20/03/2025
Employers from the North West are attending a conference today at the Guildhall to learn about how they can support more disabled people into employment in their businesses and organisations.
The event, which is part of Derry City and Strabane District Council’s FestivALL, has been organised by partners Derry and Strabane Labour Market Partnership, Northern Ireland Union of Supported Employment (NIUSE) and the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.
In a joint statement the partners said:
“One in four people in Northern Ireland have a disability and many have the skills and talents that employers and their businesses both need and want.
“We are delighted to have secured a number of expert speakers for today’s conference. Some of our most important contributions will come from disabled people and their employers. They have agreed to share their personal insights and experiences of being valuable employees and the jobs that they do.
“Unfortunately, Northern Ireland continues to have the largest disability employment gap of all the regions across the United Kingdom. The latest figures report that the employment rate for disabled people in Northern Ireland is 38.3% while the rate for those without a disability is 85.9%.
“There is much work to be done to support more disabled people who both want to and need to work. We must help them to flourish in the careers of their choosing.
“We must work together to break down the barriers to employment and ensure employers understand and use the positive action measures within the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. By doing, more disabled people will be able to secure and retain employment across Northern Ireland.”
Note to editor:
- The Labour Market Partnership is funded by the Department for Communities, to create targeted employment action plans for council areas, allowing for collaboration at local and regional level to support people towards and into work.