Charity unlocks jobs for disabled in struggling market

With the economic downturn in full flow, disabled people are struggling more than ever to compete in a floundering job market. More than half of all disabled people of working age do not have a job.

Leonard Cheshire Disability is launching a new online resource today (16 February) www.lcdisability.org/suitability at the British Library to tackle this issue head-on.

Suitability, a partnership between Leonard Cheshire Disability, the Employersí Forum on Disability and Jobsgopublic, is an online job brokerage initiative for registered jobseekers, employers and mentors.

It is backed by a team of advisers who identify the skills, talent and experience of disabled jobseekers and match them with employers.

Disabled jobseekers can contact personal advisors, connect with people with similar needs and goals, receive job alerts by SMS and access the Suitability CV Builder.

Employers can post vacancies online for free, recruit and hire staff, reach other companies through the Suitability Forum and sign up to virtual careers fairs.

Suitability builds on the success of Leonard Cheshire Disabilityís Workability initiative, that supports 8,000 disabled people to gain essential IT skills and a free reconditioned computer.

Jane Fletcher, Leonard Cheshire Disabilityís Innovations Director, said: ìDisabled people are already far less likely to be in work than non disabled people. With the job market in free fall, they will face even more barriers to finding work.

ìMany disabled people do want to find a job, but often face the serious challenge of changing peopleís perceptions of who they are and what they can do.

ìSuitability aims to make it less exceptional to have a colleague who is disabled.î

Catherine Grinyer, Head of Communications for Employersí Forum on Disability, said: ìFor employers looking to broaden their talent pool to include disabled jobseekers, Suitability is a timely new web-based resource.

ìEnsuring you get the right person for the right job and that your recruitment processes are inclusive of disabled people is of paramount importance for any employer. Suitability makes it easier for employers to get it right.

ìWe hope that by supporting an initiative of this nature, disabled entrepreneurs and small businesses can benefit from the expertise and experience that Leonard Cheshire Disability can bring to the business advisor community.