India Perspective on Disability

1
India Perspective on Disability

• Shanti Raghavan
• Founder, Managing Trustee Ashoka Fellow
• EnAble India

2
Where are we?

• Business Case is understood
• Moved away from charity model
• No positive or negative stereotyping (long term)
• Workplace solutions and reduction of barriers are
  the key
• move2voice
• OMR technology used by training coordinator
• Scanner and OCR used by CA
• Severe SCI on screen keyboards and access
  switches
• Severe muscular dystrophy

3
Where are we?

• Nothing succeeds like success more visible
• Focused Employability training works
• Scientific approach grouping
• Work counseling (Attitude)
• Work shadowing / Experiential learning
• Job specific skills and solutions
• Specific facilitation techniques based on
  disability
• Innovation
• Collaboration
• Company - Working towards a forecast
• - Institutions working for the disabled

4
Where are we?

• Quite a few top companies are hiring
• Proactive approach in some companies
• Direct walk-ins in some companies
• Open working cultures leads to sustainability
• CII and NASSCOM forums have started
• Job fairs for disabled creating awareness
• Persons with disability promotions, marriage,
  way of life

5
Issues

• Many jobs in India BUT
• Urban!
• Too competitive (skills, attitude, flexibility)
• Employable candidates?
• Candidates with the right education? (eg BA)
• JOBS FROM ABROAD LOST in transition
• Knowledge lost, Paucity of technology
• Growing sectors are a challenge (eg RETAIL)
• Resistant to process changes / inclusive changes

6
Issues

• Demand for some disabilities only
• Company services sign language interpreters,
  transcription services for deaf/blind
• Services for persons with disability solutions
  issues, counselors, accommodation
• Solutions are expensive
• Lack of solutions leads to less jobs
• No Access more barriers (physical, website and
  more)

7
Issues

• Careers for disabled
• workplace solutions technology and services
• Barriers team lead who is deaf?
• NGOs Capacity building / Less experts
• General training institutions enabled?

8
Way ahead

• Companies Inclusive approach to their way of
  working
• People and environment, Stress factors,
  Proactive
• Long term CSR approach
• Institutions
• Collaborate, knowledge share, supplement and
  complement, Share resources, Smart work
• - We need to tap / work on the next
  generation NOW
• Need to work towards long term forecasts
• Innovation through technology
• -

9
Way ahead

• Workplace solutions labs
• - Real demand creation
• - Companies help build inclusive solutions
• Persons with disability
• Armed with business case, FAQ
• Solutions how to use, efficiency, productivity
• Aim for specific jobs
• Network groups
• Pay for services

10
THANK YOU!
11
Visually impaired HR exec, low vision L2 team,
technical writer,. Physically disabled service
management, project office IBM employees ..
12
Physically disabled tech help desk exec -
Infosys BPO
Blind Team lead /programmer for Code Factory (
Mobile Speak)
Low vision BPO executive Mphasis BPO
Blind Medical transcriptionist - CBAY

13
Blind Training coordinator _at_Sasken
Programmer at Cegedim (formerly dendrite)
Self employed blind teaches music using Skype
Low vision Trainer at Enable India
14
Why persons with disability?
Alternate Source of Suitable Candidates
General Candidate Pool
Future
Alternate Candidates (Disabled)
Alternate Candidates (Disabled)
15
Why persons with disability?
Diverse Workforce

• Results in
• Broadens horizons
• Open thinking
• Diverse Thoughts
• Creative Thinking
• Innovation

Creates an Inclusive Organization

• Results in
• Better Team Work
• Better Results

• More competitive

Global Market - Open to diverse customers
Inclusive products Larger customer base

• Inspiration for Co-workers
• Embodiment of CSR (Corporate Social
  Responsibility)

• Results in
• Socially responsible company
• Customer appreciation