Objective 2: Back people who want to work and employers with the right support
Effective employment services are different for different groups, different individuals in those groups and different employers.
Some people need personalised support to help them find a job, or to stay in work due to an array of complex barriers that may be in the labour market and/or in their personal circumstances. Others only need for their employer to receive good advice to support them better. Everyone can benefit from more inclusive workplaces.
The range of employment services available in New Zealand are not currently accessed by all disabled people or people with health conditions that could benefit from them.
This action plan aims to improve both the coverage and take-up of effective employment services at all levels of intensity.
| Types of disability employment services, support and information - from most intensive at the top of the table to the least intensive at the bottom |
Groups of people who can benefit (note each group of people outlined in this table is inclusive of the groups above) | Ball-park estimates of people [1] |
|---|---|---|
|
Targeted intensive disability and vocational specialist support. |
People with high support needs | 26,000 |
|
Individualised/tailored and proactive employment services |
People with health conditions or disabilities who require social assistance | 160,000 |
|
Job support that is accessible for disabled and non-disabled people who want a job and need support |
People aged 15-64 not in work who have access, support or health needs |
290,000 |
|
Information and advice about support, reasonable accommodation, the benefits of work and more. |
All people aged over 15 with access, support or health needs who may be seeking work or a job change |
1,000,000 |
|
Information and advice about creating inclusive workplaces |
People in the whole population over 15 years of age |
4,000,000 |
Priority 3: More and better employment services
Kaupapa: It makes social and economic sense to invest in support for people who want to work. In particular, services that have the flexibility to tailor their support, and have a ‘do what it takes’ approach, are known to be effective at supporting people with significant barriers into employment.
To ensure that people who can benefit from these services can access these services, we need to ensure referral and eligibility systems are mana enhancing and promote positive work aspirations. It is particularly important that systems do not mistakenly create barriers to employment or to employment support through a focus on the severity of an impairment, rather than strengths and the potential to fully participate with reasonable accommodations.
Whānau-centred coordination between different service systems also needs to be managed carefully and recognise strengths in natural support networks or other existing support arrangements. It is important to acknowledge that many disabled people and people with health conditions and their whānau have significant concerns about the potential loss of financial assistance, or other support they rely on.
Building on existing services the government is progressing the following actions:
| Initial actions 2020 – 2022 | Links | Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| Extend the period Supported Living Payment recipients can work more than 15 hours a week from 6 months to 2 years (this action involves changes to legislation) | Welfare Overhaul |
Ministry of Social Development |
| Value diverse work outcomes and pathways to work within MSD systems (including part-time and intermittent work) | Welfare Overhaul |
Ministry of Social Development |
| Expand specialist disability employment services | Welfare Overhaul |
Ministry of Social Development |
| Scale up integrated health and employment services (developed by MSD in partnership with health sector organisations such as District Health Boards or Primary Health Organisations, including Individualised Placement Services for people who access mental health and addiction services) | Welfare Overhaul |
Ministry of Social Development |
| Develop a Diploma in Employment Support (building on Employment Support Practice Guidelines) | Welfare Overhaul |
Ministry of Social Development + Careerforce |
| Explore opportunities to strengthen integration between primary mental health and addiction services and employment services | Government response to He Ara Oranga |
Ministry of Social Development + Ministry of Health |
This plan is a living document and new actions will be developed that address this priority alongside Government’s broader work programme, guided by the kaupapa and informed by monitoring.
Priority 4: Information and support for employers
Kaupapa: A multi-pronged approach will be adopted to build employer confidence in recruiting and retaining disabled people and people with health conditions, including:
- disseminating knowledge of successful work arrangements, busting myths and revealing the potential and talent amongst disabled jobseekers
- disseminating knowledge of appropriate and lawful hiring and recruitment practices
- offering industries recruitment and training support where there are opportunities to match skill shortages with the talent amongst disabled jobseekers
- promoting ‘social procurement’ options where purchasers ask suppliers to support employment for disadvantaged job seekers in their tenders for work.
Building on existing services the government is progressing the following actions:
| Initial actions 2020 – 2022 | Links | Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
|
Disseminate information that raises the visibility of disabled people and people with health conditions as a talent pool Disseminate good practice stories |
Disability Strategy and Action Plan |
Ministry of Social Development + Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment |
| The Public Service leads by example with the recruitment and retention of disabled people, and improved data collection on disabled employees across the public sector to support inclusive workplaces | Disability Strategy and Action Plan |
Ministry of Social Development |
| Development of regional employer hubs with a focus on improving disability employment | Disability Strategy and Action Plan |
Ministry of Social Development |
|
Develop and expand partnerships between employers and Government with a focus on improving disability employment. (This action will include employer-led initiatives such as:
|
Industry partnerships Skills for Industry Te Ara Mahi |
Ministry of Social Development + Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment |
This plan is a living document and new actions will be developed that address this priority alongside Government’s broader work programme, guided by the kaupapa and informed by monitoring.
Footnotes
[1] The ‘ball-park’ numbers are rounded estimates and indicative only. They are based on a mix of 2018−19 administrative data, the 2013 Disability Survey, the June 2019 Household Labour Force Survey and 2018-19 population estimates from Statistics New Zealand ^
