Inclusion NB hopes a new campaign will help address workplace barriers for those with disabilities.
The organization received $306,000 combined from the federal and provincial governments on Wednesday.
Tara Werner, managing director of the Inclusive Communities Institute, said the first phase will involve engaging employers.
“Looking at some of the myths that are associated with hiring people with an intellectual or developmental disability, some of the barriers and how to get around those,” Werner said in an interview with our newsroom.
That information will be used as part of an online hub to educate employers on the benefits of hiring neurodiverse individuals.
Werner said people with an intellectual and developmental disability face an 80 per cent unemployment rate.
“That is significantly higher than any other disability group, and to add to that, New Brunswick has the second highest rate of disability in Canada,” she said.
“We also know that 90 per cent of businesses say that they have a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion, but we only have about four per cent including persons with disabilities in their actual plan.”
Werner said there are so many benefits in terms of including people with an intellectual or developmental disability in the workplace.
“There’s a ton of research out there that supports that, in terms of productivity and increasing that, diminishing recruitment and retention issues, innovation, loyalty,” she said.
“We’re really hoping that we can get across through to the employers that we’re engaging with and on our online hub as well.”
Engagement is already underway and Werner said they hope to have the online hub up and running in early 2025.
