One of the main issues faced by people with disabilities is the issue of unemployment. Past studies have shown that young people with learning disabilities are capable of working just like their non-disabled counterparts; even those with severe disabilities can work (part-time) and earn a wage rate at or above the minimum wage and make social contacts (Jenkins, 2002). However, opportunities for them to be in the job market remain very low (Giddens, 2009; Owen et al., 2005; Wellard, 2008), thus many are left unemployed. This has been worsened by the worldwide economic recession as well as the economic crisis within the UK, which has adversely affected the youth labour market (Riddell, 1999). Inevitably, the same effect was also felt by the young people with a learning disability. For instance, in the mid-1970s, around 70 per cent of these young people gained employment on leaving school; however, the number decreased to less than 10 per cent by the mid-1990s (Riddell, 1999). Lamb and McKenzie (2001; cited in Winn & Hay, 2009) stated that the disparity between young people with and without a disability, with individuals with a disability being three times less likely to
find a full-time job. This statement reinforces both the findings from Enable Scotland and official statistics from the Scottish Executive which agree that very few people with learning disabilities engage in full-time work (Curtis, 2006). Although the employment rates among people with disabilities vary from a variety of sources (Wellard, 2008), the latest figure conducted by the Labour Force Survey in 2012 shows that only 46.3 per cent of working-age disabled people are at work compared to 76.4 per cent of working- age non-disabled people (Department for Work and Pensions, 2013). This survey reinforces the fact that the employment rate among them still remains significantly low in comparison to the non-disabled people, despite more disabled young people being at work now than there was a decade ago.
Previous studies have shown that many young people and their parents do recognise the importance and desirability of ‘having a job’ (Riddell et al., 1993). In fact, many of them aspire to having an ordinary job (McConkey & McGinley, 1992). However, very few of them end up having ‘real’ employment. As stated in The Same As You? (Scottish Executive, 2000), those leaving school may want to consider further education at the beginning, however, the job would be the next preference eventually. Research shows that the main impetus towards employment among people with learning disabilities include the desire for choice, control and independence, avoiding boredom, meeting people, getting paid and having the chance to achieve and succeed (Scottish Executive, 2003). Moreover, employment provides them with a sense of purpose and competence in life; makes them feel needed; provides a change of environment from home to the work place; fosters social activities through contact with a range of different people as well as helps them to develop self-discipline through the scheduled framework (DES, 1978). In addition, having paid employment could also provide a sense of identity and access to an independent home away from the family home, as well as the possibility of
having adult relationships (Riddell, 1999). Giddens (2001) and Jenkins (2002) have highlighted several characteristics of work that serve a different purpose and meaning to people (see Table 2.7).
Table 2.7 Purpose and meaning of working
Characteristics of work Meanings
Money The main source of income
Activity level Development of skills and capacities
Variety Different tasks and contexts from home chores
Temporal structure Provides a sense of direction in daily activities
Social contacts Provides friendships and participation in shared
activities
Personal identity A sense of stable social identity and self-esteem
Source: Giddens (2001) and Jenkins (2002)
All of these possibilities can be accessed with a paid job. Although earning money is regarded as a key aspect of work, both in terms of material benefit and self-esteem (Wellard, 2008), Willis (1984; cited in Riddell, 1999) argues that having a paid job is not only about a wage or money, but rather it provides a crucial link to other social possibilities, processes and desirable things including social and cultural transmissions. However, from the social model point of view, the concept and purpose of work is as much about identity, participation and social and psychological well-being as it is about income and productivity (Roulstone and Barnes, 2005 cited in Winn & Hay, 2009). Roulstone and Barnes (2005) argue that social policy has failed to acknowledge the barriers in employment that people with a disability are confronted with.
Those who manage to get a job can be considered as lucky as their chances of getting a job are very slim. Research shows that a supportive family and social relationships are
also one of the main factors of a successful transition from school or vocational programme to employment for people with disabilities (Winn & Hay, 2009). With support for the young person and employers, they can make full use of their experience during a work placement whilst at college to gain permanent employment. Evidence shows that young people were able to gain paid employment after finishing at college with the same company they went to during the work placement whilst at college (Heslop et al., 2002).
This evidence signifies that the cooperation between the families of the young people and the employers is also important in terms of helping them to get a job. On the family side, they should play their role in getting as much information as they can about the job, and on the employers' side they should also give the young people a chance to prove that they can be employed just like anybody else. I believe that people are born with some potentialities and this is also true for people with disabilities, however these potentials are not fully utilised and exercised. As such, more opportunities should be given to people with disabilities to prove that they can work by focusing more on their ability rather than their disability. In fact, recognising the abilities of people with disabilities and the business case for employing them is the most effective way to promote employment for people with disabilities by the employers (Employment Department, 1994; cited in Thornton and Lunt, 1995). This view is supported by Wellard (2008) who notes that focusing on what the person can do rather than their incapacity, and a willingness to allow them to try out new things is a useful way to support them. Perhaps the government should give some incentives to the companies or employers who employ disabled people such as by reducing their tax bill by a certain percentage or by implementing a policy in which every company should employ at least certain quotas of disabled people at their work place. It should be noted that in the UK,
under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944, private sector employers who have 20 or more workers were required to employ a quota system (3% of their total work force at that time) of registered people with disabilities (Department of Education and Science (DES), 1978; Thornton & Lunt, 1995). However, according to Thornton and Lunt (1995), the quota scheme failed to promote the employment of people with disabilities. A low level of registration of people with disabilities, no incentives to public bodies to increase their performance as well as the lack of awareness, either among the employers or employees, about the existence of the scheme, are among the reasons which led to this failure (Thornton & Lunt, 1995). In addition, the Warnock Report (DES, 1978) argues that the quota system might give rise to unpleasant feelings among people with disabilities as they will be labeled as ‘disabled’ in order for their employers to fulfil the quota requirement. Nevertheless, many of the European Union (EU) member states have been operating a quota system which requires employers to employ a certain proportion of disabled employees in an attempt to improve active inclusion policies among people with disabilities (Wynne & McAnaney, 2010). However, they did not require registration in order to qualify for the quota, as in the UK system. Rather, those in employment and receiving benefits automatically qualify for the quota, as in France and the Netherlands, whilst Denmark on the other hand, has long objected to the policy of a quota system on the basis of registration (Thornton & Lunt, 1995).
From the above discussion, it is clear that the issue of unemployment among young people with learning disabilities has continued over the years. For instance, the Warnock Report (DES, 1978) highlighted this issue more than three decades ago. According to the report, people with disabilities are often unemployed or under- employed just because they are not provided with the right help at the right time.
However, I argue that even today, with so much support and help available and provided for the young people, the issue of unemployment still persists. This has been shown in a more recent research by Riddell, Edward, Weedon, and Ahlgren (2010) which indicates that people with disabilities are still disadvantaged in the labour market, with a higher probability of not being at work at all, or with less stable and lower paid jobs compared to the non-disabled people. Does this mean that the young people are too selective or is it true that there really are no suitable jobs for them in the labour market? A past study suggests that young people with disabilities find it extremely difficult to secure an open job, not because they do not want to work, or because they are not capable of doing so (Coles, 1997; cited in Caton and Kagan, 2007). Thus, it is no exaggeration to say that this is one of the issues that constrain many young people into FE as the only option after leaving school.