Speaking at a Learning Disability Wales event today, which he sponsored, Mark Isherwood AM, commended a project which aims to support 1,000 young people in Wales with a learning disability/learning difficulty and/or autism to gain employability skills and find sustainable employment.
The Engage to Change Project, led by Learning Disability Wales, with delivery partners ELITE supported Employment, Agoriad Cyf, Cardiff University and All Wales People First, is funded for five years by The Big Lottery Fund, in partnership with Welsh Government.
Speaking at the event, Mr Isherwood, who Chairs Assembly Cross Party Groups, including Disability, Autism and Neurological Conditions, and is a member of the Cross Party Group on Deaf Issues, said it is vital that barriers to employment that restrict life choices for disabled people are removed so that all can be independent and equal in society.
He said:
“Leonard Cheshire Disability’s March 2011 Report “Disability Poverty in Wales”, found that 33% (130,000) of working age disabled people in Wales live in poverty - a figure higher than anywhere else in the UK. - and that the employment rate for disabled people in Wales was 9% lower than the UK rate and had fallen sharply since 2007.
“As the April 2015 Scope Report, ‘Enabling work: disabled people, employment and the UK economy’, states: ‘Being in work is about more than just a wage. It is about being independent, interacting with your peers, and being able to achieve your goals and aspirations. But for too many disabled people there are barriers to entering, staying in, and progressing in work. This is not only an issue for the individuals involved, but an issue for society at large.
‘Failure to address the barriers to work that disabled people face is a failure to recognise the contribution that disabled people make and could make to Britain’s economy and society’.
“This Report found that a five percentage point rise in the employment rate amongst disabled adults below pension age would generate an increase in UK GDP of £23 Billion by 2030, rising to £45 Billion with a 10 percentage point rise.
Leading an Assembly Debate on Autism in 2015, I referred to a parent at the Cross Party Autism Group who had highlighted adults on the autistic spectrum, particularly those with high functioning autism and Asperger’s, wanting to work but denied employment due to bullying and lack of concern.
“He referred to two German companies which only employ people diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome because they do not waste time, are accurate, diligent and get the job done.
“Speaking here in the same month at the Launch Event for Remploy Cymru on the importance of finding sustainable employment for disabled people in Wales – I stated ‘Remploy rightly believes that employment is the most effective route out of poverty and towards social inclusion for many disabled people in Wales’. I have also since discussed with them their support for Autism Friendly Apprenticeships.
“Independent Living enables disabled people to achieve their own goals and live their own lives in the way that they choose for ourselves. Dignity and Justice for all means that, whatever your impairment, you will not be disadvantaged by it in your daily living.
“This includes having choices of where, what, when, how, who with, you live your life - but this is not yet a reality in our society today.
“Slow progress towards equality in our society has been achieved since the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, but there is still discrimination, institutional even if unintended, on the part of big organisations, including Local Authorities.
“Equality means disabled people having the same opportunities as non-disabled people in their daily lives - without other people deciding.”