1. CREATING AN INCLUSIVE DISABILITY POLICY AND PRACTICE FRAMEWORK FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION Pushing curricula boundaries: Disability & Inclusiveness – The Business Case Sub-theme: Preparing the workplace for graduates with disabilities Dr Diane Bell (PhD) Director: Academic Affairs (USB-ED) 18 – 19 March 20151

2. The reality: unemployment and persons with disabilities LR: Preparing the workplace for graduates with disabilities Learning intervention TOPICS

3. The reality: unemployment and persons with disabilities

4. 73.4 million unemployed – International Labour Organisation (ILO) One in two people are unemployed, discouraged work-seekers or not studying further (52.9%) In SA, June 2014 labour force survey: Age 15 – 35 = 36.1% unemployed Age 35 – 64 = 15.6% unemployed THE REALITY: UNEMPLOYMENT AND PWD’S

5. Situation exacerbated – unemployment PWD’s Census 2011: 7.5% of total population have a disability Females = 8.5%; Males = 6.5% (increases with age) General decline in overall unemployment rates for both males and females Disabled females were more likely to be unemployed compared to their male counterparts The decline in the unemployment rate for females between 2001 and 2011 was 4,5% higher than that of males (23,7% compared to 19,2%) 8 out of 10 PWD’s are unemployed (WHO) THE REALITY: UNEMPLOYMENT AND PWD’S

6. To persons with disabilities and their families, unemployment is one of their most significant challenges. Why??? Some of the reasons include: Disability discrimination due to ignorance concerning the abilities and performance capabilities of the individual Inflexible organisational procedures, processes and regulations Inaccessibility of communication, information, the built environment and transport (Disability Colloquium) Lack of understanding regarding the legal meaning of impairment and disability THE REALITY: UNEMPLOYMENT AND PWD’S

7. LR: Preparing the workplace for graduates with disabilities

8. TRANSITION INTO EMPLOYMENT FROM SCHOOL PREPARING UNIVERSITY/COLLEGE STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES FOR CAREERS EMPLOYMENT MYTHS

9. TRANSITION INTO EMPLOYMENT FROM SCHOOL: 66% of working adults never had a career plan and are currently working at their jobs because of chance factors or the influence of others or because it was the only job available. Only about half of these workers are satisfied with their job situation High schools focus on university studies; not workplace readiness Required: a comprehensive transdisciplinary vocational assessment and an emphasis on post school planning (Counseling 101, Levinson & Palmer) LR: PREPARING THE WORKPLACE FOR GRADUATES WITH DISABILITIES

10. Compared to their nondisabled peers, students with disabilities are more likely to experience unemployment or under-employment, lower pay, and job dissatisfaction (Dunn, 1996). The core elements of workforce preparation for students with disabilities are the same as those for their nondisabled peers— awareness of interests and aptitudes, exposure to career options, and assessing and building skills— but they require more extensive and individualized support from school personnel and other adults. LR: PREPARING THE WORKPLACE FOR GRADUATES WITH DISABILITIES

11. PREPARING UNIVERSITY/COLLEGE STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES FOR CAREERS Work-based learning experiences can help a student make career decisions, network with potential employers, select courses of study, and develop job skills relevant to future employment. Successful work-based learning experiences require cooperative efforts between the student, employer, faculty, staff, and disability services office. LR: PREPARING THE WORKPLACE FOR GRADUATES WITH DISABILITIES

12. One of the most common barriers to academic and career achievement for students with disabilities is low expectations on the part of those with whom they interact. Maintain high expectations for participants with disabilities. NB: Expect that they will succeed. LR: PREPARING THE WORKPLACE FOR GRADUATES WITH DISABILITIES

13. SOME EMPLOYMENT MYTHS: People with disabilities are less productive than those without a disability. Providing for reasonable accommodation is difficult and costly to implement. Employing people with disabilities causes more work-based accidents and creates more safety risks. LR: PREPARING THE WORKPLACE FOR GRADUATES WITH DISABILITIES

14. GAP in the literature & practice ASTD (African Society for Talent Development) conference: Group HR Director – Transnet HR Director - Clover LR: PREPARING THE WORKPLACE FOR GRADUATES WITH DISABILITIES

15. Learning Intervention

16. Development of a learning intervention in order to try to address some of the challenges outlined. “Disability and Inclusiveness: The Business Case” Aims to promote the uptake and equal access of persons with disabilities in the market place. It is aligned with the National Disability Rights Policy and the National Development Plan (NDP). LEARNING INTERVENTION

17. The programme is based on the premise that employing people with disabilities makes business sense. The focus is on building capacity that will equip leaders not only to employ PWD’s but also to advocate for their successful and sustainable employment. LEARNING INTERVENTION

18. PROGRAMME DETAILS: Duration of 6 months Initially offered in Cape Town Aligned to NQF Level 6 Certificated by the University of Stellenbosch Target market: Employers Human Resource Executives Employment Equity Representatives Transformation Officers Skills Development Facilitators Diversity Managers All Change Agents etc. LEARNING INTERVENTION

19. Disability & Self-awareness Introduction to disability Common misconceptions, fears, discrimination and barriers Unpacking unconscious discrimination Anxiety management and language usage Disability in Context Human rights and legislative framework compliance Contemporary theoretical disability framework Disability and the South African business landscape Disability and inclusiveness: the way forward Business Case for Disability Case studies on best practice models: selection, integration and retention Workplace preparation Human resource support

20. LEARNING INTERVENTION Principles of universal design and reasonable accommodation Access with success: reasonable accommodation Access with success: universal design Practical implication for organisations: increasing the uptake of persons with disabilities and building on communities of business practice Best practice: site visits The challenge: advocacy and action Finding the right support: recruitment agencies, NGO’s etc.

21. THE ROI FOR THE PARTICIPANT/ORGANISATION: Identify and explain the different categories of disability and demonstrate proficiency of person first language. Identify the relevant legal and theoretical frameworks that apply to disability, both globally and locally. Critically evaluate their organisation’s orientation to disability. Apply the steps pertaining to best practice models to their respective workplaces. LEARNING INTERVENTION

22. THE ROI FOR THE PARTICIPANT/ORGANISATION: Prepare a disability policy framework for their organisation. Demonstrate the importance of developing a business case for employing persons with disabilities. Advocate for the principle of successful and full participation of persons with disabilities; and Design and implement a strategy for employing persons with disabilities. LEARNING INTERVENTION

23. Prof Leslie SwartzDr Sorayah NairDr Cindy Wigget-BarnardDr Diane Bell etc.

24. LEARNING INTERVENTION

25. 25 diane.bell@usb-ed.com

26. THANK YOU