alberta-employment-first-strategy

AlbertA employment First strAtegyAlbertA employment First strAtegy

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Alberta Employment First Strategy

AlbertA employment First strAtegy

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Contents 3 Message from the Minister5 The Alberta Employment First Strategy7 Introduction

9 The need for a new approach15 The strategic framework19 Next steps

21 Appendix


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in Alberta, everyone who wants to work, and is able to work, should have the opportunity to build a rewarding career.

employment gives Albertans with disabilities the opportunity to earn an income, learn skills, build relationships, demonstrate abilities, develop self-confidence and feel a greater sense of belonging to our communities.

i envision our province to be a place where every person with a disability is involved in his or her community in truly meaningful ways. We have an opportunity now to address the challenges and barriers faced by persons with disabilities, support their career preparation and create more welcoming workplaces.

the Alberta employment First strategy is the result of a unique collaboration between the government of Alberta and our partners and incorporates the thoughtful feedback we received when we posted the draft strategy on the social policy Framework website in may 2013.

the strategy focuses on creating the kinds of employment opportunities that contribute to a rich and fulfilling life for all Albertans and recognizes the need for a new approach to make this happen.

there are many outstanding service providers throughout the province dedicated to supporting persons with disabilities. A number of Alberta employers have already embraced inclusive workplaces and know the benefits of hiring persons with disabilities.

it is my hope that the Alberta employment First strategy will build on these successes and continue to evolve as governments, employers, educators, service providers and persons with disabilities and their families establish new linkages and partnerships.

i look forward to working with you as we implement the Alberta employment First strategy and move closer to reaching Alberta’s social policy Framework vision of a province that provides opportunities to all of its citizens.

sincerely,

Honourable naresh bhardwajAssociate minister,services for persons with Disabilities

Message from the Associate Minister


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The Alberta Employment First Strategy takes a cross-disability view and considers the full diversity of disabilities and life circumstances.


5The Alberta Employment First Strategy

the Alberta employment First strategy is the result of a unique collaboration involving a number of Alberta government ministries, service providers, employers, associations and Albertans.

the Alberta First employment strategy is centred around the underlying principle that employment is the preferred outcome for adult Albertans with disabilities and an important experience for working age youth. the strategy takes a cross-disability view and considers the full diversity of disabilities and life circumstances.

the Alberta employment First strategy recognizes that there is no one solution that will work for everyone. instead, broad strategic directions and actions will be realized in different ways and by different partners to support the needs of each individual.

in this way, the strategy will help to expand the opportunities for Albertans with disabilities. the result will be an increased focus on both employment outcomes and services for Albertans with disabilities.

What is Employment First?employment First is an approach to providing employment supports to persons with all types of disabilities including those with complex and significant disabilities for whom job opportunities in the past may have been limited or not available. it recognizes that the key to success lies in ensuring that both youth and adults with disabilities have the appropriate post-secondary education, training and skills development to help them to meet their career goals.

employment First focuses on finding new ways for partners to create supportive environments and new collaborations that provide the right kinds of supports for people whose needs are different and may change over time.


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Alberta has a strong history of supporting employment for persons with disabilities.


7Introduction

Alberta has a strong history of supporting employment for persons with disabilities. employers, community agencies, service providers, educators, governments and others provide a wide range of programs, services and supports to help Albertans with disabilities prepare for, obtain, maintain and advance in employment.

the Alberta employment First strategy builds on the strengths of existing programs and considers how to transform them to better address the varying and unique needs of individuals with disabilities. the strategy’s goal is to significantly increase the number of Albertans with disabilities who are employed and have careers that are meaningful to them.

Alberta employers are facing projected labour shortages over the next 10 years and need to begin looking to underrepresented groups to find the workforce of tomorrow. this strategy focuses on helping Albertans with disabilities succeed in the workforce by fostering welcoming workplaces and supporting them as they prepare for work by creating inclusive schools, colleges, technical institutes and universities.


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Persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments.


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AlbertAns with disAbilities Are A diverse group

•A disability can occur at any age or any stage of life. some individuals are born with a disability while others acquire a disability at some point in their lives.

