Just a disclaimer before I start talking about this. When I’m linking to something that I’ve read in the media, I generally link to the story. I’m choosing not to in this case, and I’m changing some of the details in the story to protect the person’s identity. I feel like they’ve been exposed enough.

I thought a lot about the decision to do that, and I feel a bit badly about it, because there’s a Disability Employment success story involved in this story, and those should always be celebrated. It would be nice to congratulate the young man, who is developmentally and intellectually disabled, for getting a job that he truly enjoys, by name.

I know how difficult it can be for disabled people to find work, from both personal experience and from what I’ve learned as a professional and an advocate in the disabilities sector. I went to a conference last week about disability and Employment, and the stats are pretty grim in my home province of Ontario (and not just here, from what I understand.) There are a lot of myths out there about disability employment.

This young man’s story caught my eye because of his success, but also because of his support worker’s approach to finding him employment. While the support worker’s efforts had the desired outcome, I question whether it was the most effective way to go about supporting his client in reaching his employment goals.

We’ve All Had to Look for Work

Most of us, when we’re looking for a job, see what’s available, and apply. We send in a resume and a cover letter, fill out an application form. Sometimes I send an unsolicited resume and cover letter to a place where I’d really like to work. But I would not have a support worker put the following out on Social Media, with a photo (my details substituted for the young man’s):

“This is my friend Sarah. She’s She’s 42 years old…. and is looking for work. Sarah walks with a cane and can’t use her left hand and is looking for an employer to give her a chance to shine and help us #removethebarriers for job seekers with a disability.
“Sarah does some freelance writing and works part-time in an office.
“She has great communication skills and extensive experience with computers.
“Sarah has very friendly and outgoing personality and is value added to any team.”

I would not have done this as a support worker for someone else, either.

It’s not that it’s wrong, strictly speaking. Presumably the young man consented to it, and it did what it was supposed to. It’s just that there are ways of assisting disabled people to obtain employment that further the cause, and ways that don’t. Even though this got the young man a job, it didn’t further the cause. My opinion only, and you’re allowed to disagree.

Two Standards

It’s always seemed to me that the rule of thumb for any sort of engagement with disabled people should be, “If you wouldn’t do this to someone without a disability, then you shouldn’t do it to someone with a disability.” And non-disabled people do not look for jobs through social media posts like this, nor do the agencies that help them find work.

The post just read like a personals ad – one that gives out far too much information, considering it’s on social media – when the objective was finding paid work. I think that the same sort of post for a non-disabled job seeker would be considered odd.

But the young man is disabled, so there’s two standards at work.

Disability Employment is Tricky

The young man’s mother said herself, after responses to the social media post rolled in, that it was “crucial that they find the perfect fit.” Of course it was. That’s exactly why support people don’t use this sort of crop-dusting method. They talk to their client about what interests them and approach employers about potential employment opportunities. They go with the client to meet with the employer and talk about why their client’s interests and specific abilities makes them an asset to the team, not about why the employer should give them a chance. It’s targeted and one-to-one from the word go, not personal details and photos splashed on social media where they stay forever.

Disability Employment: Bottom Line

Doubtless people will think I’m being too critical, because the young man did get a good job of his out of this, and was anyone really hurt? No. The outcome was great. As it is with so many of these stories, this is more about principle. Disabled people take employment seriously. It can be difficult to obtain, we’re committed to it, and we’re very professional about it. It’s annoying when the people that we trust to help us take an attitude that, while well-meaning, comes across as cavalier.

Asking employers to hire us to give us a chance isn’t breaking down employment barriers.

Getting into diagnosis so publicly isn’t necessary or even appropriate.

The entire discussion didn’t belong on social media to begin with. Again, just my opinion.

But it does sound like the support worker wants the best for his client, and that’s a great thing.

Congratulations to this young man. I hope he continues to find fulfillment in his job for many years.

Myths and Facts about Disability Employment: Q&A with a Vocational Rehabilation Specialist

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