Friday, April 18, 2014
IDD: Call To Action
Dear Best Buddies Supporter,
Last week, a landmark agreement was reached between the Justice Department and Rhode Island, which will serve as a precedent for years to come and bring a much-needed change in the other 49 states. Click here for the article:http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/04/09/us/developmentally-disabled-get-more-workplace-protections.html?referrer
Doors once closed will begin to open for people with IDD to move forward as contributing members of our vital workforce. Best Buddies is poised, at the forefront of the supported employment movement, to maximize the opportunities for people with IDD across the country.
Anthony K. Shriver visits
Best Buddies Jobs participant
Arjun Hemphill at the Audi of America Headquarters.
For over 25 years, Best Buddies International has focused its efforts on including individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).
With the unemployment rate for people with IDD at 76%, we must work to engage this group of workers. Today, our Best Buddies Jobs program has expanded to eight cities in the U.S. and is now launching in several cities throughout Latin America, the Caribbean, and Asia. The goal of our employment program is to continue our mission of inclusion in the workplace so that people with IDD can share the same benefits as any work and experience the joy of being a contributing member of our global workforce.
People with IDD are enormously talented, loyal, hard-working, and driven individuals who can contribute to the workplace. Individuals with IDD are making significant contributions every day to businesses small and large; they change the landscape of corporate cultures positively. Their skills and abilities can't be overlooked any longer.
I challenge corporations worldwide to hire people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. With outstanding resources and proper support, it is an ideal time to invest in this incredible group of people to assist in growing revenue, improving customer relations, and effectively managing your operations.
Don't miss out on hiring this skilled, talented pool of workers. Please join me in supporting the work of Best Buddies Jobs and fostering a bright future for people with IDD to secure rewarding jobs, live on their own, become inspirational leaders, and make life-long friends.
With gratitude,
Anthony K. Shriver
Founder & Chairman, Best Buddies International
Sunday, April 13, 2014
All We Want is Opportunity: We are Not Asking for Special Treatment
It's funny how to blog
ideas come into my head. For those of you who have been following the blog, you
will notice that I haven't written in a while. Sometimes, as a writer, you find
that there are words inside you that you cannot even know needed to be put to
paper until a series of events occur. For me, this blog came about because of
three things: A conversation with my friend Josh, who is about to graduate, on
how difficult growing up and preparing for the real world is, the fact that I
just applied for my first "big boy" internship/ job and finally an
article on Autism. One may ask, what do these three things have in common? By
the end of reading this, hopefully, this will be clear.
As
a person with a disability, there are always obstacles in front of you, whether
your disability is hidden or visible. Some of these obstacles are bigger than
others; some relate to social situations, while some relate to other aspects of
life. That being said, no matter what one's disability is, I believe that we
all encounter tremendous obstacles in the job market. Currently, in the U.S,
according to Disabledinaction.org, there are approximately 51.2 million
Americans that have some level of disability. Also, according to this website,
32.5 million Americans have a severe disability. If we subtract the number of
children, which is 4 million ages 6-14, we can safely estimate that 47.2
million disabled Americans can feasibly work. I know that this seems like a lot
of statistics and that I am evaluating here, but if we note an approximate
unemployment rate of 13.7% according to Disabled World that equals 6.6 million
people with disabilities who are unemployed. This does not seem like a large
number, but it is double the unemployment rate compared to the general
population. The question must be raised, what is the cause of this?
Although
I am young and have little experience in the workforce, when someone tells me
that people with disabilities at 13.7% are twice as likely as non-disabled
people to be unemployed, something is alarming. The non-disabled rate of
unemployment is 6.7% of the able-bodied population. This is according to the
Bureau of Labor Statistics. What causes the discrepancy? Is it because people
with disabilities are not qualified? Do they not have the higher education
necessary to succeed? The answer is that they do, but it is societal barriers
and perceptions that have caused this significant gap in unemployment.
As
a disabled population, we have benefited from legislation such as the Americans
with Disabilities Act of 1990, and IDEA (Indivuals with Disabilities Education
Act), whose latest manifestation was 2004. However, these pieces of legislation
can only go so far. If people are unwilling to look past the disability,
whether it be intellectual, physical, or otherwise, all parties involved will
suffer. There is hope, however.
One
company, in particular, is focusing on a specific segment of the disabled
population. SAP, an international computer and technology company, leads
the way in something that should have already been a long time coming. SAP
recognizes that people with disabilities have unique gifts. To quote the
article, they do not see hiring people with disabilities as "charitable
outreach" but rather as a "smart business decision." SAP
is explicitly focusing on individuals with Autism and Aspergers, as they, for
the most part, have greater attention to detail than others. The company is not
cutting corners when they hire individuals with Autism. The individuals undergo
a rigorous screening process to see if they fit in with the company and
community. Autistic employees must have the same level of higher education as
all other employees, so no special favors are
given.
