Disability and Employment in the Not for Profit Sector

It is estimated that some 20 per cent of the Australian population of workforce age has a disability which can restrict involvement in the workforce. While Equal Employment legislation, employer education and of course the efforts of Not For Profit employment services have all done something to reduce the problem, there are still around 750,000 people receiving a disability pension. Yet research by Com Management indicates that less than 25 per cent of NGOs have policies which identify they will encourage people with disabilities to be employed by them and even fewer take a proactive role in actively employing them. This does not mean that many NGOs do not employ people with disabilities, but clearly there are not enough statements of intent and actions. If the Community Sector does not assist people with disabilities get employment what message could that send to the private sector? Best practice would dictate that every NFP Board should get a brief report at least yearly on the staffing of the organisation including their efforts, or at least a cost-benefit study, to employ people with disabilities.

Does your service have a policy regarding the employment of people with disabilities in the workplace? Is your workplace safety friendly? Indeed the concept could be extended to include aboriginal people, people from the CALD community and other disadvantaged groups. Or do you think your clients do not like to be helped by such people?