Growing intellectual disability employment in NSW government
SUMMARY
People with intellectual disability are underrepresented in employment across all sectors, including the public service. The 'Growing intellectual disability employment in NSW government' project examined the ways in which the NSW government might increase the employment of people with intellectual disability.
The project examined the barriers that people with intellectual disability face when trying to gain employment in the public sector.
These include:
- Stigma and discrimination in the workforce and low expectations about what people with intellectual disability can achieve
- Gaps in education and a lack of appropriate support services
- Inflexible recruitment practices
- A lack of experience of disability among public sector employees and a lack of knowledge of existing good practice in how to support the employment of people with intellectual disability.
The report found a number of well-established evidence-based strategies to boost employment for people with intellectual disability. These include:
- Structured, high-quality work experience
- Work integrated learning
- Supported employment approaches
These strategies were affirmed by leading disability support providers who were interviewed as part of this project.
The report identifies two approaches that could be adopted by the NSW government to explicitly create employment pathways for people with intellectual disabilities, including a targeted internship program and the development of dedicated roles based on lived experience expertise.