Disability Working Group Satellite Group 1 - employment
Potential draft recommendations: October 2005
These proposals represent potential actions discussed to date. They should not be taken as full recommendations at this stage and should be subject to discussion, amendment and change.
We should discuss each in detail as follows:
Potential recommendation - Does the recommendation reflect the will of the subgroup? Is it easy to understand? Is it specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timed?
Priority - A realistic assessment of prioritisation (High/Medium/Low)
Who needs to do it? - Who should be the lead agency responsible for delivery? Are there any relevant partners?
How might it be done? - Are there any specific actions which must be taken to deliver this recommendation?
How long should this take? - What is the realistic assessment of the timescale for delivery? Are there any dates when this MUST be delivered by?
What is already being done? - Is all or part of this work already being done somewhere?
How will we measure success? - How will we all know when this recommendation has been delivered. How will we know if delivery has been successful?
What is the likely impact of this recommendation on poverty, sustainability and other equality groups? - Will this be beneficial tto our aim of reducing poverty and promoting sustainability? Will there be a negative or positive impact on other equality groups? Will there be benefit in working with other equality groups. For more info try:
www.scotland.gov.uk/topics/people/equalityhttp://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/Social-Inclusion
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Environment/17108/7365
Key Themes and Priorities
On 23 May the following key themes were identified:
- Access to training. Though it was noted that employers do not always want the same outcomes as training organisations.
- Educating and raising awareness amongst employers. It was felt that employers often lacked skills and awareness when selecting and interviewing. Support is needed to help employers develop. A three-tiered approach was suggested: educating top level staff about rights and responsibilities towards disabled staff; educating recruiters and interviewers; and educating the colleagues of disabled staff.
- The importance of finding the right way to engage with different groups and employers.
- Helping disabled people to build up the confidence to apply for jobs and go to interviews.
- Encouraging positive messages around the economic and social value of work beyond perceived benefits issues.
- Voluntary work and work placements as a route to employment and as an opportunity to build up skills, references and expertise.
- It is important that recommendations ensure that people work together and that there is no duplication of effort and initiatives.
- Finding ways to measure success will be critical
- Assessing for the impact of recommendations on children and young people is important (see above)
This paper does not attempt to cover everything discussed. It seeks to draw out key themes of discussions to date. It may be that you feel it has not covered an area of key importance and if so it will be important to raise this to ensure your voice is heard in the final report.
Next Stages
A final report needs to be agreed in the week following the final meeting in October. So a view needs to be taken about draft recommendations at this stage. There may also need to be some email contact as these are being drawn together.
Areas for potential recommendations
Understanding the benefit
On 28 June and at subsequent meetings there has been substantial discussion around promoting the argument that it is always better for disabled people to be in work rather than to be on benefit. This argument is designed to allay the fears of disabled people that they may lose out on hard-won financial provision for the risks associated with employment. Sally Witcher provided a paper which set out the context and associated costs and benefits. It has been noted that there is also often suspicion of Government messages on this issue. This also potentially crosses over with UK Government responsibilities, and as such may not best fit in with the Disability Working Group's devolved focus. Is there a potential recommendation here which the group feels it should make. And who should deliver that recommendation if there is a suspicion of Government agencies? Should case studies of individuals be developed as suggested on 22 August? Should this link with individual work being taken forward by the DRC?
Engaging with employers
The 28 June focused almost exclusively on engaging positively with employers and helping them see the benefits of employing disabled people. Sally Witcher had provided a paper for discussion at the group which provided suggestions on key tactics and opportunities for action. It has been noted several times that engaging with employers is very difficult and that no organisation claims coverage of all employers in Scotland. It may, however, be possible to contact employers through the Revenue database.
If any action is recommended it will be important to construct a credible message and business case for employers, and there are differences in approach for different sizes and types of employers. Is there any good practice that could be further developed?
Also discussed was the need for local ownership of support events. For example there have been events run by the DRC at local level. Can these be built on and/or sustained more systematically? Who should do this work? How should it be funded?
Also, should we specifically support small businesses, which may have a lack of relevant skills and experience? Is there room to provide information on interviewing and recognising skills in disabled people?
Should there be case studies on the benefits of employing disabled people as suggested on 22 August?
Selling the message
On 28 June it was suggested that one potential recommendation could be that the Scottish Executive should have someone to sell the disability and employment message as a focus of their work. On reflection, should this recommendation be taken forward? What should the work concentrate on? Is this the best way to mainstream disability equality? Where should such a person sit in the Executive? Is this devolved or reserved? Does this effort fit with the proposed SE Employment Framework?
Job Fairs
The Glasgow Employer Coalition Job Fair was discussed in detail on 22 August, and papers have also been presented on a similar event run for people from minority ethnic groups run by Careers Scotland. There is cost associated with these and they will require significant monitoring of participants. Is there a recommendation here around trying out this model. Is this something the executive should be doing or is it reserved, for Scottish Enterprise or others? How should it be financed and run? In what geographical areas? How will we measure success? Does it fit in with the proposed Employment Framework for the Executive? On 22 August it was suggested a potential recommendation would be the replication and expansion of specific employability events aimed at bringing together disabled people and employers.
Publicity Campaigns
The group has received a number of papers on publicity such as One Workplace, Equal Rights and the See Me anti-stigma campaign. It has also discussed (see above) the need for different types of publicity and information. Is there anything specific to come out of this strand of information?
Volunteering
At the June meeting the group received a paper on volunteering context. This provided statistics which showed that the percentage of disabled people volunteering was 11% lower than those without a disability or long term illness. As the group noted that volunteering was important in helping people to become job ready, are there any recommendations which flow from this paper?