As we read the devastating
unemployment statistics brought on by this recession we become fearful of losing our jobs. With an 8% unemployment rates most people are justified at the daunting task of finding work. in. A resume with the right key words, an outgoing personality, a positive attitude, a strong social network, and of course an
outstanding skill set arer table stakes in today’s in any job search.
finding a job is more than just a challenge, it can be a dream out of reach. As I was doing research for TechWorks an internship program of
only 37.7% of people with disabilities are employed.
One foundation that is
trying to find meaningful work for persons with disabilities is the Neumann Association. Its Neu-to-U program which lists items on Ebay is an innovative
way of raising money for its association while providing job opportunities for people with disabilities. Neu-to-U is staffed completely by Chicago-area residents with developmental disabilities, mental illnesses, or both.
Five Neu-to-U employees are
responsible for conducting research, taking product photos for the website, and packaging and shipping all merchandise. In the past year, Neu-to-U has sold close to 2,000 items and has maintained a 100 percent Ebay customer satisfaction rating. The Neumann Association is currently training more employees to work for Neu-to-U. After seeing the eBay business’ exponential
growth, the non-profit is hoping to double its workforce by 2010. You can find out more about the Neu-to-U program at http://stores.ebay.com/Neu-to-U.
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Catherine Marsden
Catherine Marsden's daughter Helen was born with cerebral palsey. In
2005, during graduate work in Marketing Communications, Catherine
created Accessible Chicago, an online travel resource guide for those
with physical disabilities. Although her daughter Helen died in April,
2007, Catherine still manages Accessible Chicago in her memory (http://www.accessiblechicago.
Comments
Oh well,
I do not find the current unemployment of people with disabilities surprising. What I do find surprising is the way people with disabilities are reacting to this situation. Look, people with disabilities have, as far as I can remember, have hovered around the seventy per cent unemployment rate. I can not feel bad for a population that has an eight or ten per cent unemployment rate People with disabilities have beeen in a recession or an financial depression since they were born. I assure you most of you are younger than I am and I can tell you that the people in my generation faced the same economic situation. What can be done to improve the employment out for disabled people? Hell if I know. Thiis country has been working on this issue for over fifty years with rehab programs, strokes of charity and civil rights legislation. None of it seems to work. I thank those non disabled employers and rehab folks who tell us to eat food with more starch. That's supposed to help you keep a stiff jpper lip and keep on trying. I remember one tikme about some developmentally disabled group who were going to rent a house in a local neighborhood in Detroit but were burned out by a group of nondisabled people. Let us remember it is not disabled people but their care givers who abuse disabled people. So it is with employers who like to sound humane that practice disability discrimination. Lovely groujp of folks arn't they? They care less if you need to put food on the table and pay rent. That stuff is reserved for non disabled people not us gimps
All I can say to all of you take your life and have a hell of a whole lot of fun. Piss on those folks and when their unemployment figures reach eleven percent offer up a baked potato. I shouuld of thought of doing that many a year ago. Just call me Mr. nNon Constructive.
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