IOWA LANDS GRANT TO HELP PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES TO FIND WORK

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Iowa enjoys relatively low unemployment, yet the jobless rate for people with a disabilities hovers at nearly 40 percent.According to the latest figures from the Governor's 21st Century Workforce Council, there are 87,000 Iowans with disabilities who are either unemployed or underemployed.

The state has received a federal grant aimed at reducing that number by helping schools come up with incentives that can give students with disabilities a better chance of finding a job, says Becky Harker, director of the Iowa Developmental Disabilities Council."What we know is that families and educators, and community members often don't have real high expectations for youths with developmental disabilities to be integrated into the workforce." 

Many people with disabilities who do have jobs are often sheltered behind the scenes in low-skill and low-paying jobs, she says.   

This is where many individuals with developmental disabilities really fall through the cracks.  Because even if they do find employment, they seldom make enough to support themselves.  Which is what these individuals both want and can accomplish with the right programs and employers giving them a chance.  

"We're looking at working alongside others without disabilities, receiving the same rate of pay and the same benefits for doing the same work."Harker says the state's project is one of six that will share $3 million from the Administration on Developmental Disabilities.

Iowa Developmental Disabilities Council

Every Monday Matters - Respect the Disabled!

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everymondaymatters.com

FACTS

1 in 6 people aged 5 and older, 54 million people, have a non-institutionalizing disability.

25 million disabled are of an employable age.

78% want to be employed, but only 33% have a job.

Disabilities are more often acquired from accidents, illnesses, or late-emerging effects of genetics than by congenital disorders.

Not all severe disabilities can be seen with the human eye.

Over 15% of the cars parked in a handicapped parking space are parked illegally.

TAKE ACTION TODAY

Show respect to the disabled today.

Don’t park in a handicapped parking space or use handicapped plates or placards illegally. Designated parking for the handicapped is a necessity for them, not an opportunity for you to save yourself a few steps.

Don’t use handicapped bathroom stalls unless you’re handicapped. A handicapped person’s need to use the restroom may be just as urgent as yours, and it often takes them longer to prepare to use the facilities.

Drive cautiously and courteously. When you see a handicapped license plate, slow down and show consideration rather than tailgating or honking.

Help people who need assistance by opening a door, rolling a wheelchair up or down an incline, carrying shopping bags, or offering an arm in challenging weather conditions or on uneven walkways.

YOU MATTER

The majority of people with disabilities want to be totally integrated into all aspects of society. With more awareness, respect, and helpfulness, you can make someone’s life a little bit easier. People don’t plan on getting disabilities, but it happens every day. One day, that disabled person may even be you.

Monday used to be the least favorite day of the week, but that is changing. EMM is based on the idea that every Monday people can make a difference in their life and the lives of those around them. No matter how big or small the actions, they matter. And not only do people have the power to make change, they have a social responsibility to do so. Not out of guilt, but out of an appreciation for every living thing in the world. Together, each person can make a difference in the world and raise the collective consciousness, thereby creating a legacy worth participating in…one Monday at a time.

For more information about the EMM movement visit: http://www.everymondaymatters.com/