THE 2016 census discovered only 19 per cent of people with a disability in Limerick were working, in comparison 50 per cent of the general population.
This is according to EmployAbility Limerick, a service aiming to increase that number by supporting people with disabilities or who may be experiencing illness, injury, or other health conditions to enter or return to the workforce.
The service provides support in exploring the abilities of each user and advocating to employers to gain and maintain employment.
Employment specialist with EmployAbility, Michelle O’Connor, noted the increase in demand from employers who want to offer opportunities to those facing recruitment challenges.
“Employers are moving from not only having an inclusion policy, but to calling an organisation like ours and saying ‘we have a vacancy and we want to hire through your service’,” she said.
“That really is grassroots inclusion as you are opening up a vacancy to someone who may be out of the workforce for a number of years and would struggle in mainstream recruitment procedures.”
EmployAbility Limerick provides not only support to jobseekers in finding suitable work, but also to employers on how to become confident in hiring someone with a disability.
For further information on EmployAbility Limerick, contact 061 493095 or visit employabilitylimerick.ie
