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Creating sustainable employment opportunities for people with disabilities

A world of potential

A world of potential

Contents1. A bit about us and our livelihoods programme 4

2. Access to Livelihoods programme model 10

3. What we have achieved 15

4. An adaptable programme: the lessons we’ve learned 24

5. How we will take this forward 35

Across the world, there are people with disabilities who are successful entrepreneurs and productive employees. But despite this, the majority of people with disabilities are consistently excluded from the labour market, and therefore unable to demonstrate their potential in the workplace. In developing countries, between 80-90% of working age people with disabilities are unemployed.1

Exclusion from the labour market continues the cycle of poverty for people with disabilities and further limits their access to education and health services. This increases marginalisation, discrimination and exclusion from mainstream society. People with disabilities face a number of barriers including physical accessibility, discriminatory attitudes and practices, and exclusion from educational or training opportunities.2 These issues are recognised and addressed globally within the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal Eight which aims to ‘Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all’.

Leonard Cheshire, together with the Accenture Foundation, has contributed to the ambition of Sustainable Development Goal 8, by creating sustainable employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Our flagship livelihoods programme is Access to Livelihoods. Since the launch of the programme in 2008, it has extended to six countries across South East Asia and South Africa, supporting over 25,000 people with disabilities. The livelihoods model has also been replicated in several other countries in Africa and Asia, with support from a range of donors.

This report showcases how the Access to Livelihoods programme has grown, what we have achieved so far and the lessons we have learned.

1. United Nations (2017) Disability and Employment Factsheet 1: https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/resources/factsheet-on-persons-with-disabilities/disability-and-employment.html accessed 27/11/2017

2. World Bank (2017) Disability Inclusion: http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/disability#1 accessed 27/11/2017

2 • A world of potential • Leonard Cheshire Leonard Cheshire • A world of potential • 3

Who we areLeonard Cheshire supports individuals to live, learn and work as independently as they choose, whatever their ability. Led by people with experience of disability, we are at the heart of local life – opening doors to opportunity, choice and support across the globe.

Like our founder, we believe that diversity creates a world of possibility. Through pioneering research and innovation we’re building a fairer, more inclusive society. One that recognises the positive contributions we all make, and where we are all proud to play our part.

We support more than 30,000 people with disabilities in the UK and around the world each year. With our partners in Africa and Asia, we provide inclusive education and employment programmes that support people with disabilities in 15 countries. We also research disability and poverty, and work with the United Nations, national governments, disability organisations and development actors to influence policy and make sure everyone has the opportunity to live as they choose.

1. A bit about us and our livelihoods programme

Our Access to Livelihoods programmeLeonard Cheshire, with support and funding from the Accenture Foundation, has been delivering the Access to Livelihoods programme for the past ten years. Initially in 2008 the programme was piloted in four countries – India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Designed for scalability, the programme has expanded to six countries, including the Philippines and South Africa, and has supported over 25,000 people with disabilities to date.

There are 10 main Livelihoods Resource Centres in 10 major cities, and further satellite centres in another 26 locations.

The overall aim of the programme is to increase independence, reduce poverty and increase inclusion for people with disabilities. We do this by supporting people to improve their employability, secure a job or start a business and increase their earnings. The individual beneficiaries, their households and the wider community, including employers, all play an essential part in making this happen.

Leonard Cheshire • A world of potential • 5

Access to Livelihoods programme locations

Indian Launch date: 2008

n Livelihoods Resource Centre locations: Bangalore, Nagapattinam, Coimbatore, Kolkata, New Delhi and 13 satellite locations

n 12,603 people have received training

n 8,275 people have entered waged or self-employment

The Philippinesn Launch date: 2010

n Livelihoods Resource Centre locations: Manila, with satellites in Bohol Province and General Santos City



Bangladeshn Launch date: 2008

n Livelihoods Resource Centre locations: Dhaka, with satellites in Jessore, Uttara, Barisal, Faridpur, Rajshahi, Patuakhali and Pirojpur



Sri Lankan Launch date: 2008

n Livelihoods Resource Centre locations: Negombo, with satellites in Colombo, Kalaturai and Wattala



Pakistann Launch date: 2008

n Livelihoods Resource Centre locations: Islamabad, with a satellite in Sialkot



South African Launch date: 2014

n Livelihoods Resource Centre location: Soweto


n 330 people have entered waged or self-employment


The core elements of our programme

In addition to working with employers, we have forged partnerships with other local providers to maximise the impact and cost efficiency of the programme. Examples include working with training institutions to develop accessible vocational training programmes, and business networks to advocate for inclusive employment practices. We have also worked with financial institutions to enable access to loans and financial support.

