International Day of Persons with Disabilities celebrates those ready to work

On the International Day of Persons With Disabilities, First at Five looks at employment issues.

While Canada braces for a massive retirement in 2028 and a widening skills shortage, one group offers a solution. Wednesday marked International Day of Persons with Disabilities and hundreds of thousands of talented people with disabilities are ready to work.

Heather McNamara is one, she has been working at the North End Bakery Co. in downtown Halifax for over a year now.

“I feel comfortable, I feel included and I love working with the staff here which are helpful and accommodating,” says McNamara.

This isn’t her first job, as she has worked in fast faced food environments in the past. This is the first work opportunity for her that she feels is right for her.

“Customers weren’t very nice or polite, and I was feeling anxious and overwhelmed and fast paced doesn’t always work for me because I get overwhelmed easily,” says McNamara.

This cafe has become more than just a job for her, she feels like she can be herself and put her skills to great use.

“I like to see and talk to other people and get to see the expressions on their faces and how I can make their day more enjoyable and give them their baked good and coffee every morning,” adds McNamara.

She is one of 22 participants from the Prescott Group who work at this bakery.

Kelsey Fox, the co-supervisor, oversees the bakery and assists where needed. She also has two full time support workers there to help where needed.

She says the application process is similar to any job, it starts with the job links which are then sent out to participants who have expressed interest in working there.

“It’s a pretty standard interview process; however I do supply the questions ahead of time and help them through their interviews,” says Fox.

Their goal is to support people with disabilities and open doors for them as well as develop their skills and work opportunities.

“A lot of employers think it’s expensive to hire inclusively, it’s not. And there are plenty of support, people can come in and help and show you what to do,” adds Fox.

It’s a process like this that has helped workers like Andrew Bryant succeed in his employment at the Scotiabank Centre.

“Prescott is a great place, it helped me to get my Scotiabank job,” says Bryant.

Bryant started with the Prescott Group 13 years ago and worked in their cafeteria. The team helped him apply his skills to opportunities outside of their building and now he’s worked at the Scotiabank Centre for three years.

“I am an usher there, I direct you to your seat,” adds Bryant.

“The unemployment rate is much higher for those that face barriers to employment, and it doesn’t really matter what your disability is, there’s a much greater chance of being unemployed and that doesn’t make much sense,” says Alice Evans, The Prescott Group CEO.

Especially when last year Canada’s skills gap cost the country $2.6 billion. The Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work (CCRW) says hiring inclusively could close the gap.

In an email released to CTV News Atlantic, “Ahead of International Day of Persons with Disabilities (December 3), the Canadian Council on Rehabilitation and Work (CCRW) is urging Canada to recognize a critical truth: we cannot close the skills gap without including workers with disabilities,” says Andrea Chrysanthou, APR, who sent this on behalf of the CCRW.

The team at the Prescott Group agrees, hiring people with all abilities can help with this.

“Persons with disabilities, often have a much lower rate of leaving jobs and much more likely to stay in their position so you have those higher attention rates and help other staff be more likely to stay in their jobs,” adds Evans.

According to the CCRW 700,000 skilled tradespeople are set to retire by 2028, while 740,000 working age adults with disabilities are unemployed and ready to work.

“Sometimes people are hesitant to hire people with disabilities because they just don’t have that experience or confidence and also they may not see what’s in it for them or think it’s a cost. But what we have and many companies that have hired people with disabilities have found, it’s often a real plus. We can find really dedicated workers and workers that will fill skills gaps and labour shortages that other workers may not,” adds Evans.

Accessibility advocate Brian George has faced employment issues himself.

I took hotel and management in college and when I finished college I moved back to British Columbia and applied for jobs and no one would give me a second look,’ says George.

He also faced barriers with his acting career as well, feeling as though despite wanting to pursue acting it didn’t want him.

“I was called in September for a commercial that was being filmed in Fort Louisburg, that’s a five hour drive from here and the more I thought about it when things didn’t happen, the fact that they didn’t offer me transportation they kind expected me to just show up that day kind of put a bad taste in my mouth,” adds George.

Despite facing barriers in many fields he’s worked, these days he makes a living in retail where he says an open minded employer has helped remove most of those barriers.

“They really take care of me, I find. I have never had a problem with this company when it comes to accessibility,” adds George.

The CEO of the Prescott Group reminds employers that there isn’t any job that someone with a disability cannot do. She says it’s all about offering an opportunity.

“There is no job someone can’t do given some accommodation and a little bit of creativity. Any job is right for the person that is right for the job,” says Evans.

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