The kaupapa guiding this plan
The following insights and principles shaped the plan. Some are longstanding principles that reflect and drive change across government such as those found in Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Others are insights that strongly resonate with the goals and circumstances of disabled people, people with health conditions and employers.
When consulting on this plan people told us…
- “a whānau centred approach requires more than looking at the person as an individual, it is about understanding the person in their whole context”
- “we must ground the plan in a rights-based approach”
- “to recognise the diversity of disabled people”… and to “have both bottom up (employment support) mixed with top down (good employers) actions”
Guiding insights from research and consultation:
- Raising expectations and visibility of success is critical. Seeing more disabled people in work improves expectations and understanding about what is possible and builds employer and employee confidence.
- Timely, personalised and flexible employment services are effective, especially when it is easy to talk about what people and their whānau can do with support (a strengths focus).
- Place-based and community or industry driven initiatives and partnerships are often effective as they can link with local resources and employers. Strong local relationships between various service sectors and labour markets are key.
- Paid work is a good way to gain and improve skills. A focus on employment and further education early on in life contributes to good employment outcomes later in life.
Guiding principles include:
- Mana motuhake: supporting self-determination.
- Equity: which means an equal opportunity to thrive consistent with the core principles of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the New Zealand Disability Strategy.
- Diversity: acknowledging and addressing diverse circumstances and need. Some groups need targeted ongoing support, others only need freedom from prejudice.
- Mana manaaki: building the mana of others and uplifting them in a way that honours their dignity.
- Whānau-centred: seeing the person in the context of their whānau − a culturally-grounded and holistic approach.
- Whole of life: seeing the whole person in the context of all areas and stages of their life − accessibility in all domains.
- Kotahitanga: partnering for greater impact - unity, togetherness, solidarity and collective action – joint ventures.
- Kia takatū tātou: supporting long-term social and economic development.