The Access to Livelihoods model is designed to be flexible and offers an individually tailored package of support to reflect people’s individual needs, skills and ambitions. We provide a wide range of training modules and practical support, and connect participants with employers as well as with training providers and other stakeholders to support inclusion and create jobs.

Livelihoods Resource CentresThe core programme activities are delivered through Livelihoods Resource Centres (LRCs). As well as delivering training, fostering partnerships and providing support and information, the LRCs make sure that the programme meets local needs and market demands. They conduct livelihoods mapping exercises to facilitate the transition from training to sustainable, local employment, and then guide people with disabilities in their career choices. They tailor the training offered in response to local market conditions.

LRCs also engage in advocacy and campaigning. They are influential in increasing awareness of the rights of people with disabilities, and driving forward change in the policy and practice of local employers and governments.

Talent PathwayWe established the Talent Pathway to address an identified gap in support for higher skilled participants, including graduates and people who had lost employment since acquiring a disability. The Talent Pathway builds on the existing training, focussing on supporting highly skilled and educated people with disabilities to find employment that matches their abilities. In total 1756 people were trained through the Pathway, 69% of whom entered employment.

“We feel comfortable here because we are all the same. Staff help us and support us, and give us time, we meet new people and we are able to become more confident. Coming to the LRC helps us all to be brave, and we feel good about ourselves because we have made friends.”

Programme participant, Bangladesh

“Employing people with disabilities is part of our long-term sustainability strategy, it is not a charity initiative. We are proud that our top 25 performers in the company include employees with disabilities.”

Mr. R Hari, General Manager, Lemon Tree

“I can now live close to work, and I get picked up to travel there, without having to endure the taxis and pay high prices. It is very helpful for me.”

Transnet employee with a disability

Making it easier to get to work in South AfricaIn South Africa we have built a strong relationship with Transnet, a major employer in the country. To date, 14 people with disabilities have been employed by Transnet through the Access to Livelihoods programme. Transnet are providing accessible transport for all employees with disabilities, and making sure they are placed in offices local to their homes, so that travel time is minimised.

PartnershipsWe conduct a careful matching process to reassure employers that employees meet their requirements, and that people with disabilities are prepared to undertake the roles. This has helped to reduce the drop-out rate and increase the engagement of employer partners. A great example of this is the Lemon Tree hotel chain. A small number of candidates were initially placed there through the Delhi LRC, and now over 10% of their workforce is made up of people with disabilities.


2. Access to Livelihoods programme model

We match candidates to waged or

self-employment opportunities

Employment

Assessment and career counselling

We assess participants’ skills, capabilities and

ambitions

Employability and skills training

Each participant receives a tailored

training plan

Talent pathway

An accelerated training pathway to

employment for higher skilled participants

Work experience

We arrange work experience and

apprenticeships to supplement training

Volunteers

Volunteers provide additional support

and mentorship

Follow-on support

We continue to support and mentor

participants after they find employment

Identification and recruitment

Strategies include door-to-door, referrals,

jobability and career fairs

Employers

We partner with employers and

support them to employ people with

disabilities

Community partnerships

We build partnerships with community

organisations such as training institutes

and banks


A dream job in BangaloreSaritha, who had polio at age of three, grew up in a small village in India. Her father passed away while she was studying, leaving the family with no income. She decided to stop her studies and start a small shop in her village, selling daily essentials.

The team from the Access to Livelihoods project came to her village. They gave Saritha a loan and advice on how to develop her business. They also recognised her potential, and encouraged her to enrol on a leadership training course for people with disabilities at our LRC in Bangalore. It was the first time Saritha had ever left her village.

Following the course, the LRC in Bangalore offered Saritha a job as an accountant and administrator. She enjoyed working there for two years, and continued to perfect her English and IT skills. Just over a year ago, Saritha was offered her dream job. She is now a Project Management Officer at Accenture. She has been able to move her mother and brother to live with her in Bangalore, and we’ve also supported her brother to find a job as a data operator. “Everything I have achieved

today is because of Leonard Cheshire’s Livelihoods Resource Centre. It is my learning platform, where I polished and moulded myself to get into a good career.”

