The Population
Persons with disabilities were chosen as the demographic for this article. Persons with disabilities, as defined by federal law, are individuals who have a physical or mental impairment. Individuals are recognized as having disabilities when they have activity constraints, participation restrictions, physical or mental impairment, or both. Persons with disabilities are defined as those whose interactions with environmental elements are severely hampered by impairments. These limitations significantly impede people with disabilities’ capacity to fully undertake normal human activities (Strauser, 2014). Individuals that fit this categorization are often unable to move from one place to another or participate in activities that contribute to the country’s economic activities due to limitations.
According to studies, people with disabilities are some of the most marginalized populations worldwide, not only in the United States. The group’s exclusion is reflected by low educational attainment, limited economic involvement, and disproportionate health outcomes (Kraus, 2017). As a result, people with impairments are more predisposed to be impoverished than the overall population. Humanitarian groups have taken note of the exclusion of people with a disability. These groups believe that individuals with disabilities are disabled not just by their bodies but also by society. The culture continues to caricature people with impairments, denying them the chance to realize their full potential. Nonetheless, if the authorities and non-governmental groups work together to solve these issues, it is feasible to overcome the problems that people with disabilities face.
One of the most important methods to overcome the obstacles people with disabilities face is providing them with career advice. Several academics and counseling specialists agree with this statement since they believe people with disabilities have job objectives that they want to attain at some point in their lives. Regrettably, people with disabilities are rarely offered equal opportunities to compete for jobs with the overall population (Strauser, 20014). When looking for work, this population faces prejudice. This prejudice stems from the perception that people with impairments are unproductive.
Furthermore, most companies feel that recruiting people with impairments is expensive. As a result, the career goals of the vast majority of people with disabilities are dashed due to the prejudice they face in their pursuit of professional integration. Some people get so dissatisfied with their jobs that they give up. As a result, it is critical for individuals with disabilities to consider therapy to navigate the hurdles they face while pursuing their job goals (Wolffe, 2017). They will be able to learn that they can attain their work objectives despite the obstacles that come in the way via therapy.
Statistics on Persons with Disabilities
The population with impairments has gradually increased recently, owing partly to the aging society and the incidence of mental diseases. According to Kraus (2017), almost 60 million Americans have one or more impairments. This equates to about 20% of the general populace. Upwards of half of its population is severely disabled. Nevertheless, it is worth mentioning that the proportion of people living with impairments varies substantially from region to region. Unemployment, income levels, care practices, and poverty are all affected by this fluctuation (U. S. Census Bureau, 2017).
Between 2010 through 2015, the proportion of people living with impairments in the United States grew by 13%. (US Census Bureau, 2016). As the population ages, the percentage of members with impairments grows tremendously. In 2015, the population with disabilities or special needs was less than 1.0 percent among children younger than five and 36% among over 60. This is convincing evidence that the prevalence of impairment is increasing as the population ages.
As previously stated, people with disabilities encounter several obstacles in pursuing their desired jobs owing to prejudice. Whereas minority hiring rates have been steadily rising since the 1980s, including people with disabilities in the labor sector, remains a major challenge (U. S. Census Bureau, 2016). The proportion of people with disabilities in the workforce remains unreasonably greater than that of people without impairments.
According to Kraus (2017), just 34.6 percent of people with disabilities work, compared to 76.0 percent of the general population who do not have impairments. This indicates a 41 percent difference. Unfortunately, considering that it has been increasing over the previous eight years, it does not appear that this gap will be shrinking anytime soon. This is a concerning trend, particularly for groups that campaign for the rights of people with disabilities. These groups believe that the US was founded on the premise that individuals who work hard should then be allowed to succeed.
High levels of unemployment among people with impairments harm their incomes. The typical monthly wages for people with impairments are around $1,961. (US Census Bureau, 2017). Low incomes for people with disabilities have significantly led to the growing income gap between people with and without impairments. Regardless of the obstacles that people with disabilities face in their pursuit of employment, high unemployment levels among people with disabilities have a knock-on effect on their incomes. The typical monthly wages for people with impairments are around $1,961. (U. S. Census Bureau, 2016). Low incomes for people with disabilities have significantly led to the growing income gap between people with and without impairments, regardless of the obstacles they face on their journey.
Career Counseling Theory
Career counselors must be familiar with the many career counseling paradigms offered. The need to comprehend diverse professional counseling theories reflects that counselors work with clients who have various issues. The self-Concept of Job Development is an extensively utilized idea in coaching persons with disabilities to attain their career objectives. Donald Super, a thinker, established this theory. He stressed the relevance of the interplay between professional inclinations and life experiences in developing a people’s self (Murugami & Nel, 2017). Several theorists before Super focused only on the link between employment and personality. His thesis is generally regarded as a career advancement idea that spans an individual’s lifetime. This theory describes the stages of growth that people go through in their lives and how they build their jobs in each period.
In the 1950s, Donald Super began building this model by generating theoretical principles that later supported this theory’s development. Furthermore, he concentrated on discovering the things or life-spaces that shape people into who they are. He recognized six life-spaces when creating this theory: parent, learner, citizen, employee, kid, and pleasure (Murugami & Nel, 2017). This means that other individuals significantly impact whom anyone becomes later.
