A new survey by Statistics Canada found the employment rate of working-age adults in the country was at 80 per cent in 2017 B次元官网网址� but only 59 per cent for people with disabilities.
For one in five people with disabilities, the survey found their day-to-day lives were limited by their disability. ThatB次元官网网址檚 6.2 million Canadians.
While the 2017 Canadian Survey on Disability isnB次元官网网址檛 broken into the geographical location of the participants, in Victoria, the Victoria Disability Resource Centre strives to help people with disabilities who are looking for work.
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B次元官网网址淭here is a very high population of persons with disabilities in Victoria, especially mobility disabilities, and itB次元官网网址檚 because the weather is so nice. We see a lot of people coming to the centre who have moved from out east to Victoria mainly because of the weather,B次元官网网址� Wendy Cox, the executive director of the Victoria Disability Resource Centre, said.
Many of the 10,000 people who visit the VDRC annually seek information about accessible housing and jobs. The centre offers a one-on-one Working Together program with the Neil Squire Society. It helps with writing r茅sum茅s and cover letters, as well as interview skills, and the benefits and risks of disclosing a disability. Between 100 and 200 people have taken the course in the four years it has been available in Victoria.
B次元官网网址淚t can be hard when somebodyB次元官网网址檚 handed out hundreds of r茅sum茅s and gone to interviews and still is not getting any jobs. It kind of breaks you down, breaks your spirit. It is hard for anybody, not just for people with disabilities, but a lot of people with disabilities go in thinking B次元官网网址榃hy even botherB次元官网网址�,B次元官网网址� Cox said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 helping people get over that and build their confidence.B次元官网网址�
The , with people who have more severe disabilities two and a half times less likely to be employed. The 59 per cent rate of employment for people with disabilities fell to 31 per cent for people with very severe disabilities, and nearly one-third of those who are employed with more severe disabilities live in poverty.
For people who have been newly injured and may be re-entering the workforce with a disability, itB次元官网网址檚 important to be realistic about workloads, Cox said. They have to maintain a work-life balance to make sure theyB次元官网网址檙e taking care of any new needs they may have. That might mean scaling back hours at work so the employee still has energy once they get home.
B次元官网网址淵ou have to balance that because then youB次元官网网址檙e going to burn out,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淪tart slow and then build up.B次元官网网址�
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The main concern she hears is when someone should disclose that they have a disability. She said that decision often depends on the type and severity of the disability and what the job is.
Cox, who uses a wheelchair, said when she was looking for a job she didnB次元官网网址檛 mention her wheelchair on her resume. SheB次元官网网址檇 wait until she was contacted for an interview, and then ask them about how accessible the building was and if there was an elevator.
B次元官网网址淛ust to give them a heads up, because I donB次元官网网址檛 want to roll into the interview and shock them and then have them have to make room and itB次元官网网址檚 going to be awkward,B次元官网网址� Cox said.
For people with mental health issues or a learning disability, there might not be a need to disclose that information if it wonB次元官网网址檛 affect job performance. If it will affect how someone can do their job, VRDC can help with how to present that information and offer suggestions for tools to help.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 really putting forward the personB次元官网网址檚 abilities and how they can do the job rather than focusing on their disability,B次元官网网址� Cox said. B次元官网网址淲hen it comes down to it, there needs to be a change in peopleB次元官网网址檚 mindsets when it comes to people with disabilities and seeing them as equal counterparts in society and able to contribute just as much.B次元官网网址�
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