Chapter 2: Employment IS NOT

Learning Objectives:

• Understand what sheltered workshops are and their historical context.
• Differentiate between day programs, social enterprises, and volunteering as opposed to employment.
• Explore alternatives to sheltered workshops for people with intellectual disabilities.

Employment and volunteering can be confused, but it is crucial to understand the differences, especially for people with intellectual disabilities. Employment involves earning a wage, while volunteering is unpaid and done for community benefit. Understanding these distinctions is essential in ensuring that people with intellectual disabilities are not inadvertently funnelled into volunteer roles under the guise of employment. Or worse, funnelled into roles that are typically paid under the guise of volunteering. 

Sheltered Workshops

Sheltered workshops have historically been facilities where people with intellectual disabilities perform repetitive tasks, such as packaging or assembly, in a controlled environment. These workshops were originally designed to provide a safe space for people seen as unable to participate in the regular workforce. However, these settings are often criticized for being segregated, offering little to no competitive wages, and not providing opportunities for skill development or career advancement. Workers in these environments often do not have the same rights and benefits as other employees.

Day Programs, Social Enterprises, and Volunteering


It is important to differentiate between day programs, social enterprises, and volunteering as opposed to employment. Day programs typically offer structured activities during the day, which may or may not include some form of work, but these activities are not considered competitive employment. Often such programs focus on pre-employment training or experience. While these activities may be helpful for job seekers, many remain in these "training" programs for decades with no prospect of or plan for real work. 

Social enterprises, on the other hand, are businesses that prioritize social goals over profit, and they can often provide meaningful work experiences and wages to people with disabilities, though these may not always meet the standard of competitive, integrated employment.

Volunteering is distinct from employment in that it is performed without monetary compensation and is often driven by a desire to contribute to the community. While volunteering can be a valuable experience for people with intellectual disabilities, offering opportunities for socialization and skill-building, it should not be used as a substitute for paid employment.
The movement away from sheltered workshops towards integrated employment reflects a broader societal recognition of the rights and potential of people with disabilities to contribute meaningfully to the economy and their communities. Integrated employment means that people with intellectual disabilities work alongside people without disabilities in typical work settings, earning at least minimum wage, and having the same opportunities for career advancement. The following video, while American, illustrates the experience of many Manitobans despite the fact that sub-minimum wage exemptions for people with intellectual disabilities was repealed in 2012.