Include us in employment conversation, say disability social enterprises
10 October 2022 at 1:19 pm
Social enterprises that employ people with disability are asking to be included in discussions about Australia’s workforce crisis.
A coalition of Australian social enterprises has joined together to call for the voices of their 7980 employees — many living with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities — to be heard in the national discussion about employment.
Thirty social enterprises, including Endeavour Foundation and Access Australia Group, released the Consensus Statement on Disability Social Enterprises last week, discussing employment opportunities for people with disability.
“Many of our organisations were established more than 50 years ago, in response to entrenched discrimination against people with a disability. For many people living with disability, exclusion from employment continues today,” the statement read.
The organisations involved provide support employment opportunities however the statement acknowledged that people with disability are able to transition to open employment and voiced support for “everyone’s right to work, to work that is freely chosen”.
“We support the ability of employees to choose a long-term career with us, or another employer,” the statement said.
“With a tight job market and changing community attitudes, there may be more opportunities for employees to pursue other employment. We are committed to actively working with our supported employees to ensure that they understand the options open to them, and supporting them to explore and exercise their choice.”
See more: A little less conversation, a little more action needed on disability employment
Endeavour Foundation employee Andrew Negrelli, who lives with a disability, said people with disability face extra challenges to finding a job.
“There are different barriers involved. When I found Endeavour Foundation, it really opened my eyes to working in the disability sector, and it challenged me and what I could do as a professional,” he said.
“If the Endeavour Foundation work wasn’t available, I’d feel really disappointed, because I don’t think there are as many opportunities in more mainstream jobs, nor do I think they’re as flexible.”
Endeavour Foundation CEO David Swain said people with disability had been left out of the conversation on Australia’s workforce.
“As the whole nation has a conversation around jobs and the future of work, our social enterprises – organisations with specific resourcing and the ability to promote employment outcomes for Australians living with disabilities – have been left out of the conversation.
“It is time to bring those voices into the conversation and amplify the voices of people living with disabilities, especially people with intellectual disability.”
