HELP WANTED ENDING SHELTERED WORK IN CANADA - Transitioning to inclusive employment for people intellectual and developmental disabilities

HELP WANTED ENDING SHELTERED WORK IN CANADA Transitioning to inclusive employment for people intellectual and developmental disabilities SUMMARY REPORT From IRIS — Institute for Research and Development on Inclusion and Society Institute for Research and Development on Inclusion and Society (IRIS), Oshawa. [...] The purpose of the research was to survey the state of sheltered work in Canada, identify promising practices for transitioning to inclusive employment, and point to policy and program directions to support this transition. [...] IRIS—Institute for Research and Development on Inclusion and Society httwpws:w//.irisinstitute.ca Help Wanted—Ending Sheltered Work in Canada: Summary Report 2 The national survey of sheltered work programs (a total of 51 programs were surveyed) conducted for this research found that: • Sheltered work still exists in Canada, sometimes with organizations providing both sheltered work and inclusive. [...] Resistance to Ending Sheltered Work Based on the literature review, supporters of sheltered work argue that: • The model provides important opportunities for participants to belong to a community, promotes social participation, and provides caretaking support for families; • Sheltered work provides security, stability, and safety for individuals in these work contexts and mitigates the fear of los. [...] Agencies, staff, and organizational leadership • Provide training and information resources for agencies’ staff, organizational leadership, and boards in designing and managing effective inclusive employment support programs; and • Focus on defining values, goals, and new operations required, including diversifying funding sources; and build and engage community support to create inclusive employm.