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One group of disabled people definitely under-represented in disability discourse are people who work in sheltered workshops.
I‘ve been there and I still feel completely invisible re that on here.
There isn‘t enough public discourse about sheltered workshops at all.
I‘ve been there and I still feel completely invisible re that on here.
There isn‘t enough public discourse about sheltered workshops at all.
Parents, guardians, professionals commonly think sheltered workshops are a good thing.
Special needs schools routinely funnel disabled students into sheltered workshops. That expectation is often set from grade 1 on!
Disabled people in sheltered workshops barely have a lobby.
Special needs schools routinely funnel disabled students into sheltered workshops. That expectation is often set from grade 1 on!
Disabled people in sheltered workshops barely have a lobby.
When I was a client at the jobcenter, they didn‘t offer me ANYTHING but sheltered workshop.
There wasn‘t ANY attempt to look for other options.
When I said I wanted to work, they said it was time for me to accept that I never will do anything else than sheltered workshop.
There wasn‘t ANY attempt to look for other options.
When I said I wanted to work, they said it was time for me to accept that I never will do anything else than sheltered workshop.
Sheltered workshop was presented to me as an in-between solution. I was told that they would train me and get me a real job.
That‘s why I agreed to go.
Once there, I discovered that barely anyone ever leaves.
The rate of transition into a regular job is less than 1% !
That‘s why I agreed to go.
Once there, I discovered that barely anyone ever leaves.
The rate of transition into a regular job is less than 1% !
Sheltered workshops are not charities.
They are for-profit - and they make a LOT of profit!
Because disabled labor is near free, people who own sheltered workshops get RICH.
R I C H.
While the exploited disabled workers often make only CENTS per hour.
Total exploitation.
They are for-profit - and they make a LOT of profit!
Because disabled labor is near free, people who own sheltered workshops get RICH.
R I C H.
While the exploited disabled workers often make only CENTS per hour.
Total exploitation.
What is a disabled person stuck in a sheltered workshop to do about this?
They usually don‘t even know they‘re being exploited.
They are brought up into this system from childhood on.
They aren‘t being educated on why it‘s problematic.
Or what other options there are.
They usually don‘t even know they‘re being exploited.
They are brought up into this system from childhood on.
They aren‘t being educated on why it‘s problematic.
Or what other options there are.
I feel invisible in our society as a person who worked in a sheltered workshop.
Worse, society considers these places good!
If I speak up against them I‘M the bad guy!
„Be thankful!“
„Not everyone can have a real job!“
„It gives them purpose!“
„They love it there!“
Etc.
Worse, society considers these places good!
If I speak up against them I‘M the bad guy!
„Be thankful!“
„Not everyone can have a real job!“
„It gives them purpose!“
„They love it there!“
Etc.
When I worked in my sheltered workshop, I made 60 bucks a month. A month. Not a week. A month.
And when I started, a staff literally told me „Hey, now that you make this extra money, you can go on vacation!“
How disconnected.
How insulting.
And this was a good person...lol...
And when I started, a staff literally told me „Hey, now that you make this extra money, you can go on vacation!“
How disconnected.
How insulting.
And this was a good person...lol...
I tried to justify being paid so little by considering I was ALSO being paid benefits.
But at one point, I calculated how much „hourly wage“ I made, if I took all my benefits plus the 60 bucks. It was almost 50% below minimum wage.
And I was only working part-time.
But at one point, I calculated how much „hourly wage“ I made, if I took all my benefits plus the 60 bucks. It was almost 50% below minimum wage.
And I was only working part-time.
I loved my sheltered workshop.
It was the first place I was ever accepted.
Disabled, autistic, non-speaking, selectively mute, anxiety...it didn‘t matter.
I was welcome, accepted, people tried to support me, my skills were wanted, I was surrounded by other disabled people.
It was the first place I was ever accepted.
Disabled, autistic, non-speaking, selectively mute, anxiety...it didn‘t matter.