12 • International Livelihoods Report • Leonard Cheshire Leonard Cheshire • International Livelihoods Report • 13

VolunteersAccess to Livelihoods engages volunteers to provide additional support and mentorship for programme participants. Volunteers are recruited from a variety of places, and are able to provide a wide range of support. For example, corporate and professional volunteers may help in the preparation of CVs and interviews, while others engage in job fairs or other events such as marathons or walkathons. Volunteers enable direct exposure to the workplace, working culture and expectations. They provide invaluable insight to many participants who may be entering waged employment for the first time.

Over the course of the project, over 3,500 people from corporate companies, colleges, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), disabled people’s organisations and Government officials have been recruited as volunteers. In addition to providing highly valuable support and training to people with disabilities, volunteering also contributes to the employer engagement and partnership strategy. The programme solidifies relationships with partner employers by providing opportunities for their employees to be actively involved, and become advocates for people with disabilities in the workplace.

TechnologyIn order to enhance the reach and sustainability of the programme, we are increasingly using technology to support people with disabilities to find employment.

Jobability is an online portal which matches job seekers with accessible employment opportunities. People with disabilities are able to search job listings posted by partner employers, alongside accessing useful resources and inspiring success stories. See www.jobability.org.

In order to reach people who are unable to get to a physical Livelihoods Resource Centre, we have piloted a Virtual Livelihoods Resource Centre in India. Through the Virtual Centre people with disabilities are able to access advice and support through a toll-free phone line. We plan to expand the service online, offering assessments, training courses and resources for finding job opportunities.

Overall, the Access to Livelihoods programme has been highly successful, reaching and supporting people with disabilities to overcome barriers, enter the labour market and secure sustainable livelihoods. Our innovative model has demonstrated its effectiveness as a scalable, adaptable approach which can be reliably replicated across multiple countries.

Figure 1: Access to Livelihoods impact model

Individual people with disabilities are independent and financially stable

Households are supportive, supported and financially stable

People with disabilities are contributing

members of inclusive, enabling communities

Employers and communities are

inclusive and enabling

3. What we have achieved


66% (18,375) of participants entered either waged or self-employment

28,029 people with disabilities received training and support

We have supported thousands of people to become more financially independent and secureThe Access to Livelihoods model is based on the assumption that through securing employment, income increases, enabling greater independence, a move out of poverty and an improved quality of life overall.

Our 2017 independent programme evaluation, demonstrated this trend, as well as a research study which took a representative sample of programme participants in India. This study found that:

n The majority of participants reported an increase in income as a result of the programme – 86% of those in waged employment and 71% who are self-employed

n The income of those who secured waged employment increased by an average of 88%

n The income of those who started or grew their own business increased by 24%

“For the first time, I learned how to prepare my resume, how to attend job interviews, computer literacy and personality development. During the event, I met many others who had a disability, which further boosted my confidence. The training activities and this new job has strengthened my belief in my abilities.”

Jose, programme participant, the Philippines

“With the money I got I bought a sewing machine and crutches. I am also supporting my family with my earnings and studying at college. I am paying for my education through the earnings that I am gaining from the project.”

Programme participant, Bangladesh

We have supported thousands of people into employmentThe core measure of success of this project is whether it has supported people with disabilities to secure a job or start a business. Since the launch in 2008, the results demonstrate that it has been highly effective in achieving this goal:

n 28,029 people with disabilities have participated in the Access to Livelihoods programme, receiving training and support

n 18,375 (66%) of participants entered either waged or self-employment as a result of the programme

The Talent Pathway has also been extremely successful, exceeding the initial targets set. 1,772 people with disabilities participated in the programme and 1,228 secured employment as a result. Candidates were supported to find a wide variety of roles including software engineers, teachers and project managers.

While it is important to be cautious about extrapolating this data across all programme locations, it does provide clear evidence that the programme has successfully increased the income of participants. These findings are supported by monitoring data from all the delivery locations. This indicated that 50-70% of participants reported a growth in income, with the exception of South Africa which had lower rates of income growth. South Africa has a very challenging economic climate, with very few waged employment opportunities; it took longer for the project to gain momentum, and so many people surveyed during the evaluation period had not been in employment for very long.

