Interventions for career construction and work inclusion of individuals with disability

Abstract

The current job market is obliging many citizens to face a number of challenges, including instability and insecurity (Nota & Rossier, 2015). Those with some form of disability also face these challenges, with difficulties in finding and keeping employment compounded by the way society views their situation (Carter, Quaglia, & Leslie, 2010). As the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights of the United Nations (OHCHR, 2012) reminds us, work gives access to an income that helps individuals and groups cater for their needs, it promotes the exercise and development of skills and it facilitates inclusion in—and contribution to—the community. The OHCHR also highlights the fact that everyone has the right to choose how and where they want to work, to be treated well at work and to get help from the state when they cannot work. Those with disability have the right to meaningful work alongside persons without disability, and workplaces need to be designed in such a way that they accommodate their needs. Furthermore, international studies reveal that for persons with disability, work continues to be meaningful and important, providing a source of identity and contributing towards feelings of normality (Saunders & Nedelec, 2014). In recent decades, many countries around the world have acknowledged the work-related rights of persons with disability and have made significant progress toward creating a more inclusive work environment thanks to legislation and public policies (Mor Barak, 2016). Although the combination of anti-discrimination laws and action programmes has helped several minority groups and facilitated access to the workforce, the phenomenon of exclusion still prevails, to a greater or lesser extent, in most societies (Foster & Wass, 2013). Individuals with disability experience several disadvantages in the labour market: they usually get jobs which pay less, they are more likely to get a job for a short time only and they are less likely to get a promotion or to have a progressive career pathway. They are also more likely to be hired for low-skilled jobs, less likely to benefit from training in the workplace and more likely to experience career obstacles (Bell & Blanchflower, 2010; OHCHR, 2012).