Article written in collaboration between MCCSA and South Australian Business Chamber
Are you looking for staff?
Has it been challenging to find the right fit?
Would you like to tap into a wider pool of talent; a group of highly-qualified and motivated group of people ready and willing to work?
Meet Muthu, a motorcycle-riding, disability advocate who lives with cerebral palsy. Despite a long list of qualifications, Muthu’s disability seems to get in the way and he hasn’t had many opportunities to prove himself.
Muthu is not alone in his struggles. Many people with disabilities are overlooked for jobs they are qualified for. This may be further compounded when they are from a culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) background.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, a lack of both employer confidence and awareness has contributed to these poor labour outcomes for people with disability.
Over 50% of people with a disability of working age are in the Australian workforce in versus 84% without disability. This employment gap has remained unchanged for 20 years and compares badly with other OECD countries.
It is estimated closing this gap by employing people with disability would add over $50 billion to GDP by 2050.
Muthu is a true inspiration to those around him. His story is a reminder that people with disabilities have so much to offer society and the workforce. The Multicultural Communities Council of South Australia (MCCSA) is offering South Australian employers an opportunity to discover this and create more inclusive workplaces where everyone, regardless of ability, can thrive.
MCCSA has started a pilot project that supports employers build their disability confidence by taking on an intern.
Please see the details below. For further information please contact
MCCSA’s Inclusive Employment Consultant, Perrin Abbas, on perrin.abbas@mccsa.org.au for more information on how your organization can be a part of the Building Employer Confidence and Inclusion in Disability project funded by the Federal Government.
Download guide to building employer confidence and inclusion in disability
