December 12, 2016
Employing People With Disabilities
There are a number of powerful myths that exist about people with disabilities in the workplace and in our culture. Many of these beliefs are false, and should not be broadly applied to people with disabilities. Despite their ability, desire, and willingness to work the majority of people with disabilities continue to be unemployed or underemployed. This is particularly true of people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. The primary reason for this is the misunderstanding that people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities cannot work or are not interested in working. This is far from the truth. Businesses have a lot of questions and concerns about hiring people with disabilities including questions they may be afraid to ask.
In early 2016 The Arc Greater Twin Cities began a collaborative effort with community members, businesses, and people with disabilities and organizations that support employment for people with disabilities to answer those questions. We created our free Employing People with Disabilities Video Series and Resources, which includes approachable training materials and learning resources for businesses. The program uses videos and white papers to answer questions, dispel myths, and describe the benefits of employing people with disabilities and how to support people with disabilities in the workplace.
Videos:
- Employing People with Disabilities Overview
- Employing People with Disabilities: Disability Awareness
- Employing People with Disabilities: Workplace Culture
White Paper Resources:
- Disability Awareness
- People-First Language
- Myths, Realities and Job Accommodations
- Workplace Culture
People with disabilities can be a strong asset to your business, bringing new perspectives and dedication to the job. Companies that hire people with disabilities are tapping into a pool of skilled, dedicated workers and taking further steps to build a diverse workforce that is reflective of the world in which we all live and work. The Employing People with Disabilities Video Series and Resources will help you expand the diversity of your workforce and positively impact your organization by hiring people with disabilities.
All program videos, resources and a complete list of sponsoring organizations are available at no charge at: arcgreatertwincities.org/employingpeople
Or contact:
Steve Piekarski, Chief Program Officer
The Arc Greater Twin Cities
(p): 952.916.3660
Email: stevepiekarski@thearcgtc.org