Barriers Persons With Disabilities And Special Needs Face In Finding Work

People with disabilities in Australia, whether congenital or acquired, suffer difficulty finding suitable employment opportunities. Barriers to finding jobs among people with disabilities stem from deep-rooted causes. The existence of ableism in the workplace is a determining factor. It can be a conscious or unconscious event that presupposes every other form of discrimination. This phenomenon views people with known disabilities as somewhat “inferior” and thus perform differently than normal abled-bodied persons. 

The Barriers

Other barriers to job opportunities experienced by people with disabilities include:

1. Bias In The Recruitment Process

Hiring managers tend to be pessimistic about onboarding persons with disabilities. This is despite the candidate’s workplace ability and qualifications beyond their obvious disability. Often, employers tend to look only at the disability and identify it as a source of weakness and a demerit to individual capacity to perform work-related tasks.

Persons With Disabilities Face The Fear Of Negative Judgment 

Many employees who could get a job are in constant fear of negative judgment. Their disability acts as a reason to be ridiculed and underestimated by their work peers. On top of that, employees with certain limitations are excluded from top-tier leadership positions. They are often seen as unable to facilitate and lead a company despite their qualifications and accomplishments from previous jobs.

2. Employers Are Unwilling To Accommodate The Distinct Workplace Needs

Persons with disabilities require special accommodation to move about in the office. Often, employers are reluctant to provide for these needs due to added operational costs that they will incur. It is much easier for employers to hire people who have no workplace performance and mobility limitation.  

With workplace discrimination affecting persons with disabilities, the promulgation of the NDIS plan management was enacted.

3. NDIS Plan Management For Disabled Individuals

In an attempt to remove disability discrimination in the workplace, Australia, more specifically in Sydney, has developed and incorporated the NDIS plan management plan in the care and treatment of persons with disabilities. Through this initiative, qualified individuals are provided with support measures that promote personal independence while offering employment opportunities. 

Such effort involves using Disability Employment Services (DES), which includes specialist employment assistance that aids individuals with disabilities to find and retain sustainable employment opportunities. 

A Custom-Tailored Approach To Employment Possibilities

The NDIS plan management Sydney aims to provide information and assistance that improves individual skills. In this region, extensive focus on developing essential skills required to secure a job role ensures that persons with disabilities possess the expertise needed for a particular job role is implemented. The NDIS plan management’s initial process of assessing the individual capacity of persons with disabilities is essential in proper job matching. This guarantees that job opportunities fit the unique capacity of disabled persons that promotes personal self-worth and confidence. 

NDIS Promotes Participant Employment Goals And Aspirations

NDIS plan management ensures that individuals with known disabilities are at the forefront of decision-making regarding personal enhancement and employment opportunities. This is further included in Sydney’s Supported Independent Living (SIL) initiative, and wherein all essential services are discussed and provided during the initial planning stage. This aims to support the individual aspiration to secure work through self-improvement and be “work-ready.” Self-empowerment is facilitated, which increases self-worth and individual competency, especially on job-related tasks.

NDIS Promotes Personal Sustainability And Career Development

With the numerous supports offered through the NDIS, individuals with disabilities are given a chance to live in a non-discriminatory environment while at the same time developing useful life skills. This leads to an increased likelihood of finding job opportunities that suit anyone’s capacity.