Community Partnerships: An Effective Inclusion Strategy
“How can I connect with qualified candidates with disabilities?” Many businesses that want to hire disabled workers ask this question, as many simply do not know where to find disabled candidates with the skills to meet their unique workforce needs.
Community partnerships are a key solution. A new resource from the ODEP-funded Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN) can help businesses of all sizes and in all sectors develop these partnerships.
To start, Community Partnerships: An Effective Inclusion Strategy outlines the many types of organizations businesses may partner with, such as:
- Vocational rehabilitation agencies,
- Community-based agencies,
- State and local workforce development systems and
- Educational institutions.
The tool also outlines important considerations when creating partnerships as well as strategies for success. Finally, it includes several examples of how large and small businesses can benefit from partnerships to recruit workers with disabilities and support their retention once on the job.
To explore the topic further, EARN hosted a webinar, Building Local Partnerships: One Strategy for Hiring and Keeping Workers. This webinar featured a panel of leaders who have partnered with public agencies, nonprofits, educational institutions, service providers and others. Business owners, human resource (HR) professionals and other employer representatives are encouraged to watch the recorded webinar to learn innovative strategies for expanding their talent pool while building a more inclusive workforce.