More income means increased financial independence and security for people with disabilities and their households. The study in India revealed that 73% of participants reported improvements to their living conditions, including being able to rent or buy new homes and improved access to water, electricity and sanitation. Participants are also able to buy new things, with the most popular item being a mobile phone.


feel more included in their communities and workplaces after taking part in the programme. Sensitisation activities and disability equality training for workplaces have successfully addressed negative attitudes and fostered inclusion. In South Africa, where disability is often associated with witchcraft, a female participant reported that the community engagement efforts of the LRC had helped to change people’s negative views: ‘Before, they used to say my family were bad. Now some people have seen Leonard Cheshire around and they know now I am disabled not tagati (related to witchcraft)… People are kinder.’

Taking part in training and securing employment is often associated with an improved sense of self-worth, where people feel that they are able to contribute to society and take control of their lives. Feedback from participants highlights how valuable the personal development and soft skills training has been in supporting their independence and confidence.

Employment sectors

It is critically important that participants in the Access to Livelihoods programme are able to transition from training and support to sustainable, local employment. Our mapping and guidance approach has supported people with disabilities to gain employment or start businesses in nearly 70 different employment sectors. Not only does this approach ensure that LRCs avoid training people for the same jobs or businesses, it promotes choice. It gives agency to people with disabilities to make informed decisions about the careers that fit with their needs and ambitions. Sectors include:

n Farmingn Manufacturen Tailoringn Household good repairn Banking and financen Administrationn Government n Health and social workn Electronicsn Carpentryn Constructionn Shoe makingn Logistics and transportn Communications and telecomsn Hairdressingn Graphic designn Arts and entertainmentn Horticulturen Auto painting

We have changed attitudes and improved livesThe holistic approach of the Access to Livelihoods programme has been critical in building the capacity of people with disabilities and creating sustainable social impact. Support offered by the programme is diverse, addressing physical access needs and skills development as well as emotional resilience and psychological wellbeing. The study in India showed that 78% of participants felt their perceptions about life improved as a result of taking part in the programme. 80% of participants sampled reported that the programme met and addressed their needs in accessing meaningful, quality employment.

Often living in societies where discrimination, stigmatisation and exclusion are commonplace, many people with disabilities have said they

“Many of my friends, who used to say I would not be able to do anything, now come to me and ask for help in getting employment.”

Amir, programme participant, India

n Retailn Hospitalityn ITn Business process outsourcingn Teachingn Food Processing

18 • A world of potential • Leonard Cheshire

“I loved Money Minded training, it helped me understand how I could make money from my business.”

Programme participant, the Philippines.

We have encouraged others to develop opportunities for people with disabilitiesOne of the key strengths of the Access to Livelihoods programme has been the integration of partnership working. Developing close links with local training providers has enabled LRCs to expand and enhance the training available to participants.

In India, a partnership with the Ramakrishna Mission Vivekananda University has resulted in the accreditation of the ‘Ready to Succeed’ training. This training includes core foundation modules such as confidence building, life skills, language development, numeracy and basic IT, employability and self-employment skills training. As a result of our partnership with ANZ (Australia and New Zealand Banking Group) in the Philippines, ‘Money Minded’, their financial literacy programme, is now offered to all participants on the self-employment stream free of charge. Similarly strong relationships with micro-finance institutions, savings groups

“The buddying initiative is very useful in facilitating the inclusion of persons with disabilities in their work environments.”

Employee, Courtaulds Clothing, Sri Lanka

and external sponsorship or aid programmes have helped secure additional finance and resources for self-employed participants. In Bangladesh, the LRC has created a fund matching programme with a variety of financial institutions to support individuals who are entering self-employment. Through this initiative, 372 people have received additional financial assistance for their business.

Employers are seen as critical partners. The success of the programme in securing waged employment opportunities relies on building lasting and mutually beneficial relationships with them. Stereotyping, discrimination and active exclusion are common and present a challenge, particularly when working with new partners. Supporting employers to develop sustainable inclusive policies, alongside addressing physical accessibility issues is an essential part of the process. Involving non-disabled members of staff, for example as buddies and mentors, has helped to ensure the success of placements. Engaging with the whole workforce helps to ensure a more sustainable impact by inspiring changes in attitudes and behaviours.

