Practice Guidelines for people delivering Employment Support

These guidelines form the basis of practice for people delivering Employment Support.. This covers services that are either provided directly by Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC), District Health Boards (DHBs) and Work and Income or services or providers contracted to ACC, DHBs or Work and Income.

These guidelines have been developed based on a review of international literature and using language that is consistent with the paradigm shift embodied in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

The context of the Practice principles

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its associated principles is the overarching framework for the implementation of employment support.

Employment support takes a person driven approach[1] that demonstrates active involvement in all aspects of gaining and maintaining a job. It takes a whole person approach to assist the disabled person and employer to develop strategies which involves building disability confident workplaces. .

Some disabled people because of their impairment may require support in the workplace at various stages of their career. This requires the person working in employment support to be a facilitator rather than a disability expert.

Many disabled people can and want to work and a discussion around reasonable accommodations is an important facilitator.

The Practice Guidelines

The Practice Guidelines which are based on the “place and train”[2] approach and aim to build disability employer confidence are:

  • Facilitating the disabled person’s aspirations for employment and the skills and abilities they bring to the workforce.
  • Facilitating a conversation and/or connecting with agencies around budgeting and money management.
  • When required, undertake preparatory work with the disabled person.
  • Promote a positive attitude to disabled people by employers and co-workers, by building the confidence
  • Provideindividualised and flexible services.
  • Development of “workplace and natural supports” within the workplace and actively promote the disabled person’s independence within the workplace e.g. Support people, job coaches, training, equipment where these are indicated.
  • Facilitating the conversation between the disabled person and the employer to identify reasonable accommodations
  • Ensure the disabled person and employer is able to call for input in response to changing personal and workplace circumstances.
  • Encouragesthe disabled person to develop the skills and strategies to manage their wellness and/or impairment in the workplaceso they succeed in the workplace.

1

[1] A” person driven approach” recognises the person directs and controls the services they seek, including accommodations and specific support, to obtain and maintain employment and identify career goals. It is consistent with the concept and the rights of disabled people to have control over their lives and maintain and enhance the person's position as a valued member of the work force

[2] The “Place and train” approach is based on getting people into competitive employment first with training and support on the job and acknowledges that the workplace is the best place to learn a job. This means the emphasis is on finding people work quickly that is ‘real jobs’ in integrated workplaces, and ensuring people are not stuck in an ongoing cycle of training and job preparation.