Embracing the workable: The 10 by 10 Challenge

You probably know someone with a disability – whether it’s a friend, a colleague, a family member or a neighbour.

Today there are roughly 300,000 working-age British Columbians with disabilities. Many of these people are well-trained and educated. In fact, 34,000 have college diplomas, 30,000 have trade certificates, and 28,000 have university degrees.

Despite these credentials, however, people with disabilities face more than their fair share of challenges when they look for work.

That’s why Employment and Income Assistance Minister Claude Richmond and Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan, co-chairs of the Minister’s Council on Employment for Persons with Disabilities, issued their own challenge – the 10 by 10 Challenge – at the Union of British Columbia Municipalities convention last fall.

Richmond and Sullivan are calling on municipal and business leaders across the province to increase the employment of people with disabilities in each community across the province by 10 per cent by 2010.

A million jobs to be filled

“People with disabilities have tremendous talent and skill to offer to their communities and local economies,” said Richmond. “With the upcoming 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, it’s estimated there will be about one million jobs to be filled by 2015. Clearly, there have never been better opportunities for all British Columbians to fully participate in the workforce.”

Currently, close to 132,000 British Columbians with disabilities are working across the province. By 2010 the goal is 145,000 – that’s another 13,000 people with disabilities participating in B.C.’s local economies.

“I know personally the struggles people with disabilities face trying to find their place in the workforce – and how much a person can achieve when given the right opportunities,” said Sullivan.

Communities that have taken up the challenge so far are Vancouver, Prince George, the Cariboo regional district, Kimberley, Powell River, Port Alberni, Kamloops, Revelstoke, Nakusp, Ashcroft and Trail.

Business and communities that want to take part can register on the 10 by 10 Challenge website at www.eia.gov.bc.ca/epwd/10by10.