A multi-agency effort is underway to improve current policies and practices designed to enhance recruitment, hiring and advancement of individuals with disabilities. The group will focus on work-based learning opportunities, particularly for youth with disabilities, and policies that encourage entrepreneurship and disability-owned businesses.
Duane Mayes, Director for the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation spoke to KSRM, “We’re coming together to really work on improving our systems in the state of Alaska that are in place to assist Alaskans with disabilities in obtaining and maintaining employment throughout the state. First and foremost is that, and I know that this administration, the governor is in support of this and provided the letter of support for us to create this time limited task force for one year. This administration supports that. We want to make sure that as we evolve and move forward we know that we are coming out of this pandemic that in our efforts to help the economy to rebound, we want to make sure that any plan that’s developed backwards in Alaskans with disabilities because they too desire to go to work.”
Meetings will be held for the taskforce to develop specific recommendations that will go to the governor and the commissioners for the Department of Health and Social Services and the Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
Mayes believes that it’s important to start early, “So you have students with disabilities throughout the state of Alaska in the different districts. I think there’s 54 school districts. Students with Disabilities afforded them an opportunity to have community based type of work experiences to develop those soft skills to become much more aware of what work looks like as well as to kind of help them navigate what their desires are. By the time they graduate from high school, they’re going to have a little bit of a foundation starting early with youth and disabilities in the high school system. Giving them the most work-based experiences I think is important.”
The taskforce is formed with 24 members. It’s a mix of state leaders from different departments in the system, community leaders and members from the employer community.
