Employment of people with developmental disabilities in Canada : Six key elements for an inclusive labour market

Parallel to and acting complementary to these efforts, a scan of policy conditions that support or act as disincentives to employment of people with developmental disabilities was conducted via review of key literature and documents and as identified by provincial and territorial representatives involved in the research efforts. [...] Special Report: Making the Case for Employment* While everyone is different and each person brings a range of strengths and limitations to the employment table, a growing body of research literature points to the benefits of employing people with developmental disabilities in the open labour market: Despite historically low rates of employment and employer concerns, people with developmental dis [...] Addressing small samples and the localized nature of much of the cost- efficiency research on supported employment, Cimera’s review (2010a) of national data in all states and territories of the US found an overall net benefit of $1.23 for each public dollar spent on the supported employment of people with developmental disabilities and no other diagnosis of disability, a benefit that was only marg [...] Building employer capacity and confidence Much of the current literature indicates that employers’ lack of awareness and understanding of the process and supports available for finding, hiring and managing employees with developmental disabilities is a key barrier to hiring. [...] The initiative seeks to better understand the key factors of positive transitions of youth from school to employment through an active research process grounded in the lived experience of a small group of youth who are currently in the process of making career and future plans.