The Access to Livelihoods programme has worked with over 3,000 employers

LRCs have partnered with over 350 training providers

20 • A world of potential • Leonard Cheshire

A welcoming workplace in ManilaThe LRC in Manila, the Philippines, supported Michelle to find a job as an accountant at Henkel, a global chemical goods and consumer company. Michelle has been profoundly deaf since birth, and wanted to work in an environment where she could easily communicate with her hearing colleagues.

When we first met Michelle, we talked to her about the kind of role she was looking for, and gave her training to improve her English and communication skills. We supported her throughout the application process with Henkel, making sure that a sign language interpreter was available at her interview, and during the induction process. We also gave disability awareness training to staff including managers and her future team.

The support provided to Henkel by the LRC has helped Michelle to feel accepted and welcomed by her teammates. She loves her job, and gets on really well with her colleagues – she regularly enjoys playing sport and going for evenings out with them.

“My hope for the future is to work with other people with disabilities and train them. I want to learn many things and raise awareness that deaf people can work.”


Since the Access to Livelihoods programme launched in 2008, we have identified several key learnings around what has worked well, and the challenges that need to be addressed. Over the course of delivering the programme we have consistently learnt from these lessons, adapting the programme as it has grown.

Understanding the local context is crucialIn any livelihoods programme, the success of the project ultimately rests on the number of people who have been supported to find employment. It is important, however, to also think about contextual factors to make sure targets and measures of success are realistic. For example, security risks and limitations on movement in rural Pakistan made programme delivery more difficult. Similarly an extremely high national unemployment rate in South Africa creates a highly competitive environment, amplifying the barriers people with disabilities face. Understanding and taking these factors into account is crucial in programme design; periods of reflection and adaptation should be built in and considered in the evaluation of a programme’s success.

4. An adaptable programme: the lessons we’ve learned

Different disabilities require different approachesLeonard Cheshire is a pan-disability charity which aims to support people with all types of disability. Implementing this across the Access to Livelihoods programme has however been challenging. In the countries where we work there are considerable and long-standing barriers to inclusion in terms of physical access, awareness and negative attitudes. These can affect different disabilities in different ways and are more easily overcome for some than others.

In general, we have found that employers are more willing and able to put in place the adaptations needed to employ individuals with physical disabilities. This has led to a greater proportion of people with physical disabilities being successfully employed compared to people with other types of disability. To make sure that all people with disabilities were reached, particularly those who are the most excluded, we focused on diversifying the groups of people participating in the programme. The LRCs invested more time in recruiting people with a range of disabilities, particularly those with hearing and visual impairments, and latterly intellectual disabilities. This was achieved through collaboration with government and other agencies to identify and invite them to participate. The LRCs also worked with employers to make them more aware of the potential of people with all types of disabilities, and how to make any necessary adaptations to the workplace in order to employ them.

These targeted approaches have been successful in broadening the support available and engaging with people with a wider range of disabilities. For example, in the Philippines we worked with a government agency to engage a group of adults with autism and other intellectual disabilities. The group was supported to run a collaborative business making tofu. This approach of establishing collectives and partnerships, sometimes also including family members, has been particularly successful for people with intellectual disabilities.

There remain significant, often systemic challenges to achieving full participation for all people with disabilities. Changing the attitudes and behaviours of employers takes time, and further work to change policy and practice is needed. Finding employment for individuals with visual impairments has also remained challenging. Many employers are unaware of the simple adaptations that can be made to the workplace to make this possible, and easily dismiss accessibility as too expensive or too complicated. An exception to this is the IT sector, where developing technologies, such as text to speech readers, are more widely available. While there is still work to be done, the Access to Livelihoods programme demonstrates a successful approach to helping people with all disability types secure employment.

Figure 2: The disability types of participants who have found employment

Hearing impairment

Learning and intellectual

Physical disability

Multiple/Other

Visual impairment

59%

4%9%

20%

8%


“Before I came here I was alone at home. Now I have learned new skills, I am working with other people and we share everything – our workload, and how we are feeling.”

Sheila, one of the group members

Sharing the workload in CuddaloreThe LRC in Cuddalore, India, has provided support and training for a group of 15 people with disabilities to learn how to make a variety of cane furniture products and establish themselves as a collective running a business together. The LRC helped them to secure premises, provided an investment, and helped forge links with other local cooperatives through which they can access loans to expand their business.

