Action - Increase employment of disabled people

2. Priority: Increase the number of disabled people, including long-term unemployed disabled people, in paid employment and self-employment on an equal basis with others.

2 A: Implement a long term work programme to improve employment outcomes for disabled people including the development of guidelines on reasonable accommodation.

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Update on progress

Update on progress (September 2018)

Status: Action complete - Blue

Action Milestone

Improve employment supports and services for disabled people [complete]

  • Developed a policy framework for specialist employment services.
  • Trialled new ways of working: Young Supported Living Payment trial.

Implement an individualised approach to involve the client identifying their aspirations, skills and strengths to work, and the support they need to find and stay in work [complete]

  • Changes to the assessment and introduction of new tools, e.g. self-assessment and Work Ability Assessment.
  • Made more specialist and intensive case management more widely available – Work Focused Case Management has been extended to 20,000 health and disability clients.
  • Work and Income has designed a single employment plan that is owned by the individual.
  • Developed Reasonable Accommodation Guidelines - http://www.odi.govt.nz/what-we-do/making-it-easier-to-employ-disabled-people/index.html
  • Developed Work and Income information about employment supports and services in accessible formats. All new information about employment supports and services will be made available in accessible formats.

Increase the capability of Work and Income staff to work with disabled people and people with health conditions [Complete]

  • Training to support the expansion of Work Focused Case Management.
  • Developed Disability Responsiveness Training, e.g. the empathy video “Lives Like Mine”.
  • E-lodgement of medical certificates.
  • Educate and train health practitioners about existing specialist employment supports and services and when to refer clients to these – on-going.

Lead: Ministry of Social Development

DPOs lead: Blind Citizens

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