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Collaboration in Supporting Employment

Collaboration in Supporting Employment. John Dolan Chief Executive Disability Federation of Ireland. DFI a collaborative resource. The only national voluntary disability umbrella body with member organisations across the sector Over 100 in membership Wide range of organisations are members

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Collaboration in Supporting Employment

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  1. Collaboration in Supporting Employment John Dolan Chief Executive Disability Federation of Ireland

  2. DFI a collaborative resource • The only national voluntary disability umbrella body with member organisations across the sector • Over 100 in membership • Wide range of organisations are members • By disability / condition, size, geographic range, types of supports and services provided • Building capacity of members for collaborative working. • Expanding representative role, nationally & locally.

  3. DFI: National & Local • Ten Regional Support Officers • DETE & FAS Advisory Committees developing a comprehensive employment strategy • DSFA Advisory Committee re adequate income, benefit traps, activation programmes • Disability Stakeholders Group comprehensive, high level oversight

  4. NDS/T16 • “Ireland where people with disabilities have, to the greatest extent possible, the opportunity to live a full life …” • Five high level goals for people with a disability set out in Towards 2016 • Balances disability-specific and mainstream initiatives • Inter-agency working responsibilities

  5. T16’s Five Goals • Every person with a disability would have access to an income which is sufficient to sustain an acceptable standard of living; • Every person with a disability would, in conformity with their needs and abilities, have access to appropriate care, health, education, employment and training and social services; • Every person with a disability would have access to public spaces, buildings, transport, information, advocacy and other public services and appropriate housing; • Every person with a disability would be supported to enable them, as far as possible, to lead full and independent lives, to participate in work and in society and to maximise their potential, and; • Carers would be acknowledged and supported in their caring role.

  6. NDS & Supported Employment • Mainstreaming = belonging in a work-oriented culture • Person-centred approach • Recognise different capacities; a range of “work” scenarios, some heavily supported long term • Grey area in the range of ‘rehabilitation’/‘pre-development’/’job ready’ where collaboration critical

  7. ‘Bridging’ Programmes in T16 • DETE & HSE work together to enable people to move from rehabilitation to vocational training • Slow to progress • DSFA activation for people with disabilities • Small pilot in Midlands • Role for Office for Equality, Disability & Mental Health

  8. Supported Employment Programme • Static despite growth economy • WRC review • Recent announcements: • Drop to 8 hour minimum • Assessment, and intensive support if appropriate • Employer focus

  9. What getting a job probably looks like for a person with a disability …

  10. What hiring a person with disabilities probably looks like to an employer …

  11. Applying What We Already Know • The person with a disability sees a chasm between his/her current situation and a job • S/he needs confidence to jump • That depends on trust and an on-going relationship • An employer faces the unknown • S/he needs on-going access to reliable expertise

  12. Building Collaboration • Voluntary disability organisations can do more to facilitate/activate/support • On the (potential) employee side • On the employer side • They know well the individual and the disability or disabling condition • They can be the confidence builder

  13. Building Collaboration • Voluntary organisations traditionally have focussed on special, health services • With the new environment under NDS/T16, need to collaborate with more partners • More voluntary organisations need to look outwards • More employment-oriented agencies to seek out voluntary organisation links

  14. Building Collaboration • Commit human and financial resources • Agree nature of scale and scope of changes which need to take place • Policies and framework for co-operation • Commitment by the whole organisation • Transparency and trust between organisations

  15. Building Collaboration • Co-operation sufficiently prioritised • Any legacy of past failures or disappointments overcome • Not trying to rush things too quickly • Comfortable not giving too much up or too much away • Confident consistent with own self interest

  16. Barriers to Working Together • Trust (Lack of) • Turf (Competition, Cost Exceeds Benefit,) • Resources (Time, Finance, Human Resources)

  17. Collaboration for Employment Easy to say; hard to do, but essential to reach the long term goals

  18. Disability Federation of Ireland Advocate for the Voluntary Disability Sector Supporting organisations to enable people with disabilities Fumbally Court Fumbally Lane Dublin 8 Email: info@disability-federation.ie Website: www.disability-federation.ie

  19. DISABILITY FEDERATION OF IRELAND Regional Support Officers

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