREATIVE OPTIONS PROGRAM OF THE NEIL SQUIRE FOUNDATION EXAMINES SOME OF THE BLOCKS AND BREAKS ASSOCIATED WITH HIRING PEOPLE WITH SEVERE PHYSICAL DISABILITIES AND POSES THE QUESTION...

Meaningful and rewarding employment is something that most Canadian expects to achieve at sometime in their lives. Unfortunately, people with severe physical disabilities face numerous barriers which block their path to achieving this type of employment. The vast majority of Canadian adults with severe physical disabilities are not participating in the labour force; society still largely views these individuals as a group that is “unemployable”. Despite current efforts by governments, advocacy groups and people with disabilities to change physical, economic and social barriers, this employment group still remains largely discriminated against.

The Neil Squire Foundation has been running its national employment training project, Creative Employment Options, for the past 18 months. This project looks not only at training participants for employment readiness, but also aims to significantly reduce the attitudinal, environmental and communication barriers which persist and limit opportunities for meaningful and sustainable employment for people with physical disabilities. Some of these barriers include lack of accessibility in the workplace, transportation problems, lack of education and basic literacy skills, poor community support, and difficulty in getting attendant care while at the workplace. The largest barrier is attitudinal: employers have yet to learn that people with disabilities are as capable, reliable, and productive as non-disabled persons. People with disabilities are, therefore, as cost effective to employ as anyone else.

This point was affirmed when talking to employers who have hired Creative Employment Options participants. Most barriers tended to be non-existent or of minimal concern. Jane Caskey, Senior Advisor for the Women’s Bureau of Labour Canada in Ottawa/Hull who supervised a work experience for one of our participants in Ontario comments “Many of the barriers are perceived or imaginary because technology, office furniture and office equipment can easily be adapted to help people become more productive.” The consistent response from employers has been that having a person with a disability working for them adds tremendously to the motivation of other employees. Employees who might not have ever had the chance to work with someone with a disability found that seeing someone “beat the odds” was inspiring and made them realize that their frustrations may not be as hindering as they believed they were. Peggy Holt, who is an instructor at the Adult Learning Centre in Fredericton, New Brunswick, and supervised the work experience of a participant, stated “I have really noticed that students have been more aware of what it means to have a disability and are pleasantly surprised by their (person with disabilities) capabilities."

Of all the participants that began Creative Employment Options in September of 1990, 80% have either started a permanent work placement or have been involved in work experiences. All of these work placements have met with thunderous applause from both participants and employers.

Judy Mutton was one of the first participants involved in Creative Employment Options in our Ottawa, Ontario Program. “When I learned of my acceptance into the program, I yelled for joy. Another big step towards achieving a more “normal” lifestyle had been taken. I had always wanted to go back to work.” Judy began a 10-week job experience with Labour Canada in May of this year. She has been working in the Women’s Bureau researching and producing an annotated bibliography on women’s occupational, health and safety issues. When asked about any concerns related to hiring a person with a disability, Judy’s supervisor Jane Caskey replied “....my only reservation was that I’m exceedingly busy and I wondered whether or not I had enough time to interact as much as might be necessary. As it turned out that was not a problem at all because Judy is self-sufficient and a self-starter.”

Another participant, Lucy Goncalves, started Creative Employment Options at our Vancouver, BC office in October of 1990. Lucy began a work experience at the Canadian Pelvic Inflammatory Disease Society in Vancouver and has been doing their computerized bookkeeping. Lucy’s supervisor, Jill Weiss, commented “...people with disabilities have an equal right to be hired based on their skills-and they have a legal right to be accommodated.”

Modifications to the workplace have been minimal for most of the employers involved; installing a handle in the washroom, turning a desk around to make more room or installing an inexpensive software package to allow easy access to the computer are examples of minor modifications undertaken by employers.

With all the barriers identified for people with disabilities, the one which seems to be holding fast is that Canadian employers often “fear the unknown”. They too frequently are aware only of the limitations commonly associated with people with disabilities. They seem less aware of the abilities and capabilities that this labour resource is able to offer an organization. “The biggest setback for a lot employers is that although they would like to hire people with disabilities, they are not sure how to handle it. If employers were educated, I think it would be a great thing for the 90’s” said Monica Randall of Regina, Saskatchewan’s Urban Planning Department at City Hall and the supervisor for one of our Saskatchewan participants.

What is actually required is that employers come to understand how easy, uncomplicated and beneficial it is to employ people with disabilities. One way to do this is by setting examples as the above employers have done. Tom Rainey, General Manager for Pacific Transit Co-operative in Vancouver, BC, and a supervisor for one of our British Columbia participants, said that “there is a whole ton of cost effective talent out there that ought to be used.”

So lets start using it! I mean really, what’s the big deal?.

If you are an employer who is considering hiring a person with a disability or if this article sparks your interest, don’t hesitate! A Creative Employment Options representative would be delighted to come and talk to you and your organization.

(Crystal Bolduc is public relations coordinator for the Neil Squire Foundation and may be reached at (604)929-2453; Fax(604)929-3316, or write to her at 4381 Gallant Ave., North Vancouver, BC. V7G 1L1).