Accessibility in the Canadian workplace
This article will discuss the following aspects of accessibility in the Canadian workplace: homelessness issues related to employment, disclosing their disabilities and requesting accommodations, and how CDP work is connected to their positive mental health outcomes. While each of these aspects seems to be a different topic, we will handle them as an end-to-end case when a person who is homeless with a mental health disability encounters a challenge to find a job and be accommodated. At the same time, my CDP work will support their positive mental health.
A closer look at the homelessness situation in Canada gives shocking statistics on how the homeless number is augmented with no strategic plan from the three levels of government to find short-term and long-term solutions. We have around 10,000 homeless people in Toronto, while the full shelters leave many of them on the streets, 75 percent are unemployed, and 50 percent live with a mental health issue. These numbers highlight that the severe situation, with no national strategy, is expected to worsen in the coming years.
I found that one of the main fallacies of homelessness statistics is the focus on the homeless racial identity as an indicator, which is a similar approach to other community challenges in identifying the problems as a demographic concern. While this approach can address some aspects of homelessness, such as refugees or underrepresented people, it does not provide a scientific analysis of the racial impact compared to other factors. Moreover, it ignores the actual approach of homelessness as a social problem and a government deficit.
These surprising numbers in the biggest city in Canada, one of the wealthiest G7 countries, imposed many questions about three main points: social justice, family values, and government planning. Dealing with the implications of homelessness problems will not help us as a Canadian community to make progress in finding solutions on the short-term or long-term levels. On the other hand, looking at the root causes combined with a strategic plan would lead to a change. That requires a focus on increasing family ties, legislation supporting social security, effective plans for affordable housing, people’s mental health and well-being, employment needs, and workforce skills building.
As a CDP, I have the responsibility to deal with the impact of homelessness problems on my client's employment plans by applying the common assessment steps on three levels. First, analyze their pre-employment conditions to support their personal and environmental needs, including physical and mental health, and refer them to the appropriate resources. Second, job search strategies combined with adequate training and workshops. Finally, post-employability to support their job maintenance. These three levels of support to homeless people require me to consider the appropriate skills and check my unconscious assumptions and biases while keeping in mind their possible systemic marginalization or abuse. The effective approach suggests being their ally and meeting them where they are, considering that no solution fits all.
The employment challenges of homeless people with disabilities require me, as a CDP, to advocate for my client’s rights to disclose disabilities and request accommodations. Ontario Human Rights Code includes a section about the legal duty of unions and employers to accommodate the needs of people with disabilities.
Since the statistics above show that 50 percent of homeless live with mental health issues, it would add an extra challenge to their employment accommodation for two reasons. First, there are more than 200 types of mental illness, of which many are invisible. Second, clients might not be aware of their need for accommodation. While the employer's duty is to accommodate known disabilities, a CDP should help clients identify their accommodation needs. On the other hand, clients are not required to disclose their disabilities if they can perform their job tasks with no accommodation needs or posing a danger to themselves or others.
Furthermore, a CDP must advocate for their clients to protect them from discrimination in the hiring process. Ontario Human Rights Code includes a section that prevents employers from discriminating against people with disabilities.
Employers may react negatively when clients disclose their disability during the interview or after receiving an employment offer. As a CDP, I should work with my clients to teach them about the information that they need to disclose to employers. While clients may answer the employers’ questions about their accommodation needs or the ability to perform some job duties, employers have no right to ask them for a copy of their medical profile or medication details.
While Career development practice does not treat mental illness, it helps to produce positive mental health outcomes and improve stress control. A CDP works within their competence boundaries to help clients with mental health disabilities bolster capacity, cope with demands, and change self-perception, which contributes to positive mental health outcomes. Self-perception effects include self-efficacy, self-esteem, self-acceptance, identity, hope, and purpose. As clients grow their self-perception, it will reflect their perception of the existing opportunities and help them tolerate ambiguity and certainty, which may enable them to widen their cognitive bandwidth, see more meaningful and relevant opportunities, and move forward with their careers from a part-time to full-time job.
The CDP intervention will influence each effect of the career development processes and impact positive mental health outcomes. Building a respectful and confidential rapport with clients is vital when focusing on career goals rather than mental health needs. Therefore, a CDP's interpersonal skills are crucial to maintaining a client’s relationship and giving them a sense of validation and inclusion. On the other hand, an effective CDP needs general knowledge of mental illness conditions and mental health concerns to understand its connection with career development.
References
Mental Illness and the Family: Recognizing Warning Signs and How to Cope. (n.d.). Mental Health America. https://www.mhanational.org/recognizing-warning-signs
8. Duty to accommodate | Ontario Human Rights Commission. (n.d.). Retrieved April 1, 2024, from https://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/policy-ableism-and-discrimination-based-disability/8-duty-accommodate
11. Preventing and responding to discrimination | Ontario Human Rights Commission. (n.d.). Retrieved April 1, 2024, from https://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/policy-ableism-and-discrimination-based-disability/11-preventing-and-responding-discrimination
Redekopp, David E., & Huston, Michael. (2020) Strengthening Mental Health Through Effective Career Development. Toronto ON. Life Role Development Group Lt.
The Homeless Hub. (2023). Retrieved April 1, 2024, from https://homelesshub.ca/