•some individuals may have more than one disability or may have other conditions in addition to their disability that make their needs more complex.

•some individuals have episodic disabilities. their disability is long-term, but they have periods of good health broken up by unpredictable periods of illness or disability that can last for different lengths of time. examples of episodic disabilities include multiple sclerosis, lupus, some forms of mental illness and arthritis.

•some individuals have disabilities that are progressive and can become more severe over time.

• in 2012, 9.4% of working-age Albertans (15 to 64) reported having a disability compared to 35.7% of Albertans aged 65 and older.3

•Approximately 21% of Albertans with disabilities live with very severe disabilities.4

1United nations Convention on the rights of persons with Disabilities2,

3,

4statistics Canada, Canadian survey on Disability, 2012

The need for a new approach

Approximately

12.5% or 369,190

of Albertans live with

a disability2

“persons with disabilities include those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.”1


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Albertans with disabilities are more likely to be unemployed or underemployed than Albertans without disabilities.


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persons with disAbilities Are more likely to be either unemployed or underemployed

some persons with disabilities experience greater challenges and barriers to employment for a variety of reasons.

in fact, the federal government has estimated there are approximately 795,000 working age Canadians with disabilities who are unemployed, despite having a disability that should not prevent them working. of these, approximately 50% have post-secondary education.5

Albertans with disabilities are more likely to be unemployed or underemployed than Albertans without disabilities. the employment rate for Albertans with disabilities in 2006 was almost 15% lower than it was for Albertans without disabilities.6 While this was an improvement over the 20% difference in 2001,7 we know that the economic downturn of 2008 had a serious and lasting impact on employment rates for certain underrepresented groups.

5panel on labour market opportunities for persons with Disabilities, January 20136,

7participation and Activity limitation survey, 2006 (based on the population of Albertans ages 15-64)

employment rate for Albertans with disabilities

is 15% lower

Approximately

795,000 of working age Canadians with disabilities are not working

50% have post-secondary education

than for Albertans without disabilities


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AlbertA’s untApped lAbour mArket

Alberta continues to have one of the highest labour force participation rates in Canada. people seek out Alberta for the employment opportunities and high standard of living associated with our thriving economy. Alberta also offers a range of employment-related programs, services and supports available to help those who need assistance to participate in the labour market.

Alberta’s long-term labour force strategy, building and educating tomorrow’s Workforce, identifies people as our greatest resource and the need to develop the full potential of all Albertans in the workforce.

groups underrepresented in the workforce make up a large pool of untapped talent – including youth, persons with disabilities and Aboriginal people. strategies and initiatives to support education and employment for these groups will be critical to the province’s long term success given projections that strong economic growth in Alberta could lead to a cumulative shortage of 114,000 workers by 2021.8

8Alberta’s occupational Demand and supply outlook 2011-2021.

AlbertA’s disAbility supports

the government of Alberta offers a range of supports for persons with disabilities which have evolved over time. typically, these supports reflect the belief systems and best practice models of the day and have made a difference by addressing a specific range of needs or a defined group of people.

An unintended consequence of this approach is that Albertans with disabilities receive different levels of service based on eligibility criteria that were developed to target specific groups or diagnoses. the current disability support system is not structured to meet the needs of all Albertans with disabilities and prevents Alberta from benefitting from their strengths and contributions.

recent shifts are helping to lay the foundation for change. in 2010, Canada ratified the United nations Convention on the rights of persons with Disabilities which recognizes the rights of persons with disabilities to work on an equal basis with others, in a work environment that is open, inclusive and accessible. the Convention is intended to support changing the perception of disability and recognizes that all people must be provided with the opportunities to live life to their fullest potential.

Alberta’s social policy Framework sets out common principles for all social programs and the direction for social policy in Alberta. in addition, with social programs largely offered through Alberta Human services there are new opportunities to integrate a range of supports within the broader disability system.


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the importAnCe of developing meAningful ConneCtions through employment

research shows us that people with disabilities lead more meaningful lives and achieve better outcomes when they are part of their communities as compared to those who live in institutional settings.9

Connection to a community can happen in many ways. For most people it starts with employment which helps to increase a person’s independence and quality of life by allowing them to use their abilities, develop new skills, build relationships and be a part of the social fabric of their community.

developing A ‘whole person’ ApproACh

individuals with disabilities have diverse interests, different abilities and strengths, and experience different challenges and barriers to employment. their need for employment supports and services varies based on a number of factors such as:

• the type of disability.