The members of the group have a range of different disabilities, including those with physical disabilities, hearing impairments and intellectual disabilities. They are very supportive of each other and enjoy working in a group environment. The business is taking off, and they are producing a wide range of cane products including chairs, sofas, swings and rockers.


Women with disabilities face double discriminationIn many developing countries, women and girls with disabilities face ‘double discrimination’ stemming both from their gender and their disability. To achieve fair and equal sustainable development, it is important that women are included and the challenges they face are addressed.

In India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Pakistan an average of twice as many men compared to women participated in the programme. In the Philippines and South Africa, however, there was a negligible difference between the genders. These differences are clearly illustrated by the societal attitudes described by programme stakeholders. In India, a programme board member explained that ‘women are not supported by their families to engage in work, they are expected to be in the home… This is particularly true for persons with disabilities.’ However in the Philippines ‘we do not have a problem with gender here, everyone includes everyone and in many companies there is more women than men.’

Promisingly, once they have joined the programme, the rate of success between men and women in achieving employment is comparable – 68% for men and 62% for women. This suggests that the obstacle to gender equality in the Access to Livelihoods programme is at the identification and recruitment phase. Women are less likely to take part in the programme in the first place because of different expectations and attitudes in society. Further advocacy to raise awareness of the needs and rights of women with disabilities, and targeting women for inclusion in the programme, may be successful strategies to address these attitudes and enhance the participation of women.


Self-employment always needs to be an optionOf all the successful participants of the Access to Livelihoods programme, 53% secured waged employment with partner employers, while 47% started or grew their own small business. Economic analysis of the income of participants demonstrates that securing waged employment has a more immediate and greater impact on individuals than self-employment. Based on a sample of participants from India, the income of those who entered waged employment grew by an average of 88% compared to 24% for those who started or grew their own small business. There may be several reasons for these findings. Given that many start-up businesses take time to become established and generate significant profits, the disparity between the income levels may even out over time, although a longitudinal study would be needed to explore this further.

In many of the countries we work in, waged employment opportunities are extremely limited and the majority of the population makes their livelihood through self-employment. One benefit of self-employment is that it offers many people with disabilities the flexibility they need to manage their disability whilst working.

Ensuring that self-employment is an option for people with disabilities has been an essential part of the programme. Individuals who want to start or grow their business have been

provided with a start-up kit of materials and resources such as tools or stock. Feedback from participants and staff highlighted the importance of these resources and the need to ensure project budgets are sufficient to meet business requirements. While the programme aims to support people with disabilities to leverage further financial support for their businesses, this can also be challenging. Financial institutions and regulatory bodies can create bottlenecks, which prevent participants from progressing with their business.

In the future we will continue to address these issues through our livelihoods projects. By working with individuals to develop clear business plans informed by local market conditions, it is possible to manage expectations and increase chances of success. While access to resources will always be challenging, encouraging participants to form collaborative partnerships or collectives where appropriate has also been shown to be a successful strategy. We will continue to work with governments, banks and microfinance institutions to influence their policies and practice and access to services for people with disabilities. Future projects will also aim to ensure there are self-employment opportunities at higher levels of skills and scale, such as small and growing businesses or enterprises. This will further enable participants to make independent and informed choices and take control of their future.

Fish breeding in Sri LankaWhen Gamini, from Sri Lanka, was injured in an incident, losing a hand, vision in one eye and hearing in one ear, he also lost his livelihood as a farmer and traditional medicine practitioner. After spending a year in hospital he worried he would never be able to work again and would have to beg to support his family.

Gamini had an idea to set up an ornamental fish breeding business, but was unsure how to make his idea a success. Gamini was linked into the LRC in Sri Lanka, where he was able to access foundation training, learning how to prepare a business plan, budget and apply for a loan to grow his business. The LRC also connected him with the National Aquaculture Development Authority to help him advance his fish breeding techniques and work towards achieving an industry quality mark. Gamini now runs a successful business, and he dedicates his achievements to the support he received from the LRC.

The potential of technology is huge and will continue to increaseDigital technology has huge potential to support more people with disabilities to gain knowledge and skills and find employment. The almost limitless reach of online technologies means that people who would be unable to access a physical LRC location could benefit from virtual support. The Jobability portal and the Virtual Livelihoods Resource Centre (VLRC) have been developed to take advantage of this potential, and explore ways to cost effectively extend the reach of the Access to Livelihoods programme.

