Collaboration in Supporting Employment John Dolan Chief Executive Disability Federation of Ireland

Collaboration in Supporting Employment

John Dolan

Chief Executive

Disability Federation of Ireland

DFI a collaborative resource

• The only national voluntary disability umbrella body with member organisations across the sector – Over 100 in membership

• Wide range of organisations are members– By disability / condition, size, geographic range, types of

supports and services provided

• Building capacity of members for collaborative working.

• Expanding representative role, nationally & locally.

DFI: National & Local

• Ten Regional Support Officers

• DETE & FAS Advisory Committees developing a comprehensive employment strategy

• DSFA Advisory Committee re adequate income, benefit traps, activation programmes

• Disability Stakeholders Group comprehensive, high level oversight

NDS/T16

• “Ireland where people with disabilities have, to the greatest extent possible, the opportunity to live a full life …”

• Five high level goals for people with a disability set out in Towards 2016

• Balances disability-specific and mainstream initiatives

• Inter-agency working responsibilities

T16’s Five Goals• Every person with a disability would have access to an

income which is sufficient to sustain an acceptable standard of living;

• Every person with a disability would, in conformity with their needs and abilities, have access to appropriate care, health, education, employment and training and social services;

• Every person with a disability would have access to public spaces, buildings, transport, information, advocacy and other public services and appropriate housing;

• Every person with a disability would be supported to enable them, as far as possible, to lead full and independent lives, to participate in work and in society and to maximise their potential, and;

• Carers would be acknowledged and supported in their caring role.

NDS & Supported Employment

• Mainstreaming = belonging in a work-oriented culture

• Person-centred approach• Recognise different capacities; a range of

“work” scenarios, some heavily supported long term

• Grey area in the range of ‘rehabilitation’/‘pre-development’/’job ready’ where collaboration critical

‘Bridging’ Programmes in T16

• DETE & HSE work together to enable people to move from rehabilitation to vocational training– Slow to progress

• DSFA activation for people with disabilities– Small pilot in Midlands

• Role for Office for Equality, Disability & Mental Health

Supported Employment Programme

• Static despite growth economy

• WRC review

• Recent announcements:– Drop to 8 hour minimum– Assessment, and intensive support if

appropriate– Employer focus

What getting a job probably looks like for a person with a disability

…

What hiring a person with disabilities probably looks like to

an employer …

Applying What We Already Know

• The person with a disability sees a chasm between his/her current situation and a job

• S/he needs confidence to jump

• That depends on trust and an on-going relationship

• An employer faces the unknown

• S/he needs on-going access to reliable expertise

Building Collaboration

• Voluntary disability organisations can do more to facilitate/activate/support– On the (potential) employee side– On the employer side

• They know well the individual and the disability or disabling condition

• They can be the confidence builder


• Voluntary organisations traditionally have focussed on special, health services

• With the new environment under NDS/T16, need to collaborate with more partners– More voluntary organisations need to look

outwards– More employment-oriented agencies to seek

out voluntary organisation links


• Commit human and financial resources

• Agree nature of scale and scope of changes which need to take place

• Policies and framework for co-operation

• Commitment by the whole organisation

• Transparency and trust between organisations


• Co-operation sufficiently prioritised

• Any legacy of past failures or disappointments overcome

• Not trying to rush things too quickly

• Comfortable not giving too much up or too much away

• Confident consistent with own self interest

Barriers to Working Together

Trust (Lack of)

Turf (Competition, Cost Exceeds Benefit,)

Resources (Time, Finance, Human

Resources)

Collaboration for Employment

Easy to say; hard to do, but essential to reach the long term

goals

Disability Federation of Ireland

Fumbally CourtFumbally Lane

Dublin 8 Email: [email protected]

Website: www.disability-federation.ie

DISABILITY FEDERATION OF IRELANDRegional Support Officers

Anthony CarrickDFIDublin Office

Din LaoghaireDublin South EastWicklow

Mobile: 086 8448488Office: 01 4547978E-mail: [email protected]

Louise McCannDFIDublin Office

Dublin South CityDublin South WestDublin WestKildare / West Wicklow


Martin NaughtonDFIDublin Office

Dublin North CentralDublin North WestDublin North

Mobile: 086 8207196 Office: 01 8392878E-mail : [email protected]

Joan O’DonnellDFI Dublin Office

MeathLouthCavanMonaghan

Mobile: 086 3834587Office: 01 4547978E-Mail: [email protected]

Alison RyanDFI, c/o Comhairle101 North Main St.Cork

Cork Kerry


Michael Corbettc/o DFI, Acres,Newport, Co. Mayo

GalwayMayoRoscommon

Mobile: 086 3804750Office: 098 41919E-mail [email protected]

Toni GleesonThe Forge Croke Street, Thurles Co Tipperary

Limerick North TipperaryEast LimerickClare

Mobile: 086 6004526E-mail: [email protected]

P.J CleereTinrylandCarlow

CarlowKilkennySouth TipperaryWaterfordWexford


Marcus HufskyDFINRCForthill , Sligo

SligoLeitrimDonegal

Mobile: 086 3811261Office: 071 9144614E-Mail: [email protected]

Jacqueline ThomsonDFI , Fumbally Court Fumbally LaneDublin 8

Laois OffalyLongford Westmeath

Office: 01 4547978Mobile: 086 3882600E-mail: [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Documents

Collaboration in Supporting Employment John Dolan Chief Executive Disability Federation of Ireland