•Where they live and the services available in their community, such as transportation, child care or personal care supports.

•supports provided by their family and personal networks.

9research and training Center on Community living (2010). Behavioral outcomes of deinstitutionalization for people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities: Third decennial review of U.S. studies, 1997-2010. University of minnesota

Kozma, A., mansell, J., & beadle-brown, J. (2009). Outcomes in different residential settings for people with intellectual disability: A systematic review. American Association on intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 114(3), p. 193-222.10Hiring people with Disabilities, Alberta Disabilities Forum, December 15, 2011

many of the challenges related to the employment of persons with disabilities are systemic issues. stakeholders have identified the assumptions and misconceptions regarding the abilities and work capacity of persons with disabilities and the lack of employer awareness and education as barriers.

other barriers for Albertans with disabilities include difficulty navigating the system of employment supports and services, inadequate and inflexible employment policies and standards, lower wages and fewer opportunities for advancement.10

improving the employment prospects for persons with disabilities requires a ‘whole person’ approach, since finding meaningful employment and career development takes more than just a focus on a job and job skills. it starts with developing a career identity early in life; finding a job and gaining experience during school years; pursuing further education; and continuing to develop job skills, including social skills, team skills, and critical thinking skills for ongoing career development.

Albertans with disabilities need to be able to choose from a range of employment supports and services that meet their needs. these could be the same as the supports and services that employers provide to all employees or they might be disability-related employment supports such as job preparation supports, job coaching supports and other individualized employment-related supports.


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The Alberta Employment First Strategy moves us closer to the day when all workplaces in the province are inclusive and Albertans with disabilities are working to their full potential.


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vision

the Alberta employment First strategy moves us closer to the day when all workplaces in the province are inclusive and Albertans with disabilities are working to their full potential and contributing to their communities. From this, emerges our vision:

Albertans with disabilities achieve meaningful employment that enables them to realize their full potential.

everyone contributes to creating inclusive workplaces and communities. We all have a role to play in reaching this vision.

outComes

the desired outcomes for the Alberta employment First strategy will serve as touch points that all partners can use to ensure that their actions move us closer to achieving our vision. by periodically checking progress against these outcomes, we will be able to make adjustments as necessary, identify new areas requiring attention over the lifespan of the strategy and report back to stakeholders and Albertans.

the strategy is focused around three main outcomes:

More persons with disabilities are employed

employment is more than just getting a job. employment means ensuring that persons with disabilities have:

• the necessary skills, education, training, and workforce experience to prepare for employment.

• the right supports to obtain employment.

• the life skills and supports to maintain a job such as getting to and from work on time, balancing work with other aspects of life, fitting into the workplace, and understanding expectations.

• the ability to grow within a position and advance to other positions.

More workplaces are inclusive

inclusion means the extent to which individuals feel valued and included by an organization. inclusive workplaces welcome employees with a wide range of individual characteristics, backgrounds and experiences. these workplaces respect, value, and promote diversity of thought and diversity of experience. From an organization’s leadership to every worker, each individual contributes to the workplace environment and sense of inclusion.

Enhanced collaborative partnerships with community partners

improving employment for persons with disabilities is not something that can be done by government, employers, educators, service providers or community partners working on their own. everyone has a role to play, and it is by working collaboratively that we will be able to welcome more persons with disabilities into our workplaces and communities. Coordinated efforts will ensure that all partners are working together in a collaborative and integrated way towards reaching our shared objectives.

The strategic framework


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strAtegiC direCtions

the following are the areas in which efforts will be focused now and over the next five years to help improve the employment and career opportunities for Albertans with disabilities.

