I received an email from the Training Resources Network: www.trninc.com, a terrific organisation headed up by a NOVA friend, Dale DiLeo a champion of disability rights who graciously agreed to join us in Australia last year to present some staff training.
The following is taken from http://raymondsroom.blogspot.com/ and I recommend a full read:
In a just released report sure to be controversial, the National Disability Rights Network has called for an end to segregated work, sheltered employment, and sub-minimum wage. In an introductory note, NDRN executive director Curt Decker states:
"...hundreds of thousands of people with disabilities are being isolated and financially exploited by their employers. Many are segregated away from traditional work and kept out of sight. Most are paid only a fraction of the minimum wage while many company owners make six -figure salaries. Many people profit off of their labor. All, except the worker. For many people with disabilities, their dream of leaving their - job training program - will never come true. They labor away making only a tiny portion of what they should because there is a system in place that provides no true alternatives."
"For the past several decades, activists and advocates for disability rights were complacent in our silence. The National Disability Rights Network, included. We fought for and continue to fight for community integration and an end to the abuse and neglect of people with disabilities while neglecting the evidence that segregated settings, sheltered work and sub-minimum wage contradicts this effort. Sheltered workshops are not what they promise to be, and sometimes serve as an unsettling example of how good intentions can lead to terrible outcomes."
"Simply put, sheltered workshops are just another institution segregating people with disabilities away because of our unwillingness to accept that our perceived notions about their ability to work may be wrong."
The report goes on to list and elaborate on several reasons segregated work must end:
Segregated work, sheltered environments, & sub-minimum wage directly contradict national policy.
Work segregation of people with disabilities is damaging.
Sub-minimum wages reinforce a life of poverty for people with disabilities.
Sheltered workshops lead nowhere.
Sheltered workshops profit greatly from the status quo.
In Australia we have gone quiet on this debate and seemingly simply accept that it is OK to have dual systems with luck (good or bad) determining which looks after you. The practice of allowing sheltered workshops to go through our school population trawling for recruits into the State government's Transition to Work program is particularly damaging and should be stopped immediately - those kids are denied any opportunity to leave at the time when their employability and readiness to pick up new skills is at its greatest.
Cheers Dale, I was inspired by your blog.
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Your Comments Patrick Cooper from Brisbane wrote on 22 Nov 2013 12:02:45 PM I recently undertook a pretty extensive research engagement with various Australian Disability Enterprises (ADE), which the author chose to insultingly call "sheltered workshops" and I take umbridge at the complete lack of understanding and appreciation of what these organisations provide. Clearly Dale is completely missinformed regarding the valuable contribution these place provide to those with disability. Many of whom start by working at an ADE recieve training and support and then go on to work in open employment. Sadly many will never have this capability and the author once again fails to appreciate that not every person with a disability will be able to do so. Regardless of how hard we wish it to be. The foolish, narrow minded and clearly missinformed article fails to account for the multiple organisations that deliver quality lifestyle engagement to those with disaqbility by providing them with valued and valuable employment. This provides the participant with social engagement, dignity and a feeling of belonging to and contributing to the community. The article is clearly written with a bias borne from the early 1970s and before the current format of these highly valuable organisations. I find this article an insult to people with disability everywhere.
Martin from St Marys wrote on 23 Nov 2013 1:31:40 PM Thanks Patrick
I appreciate a your different viewpoint and remain firmly convinced thath much more not only can, but needs to be done. For example the recent decision of the High Court of Australia that the tool used by the majority of sheltered workshops to measure the productivity of people with an intellectual disability violates their human rights and is an unfair and inaccurate means of assessing productivity simply affirms what everyone knows - workers are exploited.
The national average wage for people in sheltered settings is a little over $4 an hour.
'Open Employment first' needs to become our minifesto, not 'the good offsets the bad'.
Richard H Douglas from Kent UK wrote on 30 Jan 2014 11:16:20 PM I think Patrick Cooper said most of what i would comment on, and I agree with most of it. As someone who worked as a supervisor/trainer in sheltered workshops in Auckland NZ, I can see both sides of the debate, it is a very complex issue,some clients/trainees will never work in the commercial realm ,while others progress to full employment with understanding employers......But they must not be closed down simply because a few bad eggs exploit the vulnerable. the AED should compel all workshops to become incorporated society's, and not for profit organisations.
Previous Posts
2 Things
2 Things:
First:
About the middle of February I wrote: i. "NOVA Needs You!
