Values of Supported Employment
CASE Commitment to Person-Centered Language
CASE is committed to advancing the inclusion of people who experience disability in the Canadian workforce. We recognize the powerful role that language plays in shaping perspectives, assumptions, and beliefs, and we understand that words can have a significant impact on how people are viewed and treated in the workplace. We acknowledge that language is an influential and ever-evolving force for social change.
Supported employment has been used for decades to successfully connect diverse job seekers with sustainable employment.
CASE has drawn on global research, national surveys, and local public engagement to develop supported employment values to guide the organization’s work.
CASE believes that all Canadians, even those living with a disability, can work and indeed have the right to use our skills to earn a living wage. Employment is a valuable part of a meaningful life; it is a pathway to financial independence and an opportunity to contribute to communities, form personal bonds, and learn and grow. Even so, some 52% of people with disabilities are unemployed in Canada, compared to the national unemployment rate of less than 10%.
Job seekers and employees with a disability
Job seekers and employees with a disability, just like anyone else starting a new career or job, may require supports and assistance to achieve employment success in both the short and long-term. These should be provided and encouraged. Creating inclusive recruitment and selection processes, as well as inclusive and accessible workplaces, is crucial to creating a labour force that is welcoming and equitable to all.
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It is in this context that CASE has established nine guiding principles that inform and drive our work:
01
Choice & Control
Employment support is guided by the job seeker to achieve their career aspirations.
02
Paid Employment
The job seeker securing employment receives the same rate of pay and benefits as other employees doing the same job.
Individuals with competitive positions receive their pay cheques directly from the employer.
03
Partnership & Mentoring
Job seekers, employers, and direct service providers determine the individualized strategies for providing support that will assist in career enhancement. Ultimately, services will facilitate job satisfaction for both the job seeker (now employee) and the employer.
04
Full Inclusion
All employees are socially and economically included in their community.
05
Job Search
Timely and appropriate support is provided to achieve successful employment.
06
Individualized
Negotiations will ensure the unique needs of the employer and specific skills of the job seeker are met, one person at a time.
07
Natural Supports
Employment supports are as unobtrusive as possible and fade or may fade over time by building on community support and social capital.
08
Long-Term Support
The needed support is available to all stakeholders to ensure people maintain employment stability and achieve career enhancement.
09
Continuous Quality Improvement
Stakeholders are involved in the evaluation of services and the service provider implements improvements.
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