Learning about Work from People with Disabilities
In June 2015, we announced the findings of an important new report—the Kessler Foundation National Employment and Disability Survey. More than 3,000 respondents from across the country shared their experiences and aspirations, dispelling many common myths about people with disabilities in the workplace.
The findings are striking—nearly 69% of people with disabilities are taking at least one of the following actions: working, seeking a better position or more hours, actively job-hunting, networking with family and friends, or getting the necessary rehabilitation, education, and job training to prepare for employment. “We learned that
work is important to people with disabilities,” said John O’Neill, PhD,
director of Disability & Employment Research at Kessler Foundation,
and co-author of the survey. “Despite the challenging environment of today’s workplace, the survey shows that many are successfully overcoming
obstacles to finding and maintaining jobs. While challenges persist,
this survey has reframed the dialogue about disability and
employment to focus on the progress being achieved, rather than
the challenges to be overcome.”
The Kessler Foundation survey was funded by a $500,000 grant to the University of New Hampshire Institute on Disability, whose experts conducted the survey and analyzed the results. Ongoing analyses are extending the impact of the report on the decision-making process of policymakers, legislators, and philanthropic and advocacy organizations.
Through targeted philanthropy, the Foundation connects people with disabilities who are striving to work with employers committed to diversifying their workplaces. In 2015, more than $2.75 million was granted to help people with disabilities transition to competitive jobs. Overall, the Foundation has distributed $33 million to fund programs that provide skills acquisition and job placement for thousands of individuals with disabilities.
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Nearly $1.6 million in Signature Employment Grants funded programs in four states – Florida, Illinois, Maryland, and Missouri. Bridging the Gap from College to Careers, an initiative of the Florida Atlantic University Foundation, provides a professional workplace-skills curriculum and other supports to facilitate the transition of college students with disabilities to employment. Realizing Education and Advancement for Disabled Youth (READY), a program of Access Living of Metropolitan Chicago, consolidates available resources to transition students with disabilities to either college or employment. The Maryland Customized Employment Project improves employment outcomes for individuals with developmental disabilities. The Mercy Health Foundation’s Healthcare Workforce Inclusion Model places individuals with disabilities in new or existing job opportunities in St. Louis, Missouri.
“Because the need is so great, we focus our grant making on programs based on collaborative models that have the potential to transition substantial numbers of people to the workplace,” noted Elaine E. Katz, MS, CCC-SLP, senior vice president of Grants and Communications at Kessler Foundation. “Large-scale hiring can be achieved through partnerships involving corporations, community organizations, and vocational rehabilitation services. To further maximize the impact of our grants, we seek to fund programs based on models that can be replicated throughout the country.”
Seven Community Employment Grants totalling $600,000 were awarded to job training and employment programs in the New Jersey area. In addition, eight Special Initiative Grants totalling $119,000 funded artistic, educational, and recreational activities for veterans and civilians with disabilities.
Supporting Striving to Work
Monitoring National Trends
Kessler Foundation, in partnership with the University of New Hampshire Institute on Disability, has issued a customized monthly report since 2011, based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics: National Trends in Disability Employment, also known as nTIDE.
Each month, the release of nTIDE—the only report of its kind - is widely anticipated by the disability community, as well as experts in employment trends and labor markets. Dr. O’Neill and economist Andrew Houtenville, PhD, provide analysis and commentary on the data for workers and jobseekers with disabilities, and answer questions from news outlets and government agencies.
“During the first eight months of 2015, the major employment indicators were strikingly positive for people with disabilities,” noted Dr. O’Neill. “This may be a sign that they’re finally starting to recover from the downturn of the Great Recession. We’re looking carefully to see how things unfold in the coming year.”