Support Albertans with disabilities to prepare for, obtain, maintain, and advance in employment

Whether someone is working towards a post-secondary credential, considering their career options, or trying to adjust their workload to better manage their disability, they may need information, supports or assistance to help them achieve their employment goals.

this includes a child dreaming about their future, youth making informed choices about school studies based on their career goals, youth and adults attending a post-secondary institution and considering career options, and adults exploring self-employment options or career advancement prospects.

individuals with disabilities have diverse interests, different abilities and strengths, and different employment goals. the employment challenges they face and the supports they need will be different and may change over time. For example, some Albertans with disabilities may need a range of supports including, but not limited to:

•Career exploration, knowledge and skill development.

•on the job supports, mentoring and coaching.

• transportation assistance to and from work.

• Funding to start their own business.

•support to advance in their chosen career.

recognizing that the foundations for employment success are often set early in life, the government of Alberta and our partners will focus on supports that match the changing needs of persons with disabilities by:

•Developing new approaches that will improve the ability of persons with disabilities to prepare for and achieve meaningful employment and career opportunities throughout their lives.

• Funding a youth employment prototype project.

•exploring new ways to match persons with disabilities who are looking for employment with employers who have jobs to fill.

•Assessing current policies and programs to identify unintentional systemic barriers and ensuring that persons with disabilities have access to programs that support all Albertans as they pursue their employment goals.

•Developing an action plan to increase the number of persons with disabilities achieving their career goals.


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Work with employers to create more inclusive workplaces and improve employment and career opportunities for Albertans with disabilities

many employers in Alberta know that hiring persons with disabilities is good for business. these employers have successfully integrated persons with disabilities into their workforces and the results can be seen in a more diverse talent pool, leading to more creativity and better problem-solving; improved business outcomes; talented, committed employees; and, an inclusive and diverse workplace culture.

strategies will be developed with employers and other groups to help them build inclusive workplaces, accommodate employees with disabilities, and increase the recruitment, retention, and career development options of Albertans with disabilities. technology may be leveraged to support innovative approaches, share information, and help to connect Albertans with disabilities, organizations and employers.

to learn from the experiences of employers who have created inclusive workplaces, the government of Alberta has established an employer Advisory Council in order to build understanding of best practices and provide a series of recommendations for how government, employers, employment agencies and communities can work together to welcome more people with disabilities into our workplaces.

other areas of focus will include:

•Developing tools to help employers and industry understand the value of hiring persons with disabilities.

•Creating new ways to engage employers and industry groups across the province.

•enhancing government recruitment, retention and advancement of persons with disabilities.

•Developing a government internship program for persons with disabilities.

Enhance collaborative partnerships and networks among service providers to support persons with disabilities to find meaningful employment

As the cornerstone of the delivery of employment-related supports and services, service providers across the province have been successful at increasing the integration of Albertans with disabilities into the workforce and helping employers to build inclusive workplaces.

strategies will be developed in partnership with service providers and employers to build on these successes and broaden this approach through a renewed emphasis on collaboration and networks that will enhance the supports for persons with disabilities.

Additional areas of focus will include:

•making effective use of technology to assess, develop, share and implement new approaches to enhancing employment opportunities.

•supporting new collaborative relationships and providing opportunities for service providers to share and benefit from innovative approaches and best practices.

•enabling learning opportunities on innovative employment practices through regular webcasts and an annual symposium.


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key enAbling ACtions

Following are key actions which will help advance the success of the Alberta employment First strategy. Additional enabling actions may be identified as conversations continue and the Alberta employment First strategy evolves.

Work with other ministries and jurisdictions to coordinate efforts

programs, services, and supports designed to improve the employment and career opportunities for Albertans with disabilities are offered by a number of government of Alberta ministries and other jurisdictions such as the federal government and the province’s municipalities. effective coordination and collaboration among all levels of government is an essential underpinning of the Alberta employment First strategy.

As an example, ensuring access to education is a critical component of enhancing employment opportunities for persons with disabilities. the Alberta employment First strategy will rely on the collaborative efforts of the ministries of Alberta Human services, Alberta education, Alberta innovation and Advanced education and Alberta Jobs, skills, training and labour to ensure that persons with disabilities have access to the education and training programs they need to succeed in employment and to support their career development.

the Alberta employment First strategy is influenced by a number of significant initiatives across the government of Alberta including:

•Alberta’s social policy Framework

•building and educating tomorrow’s Workforce

•poverty reduction strategy

•Alberta’s Approach to early Childhood Development

• inspiring education

supporting meaningful employment for persons with disabilities will also require ensuring that the work underway on each of these initiatives aligns with the vision and direction outlined in the Alberta employment First strategy.

