Yukon Disability Employment Strategy Community Futures Treaty 7: Disability Employment Symposium May 2012

Challenges, solutions and successes.... A made in Yukon approach...the important part is to recognize the humanness of the workplace...then the business case follows. (Presenter, Six Steps to Success Conference 2011)

The challenge Employers experiencing shortages of employees across sectors and skill levels. People with disabilities under represented in labour market.

The solution The Yukon Disability Employment Strategy

Phase one: Six Steps to Success

Information and EducationStakeholder EngagementEmployment Strategy 1 Communications Protocol Define Disability for Business Consult Business Directly Dispel Stereotypes Coordinate Agencies Education Campaign Increase Public Profile 1 Employer-side Focus Establish Trust in Business Align Medical Services Target Small Business 1 Accommodation Financials Self-evaluation Rubric Pro-forma HR Policies Accommodations Toolkit Job-seekers Toolkit Recruitment consultancy Coordinate Support Services 8 Case Studies of Excellence 5 Links with Larger Employers Birds-eye view of strategic objectives

Phase Two: Stakeholder Engagement and Strategy Development

Phase Three: Implementation and Evolution

The success GUIDING PRINCIPLES 1.The strategy will take into consideration the fact that all citizens need to have their basic needs met (food, shelter, health, fairness and safety) in order for their employment goals to be properly identified and met. To this end we will build strong partnerships with the Department of Health and Social Services and agencies such as Challenge, Salvation Army and the Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition. 2.The strategy will be developed and implemented to meet the needs of employers and employees throughout the whole of the Yukon Territory. 3.The strategy will respect, and attempt where ever possible, to support and enhance the work of existing disability serving agencies. 4.Future funding criteria for all disability employment projects/programs to include the need for disability employment services to be consistent with the goals of the YDES. 5.The strategy will endeavour to have all partners/stakeholders agree on a single definition for “disability’ and a common glossary of terms and definitions relevant to our collective services.

To sum it up “the greatest acts of success were not born of a single brilliant idea, but from the collective wisdom of a group of committed people”