This
company's unique approach got me thinking. While I am encouraged that this
company is taking a significant step to improve people's lives with disabilities,
it also saddens me that it has taken for this to happen. I have been
a victim of the negative view of disabilities in employment and pursuit of
advancement. Although they are a terrific institution in general, the school from
I received my master's degree in education did not see my disability as a
positive when it came to student teaching. Instead, they focused on the
negative and all parties involved suffered. I was able to complete my master's
degree but did not gain the necessary experience to the student; therefore, I
am still unemployable.
It
is clear that having a disability, no matter what it is, is an obstacle that a
person has to overcome. The workforce may often be a challenge for people with
disabilities. Still, because of companies like SAP and their unique view on
autistic employees, there may be a light at the end of the tunnel when it comes
to disabilities and employment. SAP is leading the way and breaking down
barriers when it comes to working. Other organizations and institutions should
use SAP as a clear example when addressing individuals with disabilities. Just
because we are different in one way or another does not mean we are less
capable. We are only less capable if not allowed to prove ourselves as
individuals.
Recently,
I have applied to my first "big boy" job with an online newspaper,
and they are in the process of reviewing my resume and qualifications. At no
point in time did this company look down on my disability as a negative. In
fact, in some aspects, they have indicated that it may be optimistic. It is
unclear whether I will get the job, but that is not my point for mentioning it.
If disabled people are given opportunities to prove themselves just like
everyone else, it is amazing what society will find, and what resources they
will tap into.
Footnotes
1. http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm
2. http://www.disabledinaction.org/census_stats.html
3. http://www.disabled-world.com/disability/statistics/twice.php
Friday, March 21, 2014
The Move
It has almost been a year since The Voiceless Minority
started. At that time, we have published nearly 50 blogs here on the blogger
website.
As the New Year begins for The Voiceless Minority, it is time
that we make a move. We are moving our web address and hosting over to word
press. The new address will be: http://thevoicelessminority.wordpress.com/
Nothing about the blog will change content-wise; the only
thing that will change is the look and the usability of the blog. There will be
an archive section for those of you who haven’t got a chance to read all the
old blogs on the blogger website. There will also be a contact page and a
discussion page so that those in the community or those interested can interact
with one another. Please post resources or questions you may have!
Finally, we hope that this move will allow the Voiceless
Minority to connect with those who read it easily. Apart from my traditional
blog posts with our new host, we will also post things and videos. We will
experiment with video podcasts with me, Jason Hahr, so you get to know the
writer behind the Voiceless Minority.
I want to say a quick thank you to those who helped me at
blogger and those who helped me design the blogger webpage. I am grateful for
your year of service and help, and I hope that the next year will be just as
successful as the previous one. Thanks! -Jay
Thursday, March 13, 2014
We Are Athletes Too
This past February marked an event in sports that brought the world together.
There are very few of these. Even though sports is a universal activity in
almost every country, only two events tend to get the world together and stop
the fighting; they are The World Cup in soccer and The Winter and Summer
Olympics. Every four years or so, these events take center stage, and everybody
forgets about the drama going on in the world for a couple of weeks, but there
is an event that also occurs every four years that many people are not aware
of.
Every four years at the same site as either the Summer or
Winter Olympics, there is another sporting event. It is known as the
Paralympics. It is not only sad that the rest of the country does not keep up
with such Paralympics activities such as hockey in the winter and basketball in
the summer, but it is also sad that the United States is the worlds leading
supporter of disability rights but has very little support for its disabled
athletes.
This time the Paralympics are in Sochi as were the Winter
Olympics. For the first time this year, the NBC family of networks presents an
unprecedented 54 hours of coverage of the Paralympics. While the “able-bodied”
Olympics drew a record audience in February, the Paralympics are living up to
low expectations and not drawing nearly as much of an audience. In the United
States or worldwide, credit must be given to other nations as their margin of
support is much greater than that of the United States. This is sad for me because
I recently graduated from a school that promotes disabled individuals; they
even promote a small contingent of disabled sports. So I guess it hits me more
challenging than most who will read this, but I must raise a
question. If we are the world’s leader on disability rights, and we
do not even support disabled athletes, what does that say about our treatment
of disability in this country at all? Just some food for thought. We are not
our disabilities, but we are people and athletes just like everyone else.
The Paralympics close on Sunday, and we will have to wait four
years for the cycle to repeat itself as far as winter sports are concerned.
However, in 2016, the Paralympics summer games will be held. It is my hope by
then that disabled sports are brought into the 21st century and
given the respect and support they deserve, but I doubt that will happen.
For further reading or information, please visit http://www.teamusa.org/
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Teachable Moments, We can be Teachers Too
What does it mean to
teach? In simple basic terms, according to the dictionary, it is a verb. It
means to impart knowledge of or skill in; give instruction in, and impart
knowledge or skill to; instruct to. We all understand the basic definition of
teaching. The question is, how do we define teachable moments or teachers
themselves?
I recently graduated
with a Master's in education. Still, my institution told me that I could not
get a teacher's certification, according to Pennsylvania, because I was too
disabled to teach. At first, this statement, to put it nicely, perplexed me.
What did it mean I was also disabled to teach? How could they judge me without allowing
me to try? As time has gone by, I have begun to understand their position. I disagree
with it, but I understand it now.
