Young people with disabilities should have equal access to career opportunities and the Disability Workshop Development Enterprise (DWDE) is set on making that happen.
DWDE is a Cape Town-based non-governmental organisation and over the years it has worked to realise the rights of persons with disabilities. Its latest effort is a Career Fair where persons with disabilities would be linked with the world of work. This fair is scheduled for October 18 and 19 from 8.30am at The River Club in Observatory, Cape Town.
DWDE says that among the objectives of the Career Fair is to provide a platform for career-related information and resources targeting young people with disabilities. The fair also intends to be a space to educate and empower young people on their way towards finding opportunities for work and provide networking opportunities for youth and employers.
The exhibitors on board to date are Old Mutual, Edcon, WRSeta, Metropolitan, Truworths, HomeChoice, Siyakha Consulting, PAG and more…
DWDE runs the fair as part of its Careers for Youth with Disabilities in South Africa (CYDISA) programme. It believes that more could be done to create a local environment that empowers those who have disabilities. “South Africa has one of the most progressive legislations in the world when it comes to the rights of persons with disabilities. However, when it comes to the implementation of the legislation and the actual employment of persons with disabilities, South Africa is still falling behind,” says DWDE. It says that up to 10% of the country’s population have a disability but people with disabilities total only 0.8% of the country’s total workforce.
The Career Fair aims to serve as a wake-up intervention and a pro-active step. “For young people with disabilities, accessing the open labour market is even more difficult as they are faced with barriers both related to their youth and their disability. DWDE wants to put the unemployment of persons with disabilities and especially the youth high on the agenda. It wants to assist youth with disabilities to access employmen topportunities on the open labour market,” says DWDE. The Career Fair will also seek to “create awareness amongst employers about the employability of youth with disabilities”. It will be an entry point for many who seek employment opportunities and guidance regarding the right career choices.
Exhibitorswill include private and public sector employers, recruitment agencies,training institutions, bursary providers, youth organisation and the City of Cape Town. The fair is open to everyone but especially persons with disabilities regardless of age. Learners from special schools, teachers, careercouncillors, youth organisations, public and private employers as well as government departments are also encouraged to attend.
For more information visit www.dwde.co.za.
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