The Future of Work and the Disability Community

The future of work is often associated with the replacement of human labor by robotics, algorithm-driven decision making and growing concerns about how workers will fare in a dynamic global economy. Only recently has the discussion on the future of work been expanded to take into account the likelihood of growing economic and social inequalities between groups. Unfortunately, as is all too common with diversity-based conversations, the focus is frequently limited to race, gender and geography. Disability is often omitted from consideration altogether. As a result, the policies and programs developed out of growing concern for the future of workers may further marginalize persons with disabilities. Not willing to accept this outcome, a diverse group of representatives from the public, private and social sectors assembled in 2019 to map the present conditions contributing to the exclusion of persons with disabilities and recommend strategies to positively shape the future.

Executive Summary

Social Enterprises of the Future: A Collective Response outlines our methodology and the path forward. Social Enterprises of the Future is rooted in design thinking principles. Therefore, success is dependent on the inclusion of people with disabilities in the design of interventions that meet their aspirations for the future. We must strive to develop testable prototypes that maximize learning and incorporate feedback into the innovation process. As the initiative evolves, it will be essential to include the diverse perspectives of representatives across the public, private and social sectors to guide the design process. The framework we developed during the original phase of this initiative and our first set of outputs reflect an evolution within the disability community.  Read the full summary.

In conjunction with the release of The Future of Work and the Disability Community and Social Enterprises of the Future: A Collective Response, SourceAmerica invited a panel of experts to share their perspectives on the global state of disability employment and societal inclusion. The panel event took place on May 8th at the 2018 SourceAmerica National Training and Achievement Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana. The panel members outlined a variety of challenges and opportunities and offered strategies for meeting the shared goal of a future of inclusion, with employment as a key indicator of success. This report represents the perspectives of a diverse panel on matters of global and domestic policy, human rights, and private sector engagement – and offers a summary of the key takeaways to inform subsequent discussion and action.