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Chapter 2: Social Roles
Chapter 2: Social Roles
Learning Objectives:
- Define social roles and their significance in the context of employment.
- Explain how employment provides opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities to take on meaningful social roles beyond the workplace.
- Discuss how employment facilitates social inclusion and contribution to society.
Social roles define our place in society. They are the parts we play that shape our identity and influence how others perceive us. Employment is a critical context in which these roles are established and reinforced. For people with intellectual disabilities, holding a job is a powerful way to assume competency and meaningful social roles. It allows people to demonstrate their capabilities and contribute to their communities. Having a job gives you status in society. One of the first things we ask people about themselves is "what do you do?"
Employment does more than provide financial independence; it offers people with intellectual disabilities the chance to take on respected and valued roles beyond the workplace. A study by the Institute for Research and Development on Inclusion and Society (IRIS) found that people with intellectual disabilities who are employed are more likely to participate in community activities and have broader social networks. This is also affirmed by the Canadian Association for Community Living, which notes that employed people with disabilities report higher levels of social participation and life satisfaction compared to those who are unemployed. This includes becoming active community members, volunteers, mentors, and advocates. Employment can also lead to leadership opportunities where they can inspire and mentor others.
Employment facilitates social inclusion by enabling people with intellectual disabilities to participate actively in society. When people are employed, they interact with colleagues, customers, and the broader community, which helps to build social networks and foster a sense of belonging. Employment also contributes to reducing social stigma about the abilities and potential of people with intellectual disabilities. In short, employment can unlock the good things in life!
Resources
- Abilities Manitoba Leading Practice Guidelines
Summary: The Leading Practice Guidelines capture the current understanding of best practice for organizations striving for excellence in services and supports to adults labelled with intellectual disabilities, including with contribution, inclusion, rights and employment. Each guideline comes with resources and information to deepen your practice in that area.
Link: Abilities Manitoba Leading Practice Guidelines - Manitoba Supported Employment Network (MSEN)
Summary: MSEN is a collective of organizations and professionals working together to build a Manitoba that welcomes and values the full inclusion of people with disabilities into the workforce.
Link: Manitoba Supported Employment Network (MSEN) - Cara Milne
Summary: Cara Milne is the owner of M-Powered Planning Ltd, a business that promotes positive and valuable roles for people with disabilities. Cara provides training and consulting that is innovative and practical for both families and agencies. Cara’s books and training seminars encourage staff and families to see the strengths of their existing services, and simple strategies that create positive changes in the lives of children and adults with developmental disabilities
Link: Cara Milne | Mpowered Planning - David Pitonyak
Summary: David Pitonyak's Imagine is a consulting practice dedicated to supporting people with disabilities who exhibit challenging behaviours, emphasizing the need for imagination in creating new narratives that address unmet needs through relationship-building, safety, empowerment, and joy in everyday life.
Link: David Pitonyak | Imagine - Al Condeluci
Summary: Al Condeluci is an influential author whose books focus on social capital and community inclusion for people with disabilities. His works advocate for shifting from traditional medical models to approaches that emphasize social connections and belonging, and they are widely used in academic and professional training settings.
Link: Al Condeluci - Open Futures Learning
Summary: Open Future Learning provides online modules tailored for service providers and the people they support, offering engaging, story-driven content to enhance skills and improve outcomes in the field of intellectual disabilities.
Link: Open Futures Learning