Although many people dream of starting their own business, few attempt it, let alone succeed. But for some people with disability, self-employment and entrepreneurship isn’t an option but a necessity.
The statistics speak for themselves. In 2015 while almost one in five Australians had a disability, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), only about half of those of working age were employed.
People with disability’s aspirations and needs simply aren’t being met
“There is rising awareness that people with disability’s aspirations and needs simply aren’t being met, particularly in terms of traditional employment models,” explains the co-author of a new report into entrepreneurship among people with disability, UTS Business School Professor of Management Simon Darcy.
His research, the first of its kind in Australia, shows that the spectrum of employment supports for people with disability needs to expand to enable the entrepreneurial spirit and innovation. The study was supported by the Australian Research Council Linkage Program along with industry partners Settlement Services International (SSI), National Disability Services and BreakThru People Solutions.
“The UTS research illustrates how entrepreneurs, when provided with the right support and education, can overcome barriers and be set on a path towards meaningful self-employment and, importantly, the security and stability that comes with it,” says UTS alumna and SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis.
The Head of Employment and Workforce Innovation at National Disability Services, Kerrie Langford, says it shows that options such as inclusive startup support, business incubators tailored to the specific needs of people with disability, and evidence-based programs for school leavers should all be priorities.
Many people with disability interviewed by Professor Darcy and report co-authors Professor Jock Collins and Dr Megan Stronach found it made sense to work for themselves rather than to hit their heads against a “brick wall” of negative misconceptions. Others explained they had set up their own business because disability can make it impractical to work standard hours in a standard office setup.
Professor Darcy relates – as a person with a high-level spinal cord injury, he understands how hard it can be for people who are unable to drive or who aren’t on accessible public transport routes. Our research found transport and commuting are significant structural and economic barriers, particularly where there is reliance on taxis or wheelchair-accessible taxis are needed,” he says.
“On the flip side, people were passionate about their business ideas and were attracted by the opportunity to play out their vision, be their own boss and do work that was flexible to their needs. Many we talked with also wanted to give back in some way, whether that be by employing others or acting as a mentor and giving others a hand up.”
The study’s analysis of ABS data found people with disability are, on average, more than 40 percent more likely to be self-employed than their non-disabled counterparts. This has serious implications for how employment services are provided to this group by the private sector, not-for-profit and government agencies.
Australia’s Disability Entrepreneurial Ecosystem: Experiences of People with Disability with microenterprises, self-employment and entrepreneurship, Professor Simon Darcy, Professor Jock Collins, Dr Megan Stronach, uts.ac/DisabilityEntrepreneurship
UTS Experts: Simon Darcy, Jock Collins, Megan Stronach