scrubbedexpat091

Having a disability doesn't always mean one can't work, and the article points out some important factors.


Only half of disabled Canadians have a full or part-time job: CIBC poll | CTV News

Souvy

And your point is what, exactly?

scrubbedexpat091

Its an important topic that society likes to ignore.

If you don't like a topic move on, no need to belittle people over it.

R I C H

I don't think it's ignored (though there's always room for improvement). There are many agencies in BC that spend $millions on programs supporting the disabled and where possible finding them work. My employer has half a dozen staff that work full-time on employment related programs on behalf of disabled clients. Often it's the employer that's the barrier, not the individual's disability.

Souvy

I wasn't. Merely asking if you were looking to make a point.

scrubbedexpat091

No doubt the employers are the biggest barrier/problem.

dbd33

I dunno about that. Are 50% of disabled Canadians employable?

If the disability is "mobility limited due to wheelchair use" and the skill on offer is "extensive java programming experience" the person won't be unemployed. If the disability is "autistic, non-lingual" then no skill is on offer and the person will be unemployed.

"disabled" is too broad. If 50% of people who use a wheelchair but are not mentally impaired are unemployed that's a problem, if only 50% of autistic people are unemployed then that's a miracle of inclusion.

scrubbedexpat091

As someone who has a disability from a mental illness, for me employers are a big barrier, they won't see beyond gaps in employment and write me off before even meeting me. I can do everything under the sun on my end, but if employers are unwilling to meet with me none of that work I do pays off in the end and of course the longer one goes without a job, the harder it is to get one. I haven't worked since middle of 2015 and the interviews get fewer and fewer the bigger that gap becomes.

I am clearly not alone in this experience and have met others in various mental health groups and job centres who experience the same as myself.

And yes not all who are disabled can work, but many can work if given a chance by an employer, and remember not all disabilities are visible and not all disabilities require massive expensive accommodations, but employers should be more open to providing the accommodations a disabled worker may need.

Allie73

I'm not sure why the survey was done by CIBC. But I'm sure it's no coincidence that they released that information first thing in thr morning yesterday, then last night released the information that they would be hiring 500 disabled workers this year.

CIBC to hire 500 workers with disabilities in 2017 - CBC News - Latest Canada, World, Entertainment and Business News

scrubbedexpat091

The hiring announcement and survey are connected for sure.

Siouxie

In my experience it's not just mental health sufferers that are subjected to potential employer scrutiny.. and lack of interviews. Being an 'older' worker with a lack of recent qualifications and with partial hearing (despite many years experience as an administrator in the UK) I was told that I very likely wouldn't get another job - by a government job seekers / employment assistance worker. Employers wrote me off too JS!

I do agree that the longer you are out of work, the harder it is to get an interview.



Hang in there!

scrubbedexpat091

No doubt age discrimination is an issue as well.

Lack of skills isn't help me either, my experience overall is pretty useless outside of 2 specific industries (airline & hotel).

It's a multi layer barrier for me.

BristolUK

Ever thought about writing?

I don't mean with a view to making money more a therapy kind of thing.

You've touched on a few incidents, for example, from your hotel days. Anything involving naked people will pique someone's interest

Seriously though, there are a ton of story sites on the internet with volunteer editors (it's how I met my wife - I wrote, she edited) and many of them get feedback from readers.

You're not short of words and maybe you could get some short stories together based on funny or dramatic events.

The writing itself could be therapeutic, if you get positive feedback that helps with self esteem, it gives another hobby and, maybe particularly importantly, you can fill the gaps on a CV because you were "writing" between jobs.

scrubbedexpat091

Never thought of that really.

Souvy

Give it a go.

I know quite a few people who do it. Some of them do it for a living.