Power Grid Blog
That is not a typo, it is the stark reality
October 25, 2012 | Dana Fink
The unemployment rate for people with disabilities in the United States is currently hovering around 78%. That is not a typo, it is the stark reality all people with disabilities face when looking to enter the workforce. That statistic should make you angry. It should also make you want to get involved. How? Participate in National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)!
Taking place every October, NDEAM is a national campaign to raise awareness about the issues people with disabilities face in the workplace. The goal is to build cognizance that will lead to systematic change in your community. Individuals, schools, places of business, and organizations of all shapes and sizes can participate in NDEAM. What can you do?
Employers: Make sure your company is committed to hiring people with disabilities by having a streamlined and prominent reasonable accommodations process. Ensure all employees are aware of this process and what to do in specific situations.
Employees: Look around your office to make sure there are no barriers to inclusion. People with disabilities are consumers, but only if you let them be!
Teachers: Create a lesson around disability, inclusion, or the disability rights movement. Students with and without disabilities can learn from this important piece of history.
Students: Talk to student run organizations to ensure students with disabilities are being included in extracurricular activities. Talk to your friends about bullying and exclusion and the effect that hurtful language can have on people with disabilities.
Organizations and Associations: Spread the word! Feature National Disability Employment Awareness Month in your print and social media efforts.
Everyone: Get involved with Disability Mentoring Day, the largest job-shadowing program for people with disabilities across the country. Youth with mentors are more likely to result in successful adults. Visit www.aapd.com/dmd for more information.
With your involvement, NDEAM can become a time for the nation to celebrate the incredible assets that people with disabilities bring to the workforce. Together, we can change the statistics and ensure that all people are valued for their skills every month of the year. Get involved in your community and in National Disability Employment Awareness Month!
Comments
Submitted by Mikeyt at 03:19 PM on October 26, 2012