This approach highlights the significance of comprehending and forecasting careers. Super defines a career as a succession of positions, jobs, or vocations that individuals occupy throughout their lives (Wolffe, 2017). Super believes that a career paradigm is critical for persons who want to attain career goals throughout their lives. A career model can assist people to comprehend the changes in professional changes that one goes through during your life. The five primary stages of occupational transition that a person goes through throughout their lifetime are listed here.
The first 14 years are spent in the growth period. This is when youngsters form emotions and passions depending on their perceptions of what is going on all around them. This level includes four career development activities. These include persuading oneself on what to accomplish at work or in school, comprehending what the future has in store, cultivating a high level of job satisfaction, and controlling one’s life.
The exploration phase will last a decade. This is when people begin to comprehend themselves better and explore other job possibilities. They attempt to find their areas of interest in class or via personal inquiry. Between the ages of 25 and 44, people enter the establishment period. After having a solid grasp of the selected professional option, this stage pursues future progress in a career. Maintenance happens between the ages of 45 and 65. This is the stage at which one works to sustain what they have accomplished throughout the years in that industry. The final stage, disengagement, is for persons above 65. This is the time to start thinking about quitting the workforce. People begin disengaging when they see a considerable reduction in their enthusiasm and energy for being in employment (Murugami & Nel, 2017).
This paradigm is appropriate for people with impairments since Donald Super recognizes that people with disabilities confront several hurdles in their occupational development. Persons with disabilities will receive insight into the problems they may face in their occupational development and how to conquer such challenges with the support of this paradigm (Murugami & Nel, 2017). The technique, for example, may be used to inspire people with disabilities to set preliminary occupational objectives and work hard to achieve those goals. This hypothesis applies to the broader population as well. The general public may use this theory to comprehend the various stages of occupational development. The model explains every step of the route to a successful profession, whether you are impaired or not.
Basic Plan for Counseling Utilizing the Theory
The use of this approach in therapy will begin with motivational interviews with clients before the start of the session. Inspirational discussions will aid in gathering information from customers about the problems they will confront in their professional progress (Strauser, 2014). Furthermore, this will aid in modifying the client’s perspective toward career education. The counseling appointment will be evaluated based on the participants’ attitudes toward reaching their career objectives. The session will succeed if clients express a desire to pursue their job goals independent of their impairment.
Barriers that may Prevent the Client from Finding Work
Generally, a handicap is a primary impediment to disabled people fulfilling their employment aspirations. Disabled people are stereotyped as being less competent. As a result, most businesses assume that hiring people with disabilities is an added cost to their business (Wolffe, 2017). The second barrier is a lack of knowledge on answering interview queries. A considerable proportion of people with impairments do not sell themselves in interviews and, as a result, do not get occupations of their choosing.
Local Resources for the Client
To land their dream employment, the client can tap into various services in his community. The Department of Vocational Rehabilitation is the first public resource to assist impaired customers. The applicant should be guided to the closest VR in their neighborhood with the assistance of a career advisor. The VR will ensure that the client achieves his professional objectives. Disability.gov is the next resource. This website has extensive information on ways to increase workplace inclusion. The applicant can use this website to learn more about the disability problem in the workplace. Because it gives technical support on applying for jobs, the website can aid the customer in landing his dream job.
Conclusion
One of the most major issues that persons with impairments confront is occupational concerns. This group is at a disadvantage in vocational growth since it is perceived as a less productive group. However, it is possible to overcome this barrier by aiding persons with disabilities in obtaining career counseling. Integrating Super’s Self-Concept Theory of Professional Development into counseling will be crucial in supporting persons with disabilities to attain their career goals. People with disabilities are more likely than the general population to be in poverty. When it comes to finding a job, this demographic is met with discrimination. This bias is based on the belief that persons with disabilities are unproductive. It is worth noting that the proportion of persons living with disabilities varies greatly by location. This is troubling. When it comes to finding a job, this demographic is met with discrimination. This bias is based on the belief that persons with disabilities are unproductive. It is worth noting that the proportion of persons living with disabilities varies greatly by location. This is a troubling trend, especially for organizations that advocate for the rights of individuals with disabilities.
References
APSE (2015). Resources for Individuals with Disabilities. Retrieved December 9, 2017, from http://apse.org/resources/resources-for-individuals-and-job-seekers/
Kraus, L. (2017). 2016 Disability Statistics Annual Report. Durham, NH: University of New Hampshire.
Murugami, M., & Nel, N. (2017). A developmental career guidance and counseling process for learners with disabilities: Preparation for employment. Educational Research, 3(4), 362- 370.
Strauser, D. R. (2014). Career development, employment, and disability in rehabilitation: From theory to practice. New York: Springer Publishing Company.
U. S. Census Bureau. (2017). Nearly 1 in 5 people have a disability in the US, Census Bureau reports. Retrieved on December 9, 2017 from https://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/miscellaneous/cb12-134.html
Wolffe, K. E. (2017). Career counseling for people with disabilities: A practical guide to finding employment. Austin, Tex: PRO-ED.
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