They look at disabled
people in a traditional box. Due to my physical limitations, they could not
look past my lack of physical capability and see the great deal of knowledge
that I can pass on to others. They were afraid to go to bat for someone so
different, even if they had great knowledge to pass on. I've also changed my
perception of what a teacher is in general. Yes, a great deal of teaching
occurs in the classroom, and eventually, that is something I want to do.
However, I have learned that disabled teachers can exist, and often they have
greater mobility than traditional teachers.
Until society and those
in higher education stop putting disabled people in a box, we need to take
ourselves out of that box. For the time being, we might not b able to be
traditional classroom teachers, but every disabled person has a story to tell
and lessons they can teach those around them. Often the most powerful learning
occurs outside the classroom, not in it. Disabled people in general
and society need to expand their definitions of a classroom and realize that
there are teachable moments every day in the life. You can teach your aides,
and they can teach you. You can lead a stranger on the street and change their
life forever. To do so, there are a few necessary components, none of which
involve the traditional four walls of a schoolhouse.
To be an effective
teacher with a disability, one needs first to understand themselves and their
limitations. Second, they need to view events in their lives as having a
purpose, even the small and bad ones. Third, they need to find their outlet.
Mine happens to be writing at this point; others might find their outlet in
other ways. However, one finds their outlet; it is essential to develop it.
Finally, for disabled people to be effective teachers, we need to not give in
to what society says it has mandated for us. If we develop our voice and tell
our story and it touches one person, we have been influential teachers.
Traditional classroom
teachers and teachers who teach online are often knowledgeable about content. With
the way teaching is now, they have minimal opportunity to bring their
experience into the classroom. It is those teachers that do so that turn into
great teaches. Disabled people have a leg up on the second crucial teaching
element that great classroom teachers excel at. While some of us, hopefully,
myself included, will eventually be a classroom teacher, disabled people must
look for unique teaching opportunities until society realizes that we can be
teachers in the traditional sense just like everyone else. These traditional
opportunities may include writing a blog like this one, teaching a class online,
or just having a conversation with someone who asks a question about
disability. Whichever way you choose to be a teacher, it is clear that we need
more disabled teachers in this world because there is so much we learn daily
from one another. Why not be a part of that conversation if you have a
disability?
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
The Protection Complex
What does it mean to
teach? In simple basic terms, according to the dictionary, it is a verb. It
means to impart knowledge of or skill in; give instruction in, and impart
knowledge or skill to; instruct to. We all understand the basic definition of
teaching. The question is, how do we define teachable moments or teachers
themselves?
I recently graduated
with a Master's in education. Still, my institution told me that I could not
get a teacher's certification, according to Pennsylvania, because I was too
disabled to teach. At first, this statement, to put it nicely, perplexed me.
What did it mean I was also disabled to teach? How could they judge me without allowing
me to try? As time has gone by, I have begun to understand their position. I disagree
with it, but I understand it now.
They look at disabled
people in a traditional box. Due to my physical limitations, they could not
look past my lack of physical capability and see the great deal of knowledge
that I can pass on to others. They were afraid to go to bat for someone so
different, even if they had great knowledge to pass on. I've also changed my
perception of what a teacher is in general. Yes, a great deal of teaching
occurs in the classroom, and eventually, that is something I want to do.
However, I have learned that disabled teachers can exist, and often they have
greater mobility than traditional teachers.
Until society and those
in higher education stop putting disabled people in a box, we need to take
ourselves out of that box. For the time being, we might not b able to be
traditional classroom teachers, but every disabled person has a story to tell
and lessons they can teach those around them. Often the most powerful learning
occurs outside the classroom, not in it. Disabled people in general
and society need to expand their definitions of a school and realize that there
are teachable moments every day in life. You can teach your aides, and they can
teach you. You can lead a stranger on the street and change their life forever.
To do so, there are a few necessary components, none of which involve the
traditional four walls of a schoolhouse.
To be an effective
teacher with a disability, one needs first to understand themselves and their
limitations. Second, they need to view events in their lives as having a
purpose, even the small and bad ones. Third, they need to find their outlet.
Mine happens to be writing at this point; others might find their outlet in
other ways. However, one finds their outlet; it is essential to develop it.
Finally, for disabled people to be effective teachers, we need to not give in
to what society says it has mandated for us. If we develop our voice and tell
our story and it touches one person, we have been influential teachers.
Traditional classroom
teachers and teachers who teach online are often knowledgeable about content. With
the way teaching is now, they have minimal opportunity to bring their
experience into the classroom. It is those teachers that do so that turn into
great teaches. Disabled people have a leg up on the second crucial teaching
element that great classroom teachers excel at. While some of us, hopefully,
myself included, will eventually be a classroom teacher, disabled people must
look for unique teaching opportunities until society realizes that we can be
teachers in the traditional sense just like everyone else. These traditional
opportunities may include writing a blog like this one, teaching a class online,
or just having a conversation with someone who asks a question about
disability. Whichever way you choose to be a teacher, it is clear that we need
more disabled teachers in this world because there is so much we learn daily
from one another. Why not be a part of that conversation if you have a
disability?