The Value of Positive Work Opportunities for People with Disabilities
- Mac Ferrone
- Apr 12
- 2 min read
Looking at the U.S. as a whole, “One in four adults…have a disability,” while fostering a proper, inclusive environment for all people is essential to creating “a more equitable and accessible society” (Traylor). Along these lines, work experiences that promote personal growth for people with disabilities are paramount to changing the world for the better.
As society stands now, though many organizations mean well, there can be a general sentiment “that people with disabilities can only receive help rather than provide it” (Heart to Heart).
Moreover, such organizations granting people with disabilities middling or low-stakes tasks is insulting and antithetical to promoting self-improvement. Jennifer Cable, a youth development educator from the University of Minnesota, says it best: no one likes to be patronized (Cable).
Instead, “Engaging in meaningful work allows individuals to see their positive impact, which can be empowering and uplifting” (Heart to Heart) versus feeling stagnant and dissatisfied.
What does it mean for tasks to be worthwhile and meaningful? Organizations should look for better ways to involve individuals with disabilities in volunteer work. Regardless of what is put into place, however, nothing is more effective than asking volunteers with disabilities themselves what would most assist them is most effective, as everyone has differing lifestyles and “unique and diverse ways of working” (Crane).
Whether with or without disabilities, positive experiences help increase “social interaction, positive attitude change and professional development” in all (Cable), alongside a growing sense of purpose (Heart to Heart) and motivation to continue working and growing. Finally, such experiences can provide beneficial networking and bonding opportunities to those with disabilities, which can help “shift societal perspectives about capability and contribution” (Heart to Heart).
On that note, the threat against people with disabilities makes the need for exemplary work and volunteer outlets all the more crucial. According to the medical journal The Lancet, “Children with disabilities are almost four times more likely to experience violence than non-disabled children” due to a general stigma and “ignorance about disability” (PAHO). Without proper knowledge or understanding, that stigma can follow these children as they grow up–leaving no person with disabilities at any age to be safe and secure in any professional environment and leaving them in a worse spot to build themselves up.
At its core, the central tenets of the Book Bank’s mission revolve around distributing and encouraging the spreading of knowledge and alternate perspectives. Offering a welcome to all people, then, allows communities and the people within to grow in more ways than one. To reiterate, an inclusive home for everyone is not just a want but a need for that understanding and ideal world to come to light.
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