The Provincial Government is providing $4.388 million in funding this year to further the important and valuable work of 23 supported employment corporations operating throughout the province. Supported employment is a community-based approach that assists individuals with developmental disabilities to pursue, obtain and maintain paid employment in both private and public work settings.

"Government supports the need to encourage greater inclusion and promote opportunity for all citizens in our society," said the Honourable Shawn Skinner, Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment. "We are committing over $4.3 million in this year�s budget to ensure that the supported employment community continues to meet their mandate in assisting individuals with developmental disabilities find and maintain employment."

Supported employment provides meaningful opportunities for persons with developmental disabilities to be productively engaged in the workplace. The services include job search, matching and placement and the provision of dedicated job trainers. This helps ensure a successful and integrated work experience for individuals to enable them to meet their specific roles and responsibilities in the workplace.

The Department of Human Resources, Labour and Employment directly funds the job trainer component. As necessary, the job trainer provides one-to-one support in the employment setting to help the individual gain further confidence and the skills necessary to perform the duties and tasks of the position.

In 2005-06, approximately 1,400 persons participated in supported employment programs across the province. Of this, 675 individuals successfully found employment in their home communities with over 400 benefiting from access to a dedicated job trainer. Another 51 persons were successfully engaged in supported entrepreneurship. This form of supported employment makes it possible for a person to move forward as an owner or partner in the development and running of a small business.

Supported employment benefits individual participants, employers and the community at large. It fosters individual independence and self-reliance. It encourages the inclusion and integration of persons with developmental disabilities into the workplace and society. In turn, this increases diversity while helping employers find and retain motivated and interested workers in today�s labour market.

"I commend the 23 supported employment corporations operating in our province for putting into practice a highly successful employment model that increases the labour market participation of persons with developmental disabilities by connecting them to employment opportunities in hundreds of work settings across our province," said Minister Skinner.

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Media contact:

Stephen Byrne
Communications Specialist
Department of Human Resources, Labour and Employment
709-729-6156
stephenbyrne@gov.nl.ca  

2007 07 10                                                       9:45 a.m.