This article is from page 4 of the 2013-05-14 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 4 JPG
MORE than two thirds of people in Clare with disabilities are out of work and are more likely to face challenges and barriers when it comes to finding, securing and retaining a job.
That is according to the Clare Irish Association of Supported Employment (IASE), who say people with disabilities are less than half as likely to be at work when compared to the rest of the working age population.
According to figures released by the Central Statistics Office (CSO), as many as 14,775 people in Clare have a disability.
Working age people within this group, which makes up 12 per cent of the county’s population, are more likely than the rest of the general population, to be out of work.
36 per cent of people with disabilities are active in the labour market compared to 77 per cent of other adults.
Pat O’Neill team leader at EmployAbility Clare, and Census 2011 supervisor for Clare explained the latest data from the CSO shows people with a disability face challenges in securing job placements.
“The emphasis in Clare is on inclusion and expanding the range of placement opportunities,” he said.
The IASE is hosting a major European conference next month to address some of the challenges, innovations and latest developments in the area of supporting people with disabilities and other marginalised groups into jobs.
Clare is to play a central role in this conference.
The artistic endeavours of a group of artists, who are clients of Employ- Ability Clare, will be showcased.
Mr O’Neill worked with clients of EmployAbility Clare to design the delegate gift for hundreds of people travelling to Ireland the conference.
The design and creative process was hosted by the Burren College of Art.
A video documentary has also been produced and will be shown for the first time in Croke Park to the international audience.
EmployAbilityClare will also present their experiences on supporting clients into self-employment opportunities.