We are presently engaged in a very significant recruitment drive and are particularly keen to hear from folk with disability and/or sales experience to join our team of Employment Consultants - THIS IS NOT AN EASY JOB - you need to be resilient, self sacrificing and have stacks of smarts and even then we only take the best....
We're struggling!
NOVA Needs You!
We are presently engaged in a very significant recruitment drive and are particularly keen to hear from folk with disability and/or sales experience to join our team of Employment Consultants - THIS IS NOT AN EASY JOB - you need to be resilient, self sacrificing and have stacks of smarts and even then we only take the best....
Extraordinary Results
When Government Star Ratings seem designed to celebrate the ordinary, it is a pleasure to be able to share a terrific piece of selfless effort on behalf of others....
Whats wrong with Employment Services II? What's wrong with Employment Services II
My mum used to frequently admonish my brothers and I with the words, 'if at first you don't succeed, try, try again'....
Whats wrong with Employment Services? There's rumours of a shake-up in the Job Active program - word is, the program isn't making a real difference and employers don't like it!
There's plenty of evidence to suggest that, despite the best intent of Government and funding body, the Disability Employment Service (DES) is similarly in the doldrums....
I need you! Comrades
NOVA needs you - we are very keen to enlist new members of our organisation.
Here's what you need: the patience of Job, the strength of the Hulk, the wisdom of Solomon and a selfless devotion caring for the needs of others worthy of Mother Teresa....
Tragic Loss People with Disability lost a true champion last Wednesday with the unexpected passing of a truly great man, the Chief Executive Officer of Inclusion Australia and a dear friend Mr Paul Cain....
Fair Warning
I'm giving fair warning of my intention to expose examples of the current DES-ESS contract's exploitation.
I have written to the Commonwealth expressing my concerns about clear manipulation of the present contract....
Fundamentals
The new contract for Disability Employment Services (DES) will not bring performance improvement.
Government will scratch it's head, blame the economy, blame people with disability, talk about educating employers and spend money on consultations before coming to the conclusion that people with disability must meet more stringent 'mutual obligations'....
100%
Each year, around about the International Day of People with a Disability (IDPwD) NOVA Employment holds a formal graduation for students that have participated in our pre-employment programs....
Profiting from poverty
Profiting from Poverty
I am genuinely horrified by this disaster: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jul/02/the-demerit-system-is-ruthless-social-policy-designed-to-keep-the-poor-powerless
I believe that we presently represent the job hopes of around 1500 people, in various stages of their progression to independent employment....
New Contract but no change!
New Contract but no change!
Today marks the first day of a new Disability Employment Service (DES) contract.
There are new players and new rules....
Administrative Overload
'It's nice to be busy' and 'busy is better than idle' and all of my mum's other sayings about work being good for you, and all of them said; we're drowning!
The administrative burden of a new Disability Employment Service contract (starts July 1st) and the mountains of paperwork required for an NDIS dollar (approximately 10X that of the former TTW program) has seen us add 3 extra staff to the admin team and we are still receiving a large volume of enquiries that are causing us some time delay in getting back to folk....
Podcasts I've been learning all about Podcasts (I suspect that this may be a long road!)
However, getting paid to be inspired is not the worst way to spend a Monday afternoon and that is just how my day has gone....
Lucky Lucky
I am truly fortunate to work with the very best people in this great nation and we are truly lucky to be part of the best short film festival this side of anywhere!
"Focusonability" voting starts today and there is an even larger number of films (287) than last year....
On the money Sometime over the next week a new Disability Employment Service contract will be announced.
We are moving into a new world of greater consumer choice and greater mobility of job seekers....
Making a tough job tougher!
Making a tough job tougher
It isnt easy to get a decent job and its harder to do so if you have a disability.
NOVA employs around 190 people, an effective and experienced team who are able to draw upon a staff of highly skilled trainers and a support program honed over almost 30 years and tens of thousands of participants....
Your Work There was never any doubt in my mind that I would work. My dad told me I would work and there wasn't ever a suggestion that my future held an alternative option....
Not so bad! Taken from: Today's Guardian at 4.09pm Tuesday 7th November 2017:
www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals-network/2016/jun/23/russia-and-the-us-have-the-worst-employment-gaps-for-disabled-people
In a world full of discouragement there’s always a space for good news....
Informed Choice
The NDIS mantra is 'choice and control'
To be valuable, choice needs to be informed.
Since 2010:
Average Sydney Disability Employment Services placement rates are 34....
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