Meaningful social and economic inclusion through small business enterprise models of employment for adults with intellectual disability

© 2018-IOS Press and the authors. All rights reserved. BACKGROUND: People with intellectual disability and high or very high support needs face systemic economic and social exclusion. Small business enterprise (SBE) models of employment focusing on adults with intellectual disability have emerged re...

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Main Authors: Thoresen, S., Thomson, Allyson, Jackson, R., Cocks, Errol
Format: Journal Article
Published: IOS Press 2018
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/70773
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author Thoresen, S.
Thomson, Allyson
Jackson, R.
Cocks, Errol
author_facet Thoresen, S.
Thomson, Allyson
Jackson, R.
Cocks, Errol
author_sort Thoresen, S.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description © 2018-IOS Press and the authors. All rights reserved. BACKGROUND: People with intellectual disability and high or very high support needs face systemic economic and social exclusion. Small business enterprise (SBE) models of employment focusing on adults with intellectual disability have emerged relatively recently, predominantly developed by parents. These are highly individualised, person-centred, and are built around the skills, strengths, and interests of the focal person. SBEs draw on a range of funding sources and paid and unpaid supports are instrumental in their development and continuation. OBJECTIVE: To explore the utility of SBE as an emerging employment pathway to economic and social inclusion for adults with intellectual disability. RESULTS: Four case studies describe a range of strategies to develop and maintain SBEs to create meaningful economic and social inclusion. They illustrate different supports used in establishing and continuing these arrangements, and issues related to safeguarding and sustainability. CONCLUSION: There is a dearth of empirical studies of SBE for people with intellectual disability who have high or very high support needs. Further work to develop and operationalise an SBE quality framework needs to account for the differences between the start-up and continuation stages, emphasising sustainability.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-707732018-12-13T09:33:09Z Meaningful social and economic inclusion through small business enterprise models of employment for adults with intellectual disability Thoresen, S. Thomson, Allyson Jackson, R. Cocks, Errol © 2018-IOS Press and the authors. All rights reserved. BACKGROUND: People with intellectual disability and high or very high support needs face systemic economic and social exclusion. Small business enterprise (SBE) models of employment focusing on adults with intellectual disability have emerged relatively recently, predominantly developed by parents. These are highly individualised, person-centred, and are built around the skills, strengths, and interests of the focal person. SBEs draw on a range of funding sources and paid and unpaid supports are instrumental in their development and continuation. OBJECTIVE: To explore the utility of SBE as an emerging employment pathway to economic and social inclusion for adults with intellectual disability. RESULTS: Four case studies describe a range of strategies to develop and maintain SBEs to create meaningful economic and social inclusion. They illustrate different supports used in establishing and continuing these arrangements, and issues related to safeguarding and sustainability. CONCLUSION: There is a dearth of empirical studies of SBE for people with intellectual disability who have high or very high support needs. Further work to develop and operationalise an SBE quality framework needs to account for the differences between the start-up and continuation stages, emphasising sustainability. 2018 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/70773 10.3233/JVR-180962 IOS Press restricted
spellingShingle Thoresen, S.
Thomson, Allyson
Jackson, R.
Cocks, Errol
Meaningful social and economic inclusion through small business enterprise models of employment for adults with intellectual disability
title Meaningful social and economic inclusion through small business enterprise models of employment for adults with intellectual disability
title_full Meaningful social and economic inclusion through small business enterprise models of employment for adults with intellectual disability
title_fullStr Meaningful social and economic inclusion through small business enterprise models of employment for adults with intellectual disability
title_full_unstemmed Meaningful social and economic inclusion through small business enterprise models of employment for adults with intellectual disability
title_short Meaningful social and economic inclusion through small business enterprise models of employment for adults with intellectual disability
title_sort meaningful social and economic inclusion through small business enterprise models of employment for adults with intellectual disability
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/70773