Disability Employment Awareness Month - Government

EDMONTON, Alberta, Oct. 16, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Inclusion Alberta applauds The Honourable Irfan Sabir, Minister, Community and Social Services and the Alberta government for recognizing Disability Employment Awareness Month (DEAM) and the hopes and dreams of individuals with developmental disabilities for meaningful employment. Inclusion Alberta would now like to see a renewed commitment by the Alberta government in becoming a leader in inclusive hiring and job development for individuals with developmental disabilities.

Barb MacIntyre, President of Inclusion Alberta, remarked that, “A close to 80% unemployment reality is not simply a statistical rate of unemployment but literally a destiny, if you have a developmental disability, that is impossible to overcome without a true commitment from government reflected in new resource allocations.”

Bruce Uditsky, Inclusion Alberta CEO, stated, “Funding and employment supports for job creation and sustainability must keep pace in order to continue to develop more job opportunities and sustain employment for individuals with disabilities. The current failure to keep pace in the allocation of needed resources has resulted in the overall unemployment rate for individuals with disabilities remaining stagnant. The government needs to move beyond raising awareness and commit the needed resources to support the continued growth of employment opportunities over time while sustaining individuals with disabilities in their aspirations of being valued and contributing Albertans.”

Both Barb MacIntyre and Bruce Uditsky are parents of individuals with developmental disabilities who are employed thanks to Alberta’s business and post-secondary community partnerships and existing government support who want nothing more than for similar opportunities to be available to the thousands of Albertans with disabilities who whose lives are on hold.

Inclusion Alberta is proud of our many business, post-secondary and community partners whose commitment to employment for individuals with developmental disabilities has enabled many hundreds of individuals to realize their DREAMS of meaningful employment.  Inclusion Alberta’s approaches to inclusive employment have been formally recognized internationally as world leading innovations.

For more information, or to arrange an interview with Inclusion Alberta CEO Bruce Uditsky, please contact:

Bruce Uditsky CEO Inclusion Alberta buditsky@inclusionalberta.org Cell: 780-940-4269

Sara Protasow              Communications Coordinator Inclusion Alberta sprotasow@inclusionalberta.org Cell: 780-906-4693

About Inclusion Alberta:   Inclusion Alberta (formerly Alberta Association for Community Living) is a family based, non-profit federation that advocates on behalf of children and adults with developmental disabilities and their families. Together, we share a dream of meaningful family life and community inclusion for individuals with developmental disabilities. As an advocacy organization we support families and individuals in their desire to be fully included in community life.