There are 80,000 individuals of working age, with an unemployment rate of 70%, how many people are not employed?
The are several factors that contribute to the high number of unemployed or underemployed people who are blind, but in my opinion the biggest problem is low expectations, whether self-imposed from family , educators, or employers. These barriers and others have led to more than 50,000 people who are blind standing on the sidelines. True that not everyone who is blind and unemployed wants to work. This may be because they are receiving financial support from family or social benefits or have a fear of being rejected, which keeps them out of the workforce.
As people with disabilities, we can demand private sector organizations to create equal access to job openings, but we can’t move the needle on the 70% unemployment until others see blindness is just part of who we are, not what we are.
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David Steinmetz, Public Relations Manager at Arizona Industries for the Blind
East side
Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star.
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