Mahi - The Disability Employment Podcast

Workbridge CEO Jonathan Mosen speaks with Holly Walker, Deputy Director of the Helen Clark Foundation about their latest report, "Still Alone Together".   The new report draws upon new statistics, and highlights the disproportionate loneliness felt by disabled people in Aotearoa New Zealand. The report also looks at how loneliness changed as the nation came out of Level 4 lockdown, and the progress made against the recommendations made in the Foundation's original paper on loneliness. Jonathan Mosen contributed to this paper on how being employed not only brings dignity and economic independence, but also lessens loneliness.   The report is available in a variety of formats from The Helen Clark Foundation's website.  

When you're a kid who loves to draw with dreams of becoming a cartoonist, learning that you have deteriorating sight is a lot to cope with. But Brent Harpur has lived his dream and is celebrating 30 years teaching drawing, drawing cartoons, writing, entertaining and more. Quite unexpectedly and organically, he found viral success on Facebook during the lockdown. Now, Grow Digital is helping this gifted disabled artist sell his content in the digital age, potentially opening it up to a global audience.   Time and packages for Grow Digital are strictly limited, so if you'd like to discuss your ideas, give Grow Digital a call today on 0800-344-477.   To learn more about Brent's story, you can watch this documentary about him, Scattered Joy.    

We begin by answering questions you've asked us about Grow Digital, our new service that can assist small to medium enterprises driven by disabled people.   Digital exclusion is a serious issue for many disabled people. Workbridge is proud to be collaborating with Manaiakalani Education Trust to facilitate the digital inclusion of disabled people, through a programme MET is running thanks to funding from the Department of Internal Affairs.   Workbridge CEO, Jonathan Mosen, speaks with Kristen Waters from Manaiakalani Education Trust about how they got strated, what they offer and the positive difference their work is making.

Workbridge's National Accessibility Advisor Britta Offergeld joins Jonathan Mosen to discuss Grow Digital.    Grow Digital is a free service funded by the Department of Internal Affairs that assists disabled people running a small to medium enterprise (SME), or businesses who mainly employ disabled people, to boost their digital skills.   Britta provides just a few examples of how Grow Digital can assist you if you're disabled and run your own business.    

In this episode, we take you virtually to Workbridge's Annual General Meeting.   Workbridge Council President Debbie Ward, Board Chair Pam Macneill, and CEO Jonathan Mosen report on the financial year just ended.   Plus, Jonathan Mosen gives an address called Expectations.

We conclude our general election series by speaking with National's disability spokesperson, Alfred Ngaro.

On 21 August, Workbridge launched our "Policy that Works" thought leadership document. The previous episode of Mahi contains a full reading of the document. In this episode, listen to the launch.   Speakers are Workbridge Chairman Pam MacNeill, Disability Rights Commissioner Paula Tesoriero, Business New Zealand Chief Executive Kirk Hope, and Workbridge's Chief Executive Jonathan Mosen. To read "Policy that Works" in a variety of formats, visit the Policy that Works page.    

Workbridge is proud to launch the thought leadership document ‘Policy that Works: A fair go for disability employment post COVID-19”. Workbridge has been at the forefront of thought leadership on the employment of disabled people since our founding in 1931. Over time, we have led advocacy for changes in public policy to reflect evolving attitudes towards the self-determination of disabled people. This difficult COVID recovery situation has created a once in a generation opportunity to significantly reform public policy on the employment of disabled people for the better. It is the responsibility of all of us not to squander that opportunity. The most important changes that will make the biggest impact to the lives of disabled people, if implemented, should include: The fee-for-service contract model be updated with a holistic framework focussing on careers rather than individual jobs, co-designed by disabled people. Government acts to address the widespread community concerns about the impact of the benefit abatement rate and stand-down period acting as a disincentive for some disabled people to accept some employment opportunities Government provides financial and practical support to Workbridge to offer career counselling, mentoring and transition services for disabled high school students. Government provides practical and financial support to Workbridge to train disabled people for self-employment. Initiatives should include mentoring from successful businesspeople, particularly those who are disabled. In collaboration with the business sector, DPOs and Workbridge, government work closely on the specifics of a public education campaign that promotes the benefits of employing disabled people and dispels common myths. There is much more. If you would like the document in formats other than audio, visit our website and activate the Policy that Works link.

Continuing our interviews with the disability spokespeople from political parties in Parliament, Jonathan Mosen speaks with Hon Tracey Martin from New Zealand First. In addition to being New Zealand First's disability spokesperson, Ms Martin is Minister for Children, Seniors and Internal Affairs, and Associate Minister of Education

On 19 September, we will choose who governs New Zealand for the next three years.   Disability issues are not often discussed in the media, so over the next few episodes of Mahi, we are inviting the disability issues spokespeople from all political parties represented in Parliament to join us. We'll discuss a range of disability-related topics that may be on your mind as you decide who to vote for.   Joining Jonathan Mosen on this episode is Golriz Ghahraman, Disability Issues spokesperson for the Green Party. They discuss representation, employment, accessibility, the Simpson Review, if there should be a Ministry for Disability Issues and more.   For more information about the Green Party, you can visit their website.    If you have a comment about anything discussed in this episode, please share! Email [email protected] or call our listener line, 04-472-0200.