‘I don't think they've ever seen people like me do jobs like this’

Strengths-based employment services focused on the abilities of people with intellectual disabilities challenge traditional, deficits-based orientations. Within the presence of hope, which sustains collective effort toward a preferred future, such employment services may stimulate social change. 

This paper examines the presence of hope within strengths-based employment settings for adults with intellectual disabilities to understand its potential to establish inclusive workplaces. Employees with intellectual disabilities supported by strength-based employment services, as well as their employers and co-workers, completed semi-structured interviews. 

Key findings

• People with intellectual disabilities can use their strengths to complete important tasks in the workplace.
• Hiring employees with intellectual disabilities for their ability to perform workplace tasks counters deficits-based approaches to disability.
• Using strengths-based hiring practices encourages inclusive and equitable workplaces where the abilities of people with disability are valued.
• Movement toward inclusive workplaces is possible through the presence of hope, which creates a collective effort to attain a preferred future.