この記事は次の言語でも読めます：日本語
It has been more than 1 month since my last article…! Last month I visited Miami, Florida and Washington DC. I’m going to report interviews in DC first!
In Washington DC, I visited The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and interviewed Zach Baldwin, Director of Outreach. AAPD has implemented various projects to promote equal opportunity, economic power, independent living, and political participation for people with disabilities. This time I mainly asked about employment-related projects, which is my research focus.
One of AAPD’s core programs is their Summer Internship Program, which offers a 10-week internship opportunity to undergraduate and graduate students with disabilities. AAPD started this program because they wanted to reduce the career gap between people with disabilities and people without disabilities. Many studies show that internship experiences lead to successful career development. To make anyone in the country be able to participate in this program, AAPD covers the cost of housing, travel, and a living stipend. AAPD places interns with members of Congress, in federal agencies, and with disability rights nonprofit organizations.
Students selected as interns come to Washington DC and live in an accessible dorm on campus of The George Washington University, which is very close to AAPD’s office. In the first of week, interns attend orientation and get to know about living in Washington DC, such as “how to use public transportation.” Also some guest speakers come in and talk about the history of the disability rights movement or current issues impacting people with disabilities. After that, interns start working at internship sites. Each intern has a mentor to get advice during their internship.
Many former Summer Interns work in disability-related organizations or governmental agencies. From the Summer Internship Program, AAPD expects two things. One is that people with disabilities find their identity by communicating and supporting other people with disabilities. Especially in the younger generation, they may have less chances to meet other people with disabilities because people with and without disabilities are more integrated. That makes them hard to find their identity. The other one is that employers can reduce stereotype threats and prejudice toward people with disabilities by actually working with the interns. That would lead more employers to screen applicants with disabilities by their abilities, not disabilities.
Regarding internship opportunities for students with disabilities, I have introduced the projects in Syracuse University (*1) and the Center for Independent Living in Boston (*2). Working before going to society is not just gaining work experience, but also developing skills of adjustment to a new environment and improving communication skills with new people. To make a good matching between employers and employees with disabilities, it is necessary for people with disabilities to know more about themselves and think more about their careers. Internships for students with disabilities plays a very important role in achieving employment.
AAPD has also supported “Disability Mentoring Day” which connects students or job seekers with disabilities with local business by collaborating with local disability organizations. For example, Goldman Sachs, one of the biggest global financial companies, looks for talented people with disabilities through Disability Mentoring Day. AAPD also has worked with the US Business Leadership Network (USBLN) to release the “Disability Equality Index” (DEI). They send a survey to employers to evaluate equality and inclusiveness at workplace, such as interview process, reasonable accommodations, and corporate culture. If employers get more than an 80% score, the Disability Equality Index publishes the name of the employers. The 2nd Disability Equality Index was released this year. AAPD is hoping more employers to join and create inclusive environments.
From this interview, I found AAPD takes an important role to connect people with disabilities and employers. Not only supporting people with disabilities, but making opportunities for employers to meet people with disabilities as well as helping employers create more inclusive working environments. It is not easy for people with disabilities to approach employers directly. It is not also easy for employers to look for talented people with disabilities either. Through AAPD’s programs, people with disabilities can develop their self-confidence, skills, and experience. Employers can hire passionate and qualified people with disabilities and make an inclusive corporate culture. Both sides benefit, which is an ideal outcome.
At last, I have introduced a clip about accessing employment in Japan (*3) which I created through a collaboration with Rooted in Rights in June. AAPD hosted their “ADA Celebration” in July where Rooted in Rights received the 2016 Convener Award! When I heard about this news, I found that AAPD really is a bridge to other disability organizations in the US too. It is difficult to change a society by only one person or only one organization. But if more people and organizations get together, it would be huge power. AAPD is taking a very important role to connect people and organizations in positive ways to move society forward.
*1 For more information about the internship program for students with disabilities in Syracuse University
*2 For more information about the internship program for students with disabilities in Boston Center for Independent Living
https://moonrider7.com/2016/05/09/boston-center-for-independent-living-part-1/
*3 You can watch the clip that I collaborated with Rooted in Rights from here