The Autism Society Event and Education Recordings Archive

The employment rate for individuals with disabilities remains basically unchanged, steadily at around 65%. Then there are those with disabilities who do have jobs, most in sheltered workshops earning around $2 an hour. A changing climate and decrease in funding for traditional employment programs, compounds the challenges when assisting individuals with disabilities, acquire, and most importantly, maintain meaningful employment. When all is said and done, traditional employment has mostly focused on and at times exploited the disabilities, when in reality; the greater need is to focus on the abilities. A paternalistic system, overly focused on the deficits of persons with disabilities has not only sheltered their long-term independence, but it has sheltered society from their unique abilities. Fortunately, research and data clearly show a growing trend of individuals who not only pursue self-employment, but do so successfully! Statistics not only show that it is possible, but more importantly, demonstrate why self-employment leads to greater gains in the pursuit of independence both monetarily and socially.

Self-Employment & Government Programs

With public benefits requiring that the standard of living remain impoverished in order to qualify, many families have chosen to keep these individuals at poverty level simply to qualify for these benefits. Therefore, another barrier often cited when speaking about self-employment is the start-up cost, or operational costs. Truly, the notion that it is better to live poorly to gain public benefits than to pursue self-sustainability through self-employment is a systemic problem. The reality is that there are programs that support self-employment for someone relying on Social Security & Medicaid benefits. They are not readily offered nor openly discussed but, they are available for those determined enough to find them. We will discuss those programs as well as other available tools.

Key Elements of Self-Employment

• Do what you love to do. Every human being cultivates a gravitational pull towards a passion that in time develops into a hobby or a preferred recreational activity. For many of those same individuals, the enticement of that very passion, leads them to successful & innovative businesses. Truly, Love-Led activities foster the type of engagement, interest, skills and meaning to the life of that individual that all persons desire to obtain and express. Designing a future around Love-Led Activities & a Love-Led, Person-Ventured business builds a framework for maximum participation by the person, leads to sustainability beyond the passing of parents, & creates a vehicle for meaningful employment.
• Support Sourcing. This is a concept that brings in the element of sustainability to supports specifically designed to assist an individual with a self-employment venture. It lives off the idea that more supports = more sustainability; more supports can also = more community integration.  What kind of supports are we talking about? All kinds. From friends and family members to local businesses or professionals from anywhere. Each additional individual involved in supporting a self-employment venture, creates a solid foundation of sustainability that revolves around the ‘brick & mortar’ comprised of the passion of that individual.