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Recruitment and Hiring

Even if someone with an intellectual disability has never applied to work with your organisation before, this does not mean people with intellectual disabilities do not want to work for you. 
 

This probably means that the process to apply is not accessible.

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Self-advocates told us that when they apply to work with an organisation:

  • Job descriptions are not accessible

  • Application websites and forms can be difficult

  • Applications often require experience or certificates that people with intellectual disabilities were not able to access. For example, university education.

  • Interviews are usually not accessible 

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1

Make sure job descriptions are accessible.

 

This means they should be short, in clear everyday language and explain the  job tasks. 

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You should also include what a typical day in the job would look like.

2

Remove education requirements for your roles.  

 

Many people with intellectual disabilities did not have access to education. Instead, ask about practical work and life experience instead.

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3

Create an accessible job application process

 

For example: 

  • Do not use complicated or long online forms

  • Instead of asking for a CV and cover letter, ask applications to send in a video of them talking about why they would be a good fit for the role.

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4

Look for unconventional places to advertise

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Advertise the job in different places including social media and reaching out to organisations that represent people with intellectual disabilities.

5

Be flexible with the interview process. 

 

Traditional interviews are not accessible to lots of people. 

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Giving the person interview questions ahead of time to help them prepare is a good way to make an interview more inclusive for people with intellectual disabilities.

 

Doing a job try-out instead is a different way to replace an interview with a different, more accessible method. 

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6

Do not test in the recruitment process.

 

Forms of aptitude tests are discriminatory to many people with disabilities, including people with intellectual disabilities.

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7

Collect information about disability in the job application process and ask for feedback about your recruitment process. 

 

This will help to understand who may be being excluded from applying.

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8

Talk to organisations of people with intellectual disabilities.

 

Many organisations work on inclusive employment. They can help you to design an inclusive hiring process. 

 

If people with intellectual disabilities already work for you, they can also help in selection, interviewing, and training of new staff.

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Useful resources

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Inclusive Workplaces Toolkit for Employers

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Example Accessible Job Description

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Plain Language Contract

The Listen Include Respect Guidelines were created with financial support from:

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©2022 by Inclusion International & Down Syndrome International

For more information:

 services@listenincluderespect.com 

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