Both the Jobability portal and the VLRC were in regular demand from people with disabilities. The VLRC received an average of 225 calls a month and over a third (34%) of people who used it found it helpful. This is a promising finding. However more work is needed to meet the full range of needs presented. Similarly, the Jobability portal has also had positive feedback. However the majority of the opportunities listed

have been in specific regions in India, where the LRCs have been most proactive at generating listings. Staff and participants from other countries described significant obstacles to using Jobability including unreliable access, poor digital literacy and legislative barriers.

While more cost effective than running a physical building, virtual support still requires investment. Ongoing resources are needed to promote the services and ensure content is generated regularly and kept up to date. Future projects should invest time and funding towards building the Jobability portal and VLRC alongside other tools, in order to achieve their full potential.

It is clear that technology presents a great opportunity to reach more people with disabilities. It can provide accessible, relevant and low cost information. While the potential is inhibited by current accessibility and availability of technology in many developing countries, we believe these tools should be used as part of a blended model to enhance and extend on-the-ground delivery.

“This phenomenal growth in a new business, of which I had no idea, had been possible because of the LRC intervention. The training enhanced my knowledge about fisheries and equipped me with skills to do business.”

53% of successful participants secured waged employment

47% of successful participants started or grew their own business

Leonard Cheshire • A world of potential • 31

A business close to home in DelhiAfter leaving school early to support his family, Subhash struggled to find work. He got in touch with the LRC in Delhi after hearing about us from a friend. We quickly established that he already had a lot of practical knowledge and experience in mobile phone repair. We talked to him about what he wanted from the future. It was clear that he wanted to run his own shop. So we gave him a mobile phone repair kit, and advice and training on setting up a small business.

Subhash now runs his own business selling and repairing mobile phones and accessories, just round the corner from his home. Being so close to home is particularly helpful for Subhash as he had polio as a child, which affected the mobility in his legs – he uses crutches to walk.

He is earning a good income and is able to support his family. He is ambitious for his young son, and feels confident he will be able to provide him with a good start in life.

“I feel so happy in my shop. It’s my time, I am focused, this is what I want to do in life. Now I can take care of my family, my wife, my child. This is a great thing.”

Since 2008 the Access to Livelihoods programme has successfully transformed the lives of thousands of some of the most vulnerable people living in the world today. Many more people with disabilities now have secure livelihoods, greater income and financial independence as well as increased confidence and self-belief. Participants in the Access to Livelihoods programme contribute meaningfully to their communities and societies financially, and are a core part of raising awareness in their communities, addressing discrimination and negative attitudes.

Although many barriers remain that prevent all people with disabilities from being fully included in the labour market, the Access to Livelihoods programme has demonstrated significant success at breaking down many of these barriers. The programme’s adaptability has also enabled rapid growth and scalability across urban and rural settings in multiple countries.

It is clear that to achieve long-term sustainable change and meet the ambition of the Sustainable Development Goals, further work and greater investment is needed. For future livelihoods projects we aim to develop strong partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders such as disabled people’s organisations, large corporates, business networks and local and national governments, as well as making greater use of digital technology.

As we embrace the digital age, Leonard Cheshire is looking at how we can work in partnership to support more people with disabilities through digital channels. Areas being explored include online assessments, skills training and job matching, whilst making use of the full range of digital and mobile technologies that exist and ensuring they are accessible for all.

Working together, Leonard Cheshire will continue to influence the development and implementation of inclusive policies and practises. Raising awareness of the rights and potential of people with disabilities will drive attitudinal and behavioural change, and support the creation of a more fully inclusive society.

5. How we will take this forward

Long term change requires long term solutionsWhile the Access to Livelihoods programme has achieved a huge amount for individuals and has greatly improved the accessibility of partner organisations, long term sustainability comes from changing employment systems to ensure the inclusion of people with disabilities. The programme has made progress engaging local policy makers and government institutions, advocating for the rights of people with disabilities. For example, in Pakistan, staff have worked with partner organisations to contribute to policy development around access to transport, and to implement disability

employment quotas within government departments. Similarly, in South Africa, Leonard Cheshire was invited to contribute to the development of the City of Johannesburg’s Disability Policy. Developing strong relationships with key stakeholders to influence policy and practice should be a key part of any livelihoods programme.


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July 2018

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