Ability Links – St Vincent de Paul Society

A Guiding Principle of Inclusion and Equity. We are all born in. People with disability have so much to offer all of us. However, the historical segregation and devaluation of people with a disability continues to exist at various levels throughout society including in sheltered workshops. We all lose. A guiding principle of inclusion is vital to reshape employment support for people with a disability who choose to work. Mainstream employers should not be rewarded for discriminating against hiring people with disability through a system that segregates and ‘shelters’ people regarded as ‘unemployable’. Mainstream employers should not be allowed to discriminate against hiring people with disability and should be supported in re-shaping their workplaces and roles so that everyone can contribute. A guiding policy should be working with mainstream employers to understand their responsibility under the law as well as being supported in including employees with a disability.

A Good Outcome: transitioning away from ADEs and sheltered workshops. Measured by the number of employees transitioning from ADEs to Open employment.

3 & 4 are for people employed in supported employment to answer.

Choose Open Employment:
-One to one tailored support. Genuine, satisfactory employment is different for everyone and no ‘system’ can provide the solution. Everyone has different skills and interests to contribute to society. People who have been routinely marginalized and devalued need support to recognize their set of skills. Everyone needs support in matching their strengths with he current job market.
-Educate and empower mainstream businesses to value the contributions of people with disability
-Family / carer education to value the contributions of people with disability and support their family members with disability achieve
-Create more jobs. In general. for everyone.

6. DES’s suck. This is the testament of the majority of people who have accessed them.

7. People with disability don’t need to build capacity in a segregated environment. How does everybody learn? In the real world. Supported employers need to allow change and respect the decisions of people. I worry about the abuse and power of these staff during these changing times.

8. People with a disability are already attracted to open employment. The NDIS needs to offer solutions for support. Programs that target mainstream businesses (and shifts the burden onto them where it belongs) should continue to be funded. The NDIS needs to address barriers in society that keep people out.