Inclusive employment, or social inclusion in general, can be attained only with the wider public being able to develop a good understanding of the issues involved, appreciate the importance and value of social inclusion, take up the ownership of the vision of an inclusive society, and be ready to contribute to the attainment of the vision. While much has been done to provide knowledge about different learning disabilities, to raise public awareness, and to encourage social acceptance, developing social ownership and mobilising community-wide contribution and support requires that Hong Kong society be able to critically reflect upon the value of social inclusion and how it constitutes the fabric of a liveable society.
Conceived as a follow-up to the Diagnostic Study: Inclusive Employment of People with Disabilities in Hong Kong, the Centre for Civil Society and Governance at The University of Hong Kong conducted Revisioning Inclusive Employment Seminar Series (the Seminar Series) between May and September 2022. Featuring various key improvement directions for people with disabilities (PWD)-inclusive employment, including enhancing support for caregivers, discovering role of individual consumption and social purchasing, devising effective media strategies, and facilitating cross-disciplinary collaboration for rehabilitation, the Seminar Series aims to gather more information and suggestions from communities of interest for facilitating inclusive employment in Hong Kong. It is a part of the Inclusive Career Platform under the Jockey Club Collaborative Project for Inclusive Employment.
A Summary Report is now published which summarises and reconstructs the main themes and key discussion of the Seminar Series. A wish list of actions is developed from the Seminar Series to better inclusive employment as follows:
- Periodically conduct job market trend research and adjust vocational training accordingly;
- Actively engage PWD parents in helping with school, identifying suitable job types, coaching PWD in the workplace, and integrating into community life;
- Strategize promotional methods and employ fashionable means in a large-scale campaign to install a positive image of PWD and champion inclusive employment;
- Step up support services for caregivers and extend services to the PWD family as a unit;
- NGOs are to be given additional resources to follow up and support PWD in the job market. The NGOs become (quasi) case managers for PWD;
- Develop an electronic platform about disabled groups. The platform contains not only service information but also allows PWD to show their abilities. In addition, it serves as an easy reference to professionals and the public and builds a positive image of PWD;
- Advocate social procurement to increase business for social enterprises and business organizations that practice inclusive employment;
- Establish the job coach profession to assist PWD at the workplace;
- Study the effectiveness of learning support assistants in helping with classroom order and schoolwork;
- More systematic offline and online sharing of good practices of teachers and other professionals to raise SEN students' learning motivation;
- Promote inclusive employment through industry-specific chambers of commerce and service organizations such as the Lion Club, Rotary Club, etc; and
- Funders of NGOs could require the programs they support to hire PWD.
An electronic copy of the Summary Report is available for free download from the project website: https://platformforinclusion.hk/sharing/RevisioningReports
