BY BREAKING BARRIERS
The time has come, long overdue, when we start integrating the hidden population into mainstream society. We have an aging population and too many available jobs so the timing works for institutions, organizations and employers. Oh, we have played at creating a world that is more inclusive by changing laws of accessibility, Human Rights codes that do not allow employers to discriminate, creating public access so people with disabilities can spend their few dollars. But, when it comes right down to it we have not progressed very far.
Western society has hidden people who are different from the norm. Who defined "normal" is not a subject open for discussion. Primarily those who did not have physical, developmental or mental disabilities, heterosexual, procreating white males, wealthy people, churches, government and other institutions.
Asylums were built to house people with any sort of disability, psychiatric patients, "fallen women" (who made them fallen? or prostitutes), criminals, women suffering from post-natal or work related stress, what were once called lunatic asylums, people with autism, ADHD (although the terminology wasn't developed yet) and so on. Families willingly placed their tiny children in asylums in appalling conditions if they were born with "Down's Syndrome" or were otherwise different. These are all well documented with a quick search on the internet. Social norms dictated that we hide anyone "different" without questioning what all of the assigned individuals could offer our society.
Now, because we need more people in the workforce and because people are demanding inclusivity we are creating a world where visibility is becoming attainable. I will explain this later, but for now I would like to focus on society's so called accessibility and anti-discrimination policies.
I saw an employment ad that stated they encouraged people with disabilities to apply and their Human Resources would accommodate special needs. I have disabilities. I lost my finger tips and my toes were amputated when I had pneumonia sepsis. The office was close to me so I gathered my pertinent documents and decided to apply in person.
I arrived to find the offices were up a dark, steep set of stairs with no elevator. They did not have a wheelchair door, their were 5 doors to go through (none of them wheelchair doors or wide enough for a wheelchair) before coming to the person on the hiring committee. Now, you are saying, but you do not use a wheelchair. No, I do not, but my balance is precarious with no toes, especially going downstairs. I was not just thinking of myself. Many disabled people are in wheelchairs. This office had no means of accommodating for any disability never mind an obvious one like someone in a wheelchair or who uses a walker or is on crutches.
Another example of blatant discrimination was a job ad I saw recently that stated no criminals need apply. I reported this to the Labour Board because companies are not allowed to exclude anyone. Do you know what the job was for? Someone to work on a ginkgo farm, 7 days per week, 12 hours per day for 5 weeks at minimum wage.. Let's analyse this.
Let's say a person was convicted of car theft 5 years ago. Even if he hasn't changed, which he has, what harm is he going to do working so hard he doesn't have time to look up, never mind find a car to steal in the fields. Or, another client convicted of cocaine possession with the intention to sell. He went to a rehab centre then finished high school and was waiting to start college in the fall to become an addictions counsellor. He was willing to work at any job to save for college. What was he going to do? Smoke the ginkgo? Even if he did, he would only get valuable vitamins and minerals.
Everyone has something to offer our communities. People may think differently with developmental disabilities but are often more patient, slower to rush into judging or harming others, organized because they have learned different techniques to face their challenges and look at ideas differently. I have learned so much from my clients with different emotional, educational, mental health issues. In fact, I have probably learned more from all of my clients then theory taught me.
I do not necessarily agree with the government insisting people with disabilities work. What I do support is making the disabled clients visible. We need to show that people with visible and invisible disabilities can offer our work places and communities valuable contributions and are worth taking out of hiding.
We need to address employers who cannot employ some people. I am not suggesting employers and companies complete overwhelming renovations at outrageous costs to make their environment more accommodating. Just explain their limitations to better focus on who can work with them. A healthy, able bodied person with learning disabilities might be the right person for the job.
We need to look at what people can offer, learn to accept different ways of thinking and try changing our own beliefs to honour everyone who has the right to employment. I am a strong advocate for anyone needed a voice. People determine what type of employment they want and how many hours they can work. We need to break down barriers and help individuals find realistic steps to their goals.
This is also true of the clients we want to sell to. Stand back for a minute and see how your store is arranged. Are the aisles wide enough, are there stairs people cannot manage, are clothing articles too high. I come across this all the time. I do not consider my 5'3" height too short, yet clothing stores often place things so high I can't read the size label. The fact that the store clerk needs to get a pole with a hook on it to check the size for me tells me that the store and their managers are more interested in profit then accommodating even for their employees.
If we all take the time to view the situation through a different set of lenses, we can see where change is needed. As I think on this there is a store I frequent, but I am stopping. They are one of the stores that put clothing up too high for the average person to reach. I will explain why and follow up with the chain to present their practices.
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