The American Foundation for the Blind (AFB) has a bold new mission to create a world of no limits for millions of Americans with visual impairments. That mission includes significantly improving the workforce participation rate among people who are blind or visually impaired, which persistently hovers around 35 percent.
Recently, on the anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act, AFB announced its designation as a Central Nonprofit Agency (CNA) under the AbilityOne Program, one of the nation's largest sources of employment for people who are blind or have significant disabilities. "AFB will have the opportunity to partner with nonprofits, government agencies, and corporations to identify innovative ways to maximize the power of the Javits–Wagner—O'Day Act, the law requiring federal agencies to purchase specified supplies and services from nonprofit agencies employing people who are blind or who have significant disabilities, "said Kirk Adams, AFB President and CEO.
As a CNA, AFB's primary focus will be giving people with visual impairments exceptional new career development opportunities in the fast-growing industries of financial services, healthcare and information technology, and to create pathways to mainstream, integrated employment in the public and private sectors.
"Our first order of business is to launch an 18-month research phase to inform the design of this new model," said Adams. AFB will conduct qualitative and quantitative research, including a literature review and market analysis. In addition, AFB will meet with key stakeholders engaged in procurement, as well as job training and placement.
The three-phase Cooperative Agreement, which outlines the terms and conditions of AFB's designation as a CNA, will be executed in three phases over a total of five years, with specific requirements and deliverables for each phase.
In Phase One, AFB will spend 18 months conducting research and studies to meet a series of objectives including the following:
- Identifying innovative employment opportunities/careers and lines of business for people who are blind or visually impaired.
- Identifying a model for continuous identification of employment opportunities, careers and lines of business.
- Identifying multiple ways to identify blind veterans seeking employment, identify the type of employment they desire and providing them with employment.
- Identifying means or methods that the Commission, a CNA and/or a nonprofit agency (NPA) may consider to increase and foster innovation in the AbilityOne Program.
- During this research and studies phase, AFB will be exempt from regulatory requirements of a CNA in the AbilityOne Program, and it will not be authorized to collect Program Fees from nonprofit agencies in the AbilityOne Program.
During Phase Two, which will last 30 months, AFB will begin to implement recommendations and findings from Phase One research and studies and, pending Commission approval, begin to execute CNA regulatory requirements.
Phase Three is the 12-month period during which AFB will transition to full functionality as a CNA. During this phase, AFB will provide management, labor, supervision, materials, equipment and supplies to furnish CNA program services as outlined in the Cooperative Agreement. These program services include the capability to serve as a CNA for nonprofit agencies.
Adams continued, "It is essential that AFB address the unemployment and underemployment issue now. Technology is changing the way we work at an unprecedented pace, which opens a host of job opportunities for people who are blind, so long as our systems are accessible and inclusive." Sixty-five percent of children entering primary school today will ultimately end up working in jobs that don't yet exist, according to the World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs report. That means we must stay current and ensure people with vision loss are developing the right skillsets to compete in the workforce today and in the future. Further, there are many private sector companies dedicated to hiring and promoting people with disabilities, recognizing that full inclusion strengthens company culture and improves the bottom line. AFB will connect these companies to qualified employees who are visually impaired.
"We are thrilled about the possibilities to expand career options and increase workforce participation among people who are blind," said Adams.
AFB Planning Employment Summits Across the Country
In addition to working with the AbilityOne commission, AFB is taking even more action to expand employment possibilities for people with vision loss. Later this year and continuing into next, AFB will be hosting a series of employment summits with the goal of fostering collaboration and creating new workplace opportunities.
"AFB isn't satisfied with the status quo, especially when it comes to the employment rate of people who are blind or visually impaired," said Adams. "That's why AFB is taking decisive actions to address this significant challenge."
AFB's employment summits will engage with partners — both national and regional — and develop strategies to encourage collaboration, maximize impact, and track outcomes. The first summit will serve as a model for similar summits across the country. AFB will be convening leaders from the corporate, government, and nonprofit sectors who focus on diversity and inclusion, job readiness, accommodations, and employment policy. The goal is to generate dialogue about employer needs, create solutions, and forge meaningful partnerships that lead to sustainable employment opportunities.
"One of AFB's key strategic objectives is to reduce the unemployment and underemployment rate of people who are blind or visually impaired, and help employers harness the talent that exists in the community," says Kirk Adams. "By the end of each summit, we'll have an action plan for that local community to improve outcomes for people who are blind or visually impaired, which will help them contribute both to the workplace culture and the bottom line."
The employment summits will be invitation-only events that will include about 50 attendees, and each summit will be tailored to the needs of the region where it is held.
AFB is focusing the employment summits on knowledge-based work in four sectors identified as being robust for growth in the U.S. economy: financial services, information and technology, healthcare, and federal contracting. The employment summits will center on three main topic areas:
- Discussing employer challenges, including hiring initiatives and workplace accommodations.
- Learning about employee success stories and challenges.
- Connecting influencers to work out an action agenda that leads to measurable outcomes — specifically increasing employment rates among people who are blind or visually impaired and advancing the careers of those who are already employed.
Employment summit attendees will discuss a variety of issues, such as challenges faced by vocational rehabilitation and job placement professionals. In addition to exploring corporate programs on disability awareness for hiring managers, attendees will hear directly from employees about their experiences on the job. Attendees will also explore the role of government, with an emphasis on how government can best connect with employers and a look at government regulations that stifle hiring initiatives. The summits will address not only employment for new workers, but also for those with experience who are adjusting to vision loss. "AFB is excited about the potential these employment summits hold," Adams says. "By collaborating with partners across sectors, we can create a world of no limits that benefits both people who are blind or visually impaired and the companies where they work."
Please stay tuned to AccessWorld. We'll be keeping you apprised of AFB's research findings as it moves through its upcoming Phase One work with the AbilityOne Commission, and progress on, and outcomes from, AFB's upcoming employment summits.
This article is made possible in part by generous funding from the James H. and Alice Teubert Charitable Trust, Huntington, West Virginia.
Related articles:
- Pinterest Takes Steps Toward Accessibility, by Jamie Pauls
- VFO and Computers for the Blind Partner for Low-Cost, Accessible Computers, by Bill Holton
More by this author:
