According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor's statistics, people with disabilities had an unemployment rate of 10.1% in 2021, compared to 5.1% for people without disabilities. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, there has consistently been an employment gap for people with disabilities. Barriers to employment that may contribute to these statistics include health accommodations, education level, lack of transportation, or the need for time flexibility. Another report explained that over half of employed individuals with a disability experienced difficulty completing their work duties because of their disability.
Overcoming these barriers alone can be difficult, but there are many programs and events aimed at helping people with disabilities to do just that.
One such awareness campaign is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), which takes place annually in October. NDEAM commemorates the many contributions of people with disabilities to American workplaces and the economy. Last Fall, the 31-day NDEAM theme 2021, “America’s Recovery: Powered by Inclusion,” highlighted the importance of ensuring that people with disabilities have full access to employment and community involvement during the national recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
During October, Disability Mentoring Day connects those with disabilities to mentors and offers the chance to explore various professional opportunities. 2022 Disability Mentoring Day (DMD) will get special recognition on October 19, 2022. While the event's name highlights one day, it is now part of a more significant year-round initiative across the country.
Organized by the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), Disability Mentoring Day operates through a network of volunteers and employers to help people with disabilities to explore employment and educational opportunities with experienced mentors in the field. Students and job-seekers with disabilities may learn about life-changing opportunities ranging from new professional skills or expanded awareness of career opportunities to internships or full-time employment.
Companies can get involved in hosting mentoring events to show their dedication to disability-inclusive workplace culture.
In addition to helping job-seekers with disabilities, AAPD provides a toolkit for use during a Disability Mentoring Day event or year-round to employers and their organizational partners. It is a chance to engage an untapped demographic of people with disabilities and develop a talent pipeline into their organization.
During Disability Employment Awareness Month, employers can actively engage in issues that positively affect the community and improve strategies to integrate people with disabilities into the workplace. Employers can employ these strategies to cast a wider net for recruiting via internship programs, provide enrichment, and enhance workplace benefits such as diversity, innovation, and intersectionality.
For those wishing to bring this campaign to their community, AAPD offered guidance on becoming a DMD coordinator. The AAPD website provides ways to reach out to nearby existing networks. These networks will include secondary schools and colleges, disability organizations, chambers of commerce, and local businesses.
Coordinators help create meaningful events that include job shadowing, informational interviews, resume workshops, career fairs, guest speakers on disability inclusion in the workplace, and more.
For more information about Disability Mentoring Day or guidance on how to get involved, please visit the AAPD website.