I was welcome, accepted, people tried to support me, my skills were wanted, I was surrounded by other disabled people.
But that‘s it really.
I loved it because it gave me something I should have everywhere in society.
Something I DON‘T get anywhere else.
And thus it was either sheltered workshop and being exploited - or not being exploited, but isolated at home doing nothing.
What a „choice“.
I loved it because it gave me something I should have everywhere in society.
Something I DON‘T get anywhere else.
And thus it was either sheltered workshop and being exploited - or not being exploited, but isolated at home doing nothing.
What a „choice“.
Sheltered workshops are exploitation.
But they mustn‘t be seen in isolation.
They are part of a system of segregation, institutionalization, exclusion, and exploitation of disabled people.
Many disabled people are handed a future in sheltered workshops the moment they‘re born.
But they mustn‘t be seen in isolation.
They are part of a system of segregation, institutionalization, exclusion, and exploitation of disabled people.
Many disabled people are handed a future in sheltered workshops the moment they‘re born.
It is painful to talk about this.
Especially because I feel like I am talking into the void.
The solution to sheltered workshops isn‘t to just abolish them.
That‘s where most proposals end, if there even are any proposals taking sheltered workshops into account.
We need more.
Especially because I feel like I am talking into the void.
The solution to sheltered workshops isn‘t to just abolish them.
That‘s where most proposals end, if there even are any proposals taking sheltered workshops into account.
We need more.
If we abolish sub-minimum wage and sheltered workshops, but don’t create alternatives, we end up with countless disabled people out of work with nothing else.
That‘s not good enough.
If your activism ends there, do better.
Listen to people with sheltered workshop experience!
That‘s not good enough.
If your activism ends there, do better.
Listen to people with sheltered workshop experience!
We need to create jobs that pay a living wage for disabled people who
1. Need accommodations to be equally productive as ableds.
2. Won‘t ever be as productive as ableds.
...while living in a capitalistic system!
How are we going to do that?
(That‘s an actual question.)
1. Need accommodations to be equally productive as ableds.
2. Won‘t ever be as productive as ableds.
...while living in a capitalistic system!
How are we going to do that?
(That‘s an actual question.)
I KNOW nobody will hire me for a regular job because my disability makes me undesirable as an employee.
I know disabled activists don‘t like me saying this - but it’s reality, and denying reality doesn‘t help me.
Under capitalism, I‘ll NEVER be an employers choice.
Now what?!
I know disabled activists don‘t like me saying this - but it’s reality, and denying reality doesn‘t help me.
Under capitalism, I‘ll NEVER be an employers choice.
Now what?!
We need to change more parts of the system than JUST sheltered workshops and sub-minimum wage.
And don‘t you dare take away people‘s jobs and communities BEFORE you’ve got the alternatives ready.
Because if the alternative you offer is NOTHING, you are hurting people, too.
And don‘t you dare take away people‘s jobs and communities BEFORE you’ve got the alternatives ready.
Because if the alternative you offer is NOTHING, you are hurting people, too.
Abolishing sub-minimum wage (leading to countless disabled people getting fired), and closing all the sheltered workshops (leading to countless disabled people left with nothing to do and nowhere to go) is easy.
EASY.
It‘s getting viable alternatives in place that‘s hard.
EASY.
It‘s getting viable alternatives in place that‘s hard.
A good solution to the systemic problem of sub-minimum wage for disabled people and sheltered workshops is one that the disabled people affected by these changes consider good.
I for one want a job that pays living wage, that I can do while disabled, and a community I belong to.
I for one want a job that pays living wage, that I can do while disabled, and a community I belong to.
If you work towards abolishing sub-minimum wage and sheltered workshops:
Nothing about us without us.
Disabled people with lived experience in these areas, those directly affected, MUST be at the forefront of this activism.
Alternatives, THEN abolition.
Nothing about us without us.
Disabled people with lived experience in these areas, those directly affected, MUST be at the forefront of this activism.
Alternatives, THEN abolition.
