Social Participation of Employed and Unemployed Israelis With Disabilities

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between employment and social participation among a random, national sample of 597 Israelis with disabilities of working age. Overall findings indicated that employed people with disabilities were significantly more integrated in social and civic activities than the unemployed. Whereas most of the unemployed attributed their restricted patterns of participation to the lack of adequate financial resources, accessible transportation, and encouragement from community organizations, the employed reported lack of time as their main barrier. These findings suggest that employment and rich community participation patterns might reinforce each other and thus serve as a potential vehicle for promoting social integration for people with disabilities in their communities.

The Ghana Community-Based Rehabilitation Program for People With Disabilities: What Happened at the End of Donor Support?

“…And the suggestion by some people with disabilities that more education and skill training be provided by government is indicative of the possibility that many young people with disabilities are unlikely to be employed in the future, with an estimated 31% unemployed (Ghana Federation of the Disabled, 2010b). Because employment and rich community participation tend to reinforce each other and promote social integration (Rimmerman & Araten-Bergman, 2009), it is important that some effort be made to provide education and skill training opportunities for people with disabilities.…”

Israeli Policy Toward Veterans With Disabilities: A Snapshot and Insights of the Proposed Reform

“…The social functional model, with its emphasis on choice and self-determination, appears to demand change in this basic notion. Nonetheless, in recent years, empirical evidence has emerged indicating the unique importance of employment and its unequivocal contribution to the adjustment and general inclusion of people with disabilities in mainstream society (Araten-Bergman, 2008;Rimmerman & Araten-Bergman, 2009;Tal-Katz, 2010). In addition, it seems that the integration of people with disabilities in the workplace influences the prevailing attitudes in society.…”

“…Recent years have seen a change in the Israeli public attitudes toward individuals with disabilities in general and reassessment of the policy toward veterans in particular (Feldman & Ben-Moshe, 2006;Rimmerman & Araten-Bergman, 2009). This trend is expressed by the transition from policy, based on the medical model, to a more inclusive policy founded on the social functional model of disability.…”

Expectations of Greek Parents about Employment Opportunities for their Child with Learning Disabilities: Implications for Social Workers

“…Furthermore, social work professionals had approached disability from a medical perspective which emphasised the person's impairment and resultant lack of functioning (Rimmerman & Araten-Bergman, 2009). Under such perspective they were viewed as having a lack of adaptability to their surrounding environment.…”

“…It recognises that the majority of problems with disabled people arises as a result of external factors such as discrimination and devaluation. To complement, the interactive model acknowl edges the interplay between the individual's impairment and the disabling environment (Rimmerman & Araten-Bergman, 2009;Mackelprang, 2010).…”