Create an innovative culture, adopt a learning approach, and evaluate along the way

An open and inclusive approach to policy and program development will be the foundation of the Alberta employment First strategy.

Creating a culture that celebrates and promotes learning, innovation and ongoing evaluation will encourage governments, individuals, service providers, educators, employers, and others to try new approaches and learn from successes and challenges that may arise along the way. Developing an innovative culture will result from sharing information, leading practices, and results with each other on an ongoing basis.

the government of Alberta will look closely at current employment supports, services and policies to identify barriers and gaps and explore new approaches. in addition, work will focus on:

•Developing a strategy to share information on projects and success stories of individuals finding employment.

•Continuing the dialogue with external stakeholders.

•establishing a seed fund for prototypes aimed at developing new ways of operating and new ways of enabling persons with disabilities.

•examining information and data needs in order to measure progress.


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everybody has skills and abilities they can contribute to the workplace and to the community. enhancing employment opportunities for persons with disabilities will require a culture change by all who are part of the community – government, employers, educators, service providers, families and persons with disabilities.

this will take time and a commitment from all involved to maintain momentum as stakeholders test and refine these new ways of working, and deepen collaborative practices.

the challenge now is to think broadly and move beyond what we have been doing to achieve a significant improvement in employment and career opportunities and outcomes for persons with disabilities. A ‘learn as we go’ approach will help to keep the Alberta employment First strategy relevant and evolving.

Next steps


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Everyone contributes to creating inclusive workplaces and communities.


21Appendix

developing the drAft AlbertA employment first strAtegy

in early 2013, Alberta Human services began to work with other ministries, governments, service providers, community agencies and employers to develop a strategic approach to increase the employment and career opportunities of Albertans with disabilities.

Alberta Human services also initiated series of conversations around the province with persons with disabilities, their families, service providers and employers to learn about their workforce experiences. Central to this work was the need to improve the common understanding of areas that impact the employment of persons with disabilities including:

•Current policies, programs and services that support employment opportunities for persons with disabilities.

•barriers faced by persons with disabilities, employers and organizations, service providers and community partners.

•Current leading and promising practices related to employment for persons with disabilities.

themes identified through the first phAse of ConsultAtion

several themes emerged from the conversations held across the province and through feedback on the draft Alberta employment First strategy. many of these themes related to taking a broader systemic or inclusion approach to improve employment and career opportunities for Albertans with disabilities and included the following concepts:

• the strategy needs to acknowledge the full range of factors that support an individual’s ability to prepare for, obtain, maintain and advance in meaningful employment. Dreams, aspirations and a focus on employment need to be fostered early in life. Children and youth with disabilities need to see they have a future, whether that future leads them to more education and training, or a career path and employment. there can be also impacts to employment for individuals at various life stages or when disability occurs in adulthood.

• the strategy needs to enable an individualized approach to address the specific interests, aspirations, needs and supports for Albertans with disabilities. Creating more awareness of the abilities and strengths of Albertans with disabilities will help to improve perceptions of what they can contribute to the workplace and their communities. Work needs to be done to improve societal readiness and support for meaningful employment of persons with disabilities, including improving the capacity of various sectors.


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• the creation of an innovative, learning culture will help to support sustainable, systemic changes. Fostering innovative approaches and providing opportunities for organizations to link together throughout Alberta and with other jurisdictions will enable organizations to learn from each other. technologies can also be used in a variety of ways to assist persons with disabilities, their families, employers and service providers; however, it is also important not to overestimate the potential of technology.

•governments can review programs, policies and infrastructure to identify opportunities to enhance employment for persons with disabilities. in addition, there can be improvements in the collection and availability of data on Albertans with disabilities.


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ContACt informAtion

Alberta Human Services 12th Floor, Milner Building10040 - 104 Street NWEdmonton, AB T5J 0Z2

Tel: 780-415-0915 E-mail: [email protected]/disability-services/employment-first.html

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