Can disable person be transformed positively?

Abstract

Historically, employment rate for disabled persons was low because the employers perceived them to be incompetent due to their inabilities to make decisions and incapable to work like a non-disable person. Disabled persons that were employed always being discriminated by the employers and co-workers. This study investigated ten disabled persons with different types of disabilities after attending a series of seminars with the intention to improve their skills and abilities which will hopefully assist them to work independently in the community and work place in the future. The data was collected qualitatively after all seminar sessions through observations and interviews with the participants, staffs handling the programme, volunteers, partners and corporates. This research found that disabled persons have higher level of confidence level after attending the seminars and they showed their intention to look for jobs in the future. They were also succeeded in completing the projects and tasks by working as a team and be cooperative without hassle. Their mindset had also improved positively by making decisions that were beyond the initial expectations. The corporate staffs were very amazed with the hidden abilities of disabled person and they are willing to hire these disabled persons in the work place. From these findings, it is recommended that the community change their unpleasant perceptions towards disable persons and corporates should trust and give opportunities to disabled person to show their capabilities and employ them permanently and not look down on them to perform their work.