Human Rights & Employment

4. Employment for PWID

4.4. Employment options for people with intellectual disabilities

There is a relative lack of information about the types of jobs and sectors that people with intellectual disabilities are employed in. It is clear that people with intellectual disabilities are employed in a broad range and wide variety of jobs with a large number of them employed in low-skilled jobs. The jobs that people with intellectual disabilities may get depend on culture, economy and working policies. Therefore, they are different from country to country, for example between the primary sector and service sectors. The more common employment options for PWID are the following:

A.    Sheltered employment: it has a variety of labels throughout research including sheltered workshops, sheltered industries, training workshops, rehabilitative workshops and work centres to name a few, but the core characteristics are the same

B.     Employment in open labour market through supported employment schemes: supported employment is a method of working with disabled people and other disadvantaged groups to access and maintain paid employment in the open labour market.

Supported employment is based on the following six principles:

 1) eligibility of the person is based on the person’s choice, and therefore no one is prevented from participating;

 2) supported employment is incorporated in other support services and the employment specialists arrange plans and goals with the support team;

 3) competitive employment is the goal, focusing on local full-time or part-time employment that pays at least minimum wage and is open to anyone;

4) a job search begins almost immediately after the person conveys an interest in employment, and there are no prerequisites required prior to this process;

 5) follow-up support systems that work on a steady basis, and individualized provisions continue until the person no longer wants assistance;

 6) the preferences of the person are essential, and the options and choices regarding work are founded on the person’s requirements and skills.

Supported employment example: