Hi, I’m here about the job…
Having a job is a basic human right. Aside from the ability to earn a paycheck, being employed keeps us busy, challenges us, and adds value and structure to our lives. It gives us a sense of pride, purpose, and personal achievement. In the United States, if you’re willing and able, society expects you to work and earn a living to support yourself. Maybe you even go to school to learn skills to get the job you want. Then you get a job or start your own business, and become a “contributing member of society”.
But a willing and able job seeker with intellectual disabilities (ID) or Autism can find it difficult to get a job because employers are often hesitant to hire them. They may have general misconceptions about a person’s disability. For example, someone with Autism must be like Rain Man; or someone who communicates nonverbally lacks intelligence. Maybe they just doubt a person’s capacity to be a valuable employee and assume it would be too much work.
There are many people who work tirelessly to educate potential employers; to change the way people with ID or Autism are perceived. They make phone calls, meet face-to-face, and leave their business cards all over town. One classified ad at a time, they try to find meaningful employment for people with ID and Autism.
Supporting positive change
Over the years, so many of the people with ID and Autism that we have worked with have been positively impacted by having a job. We wanted to support the efforts made on their behalf so we developed a new video series for potential employers. This series is designed to show the advantages of hiring someone with ID or Autism, as well as ways to support successful employment. There are three videos in all and each is under 5 minutes long, because time is precious.
Videos can be a powerful tool. A uniquely compelling medium, we connect with video in a way that stirs our emotions, captures our imaginations, and challenges our perspectives. What’s more, we retain 95% of a message when we watch it in a video, compared to 10% when reading about it.
Use these videos to help address concerns and start the conversation. Share them via email or social media. View them online, or download to a computer or mobile device. We also included a printable brochure that highlights the talking points.
Additionally, we can provide training for employers and potential employers about working with a person with ID or Autism. If you know a business owner or hiring manager who could benefit from such a training, contact Milestone HCQU West at 724-293-0990.
October is Disability Employment Awareness Month
In honor of Disability Employment Awareness Month, here’s the first video in the series. It highlights the benefits of hiring someone with ID or Autism.
More to come!
The second video in our series, titled Supporting Success, will be released in November 2023. It explores how employers can support success with some very simple accommodations. And the third video will be released in December 2023. It features some exceptional employees with ID or Autism who graciously share what it means to them to have a job.
