Employment and Interdependence

Sept 7, 2025 In my last blog, the connection between unemployment and living with FASD was demonstrated. However, there are documented and researched solutions. As seen in multiple Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development reports, every employee requires certain skills. These skills include soft skills like communication, teamwork and problem-solving and technical skills in an area of strength for the individual. However, understanding what a strength-based approach for people living with FASD is not common knowledge within our labour force or support services. As seen by Dr. Popova’s report on the most common comorbid conditions associated with FASD, expressive and receptive language, affect or behavioural conditions, sensory, hearing and sight challenges are considerations for the majority of people living with FASD. In Dr. Pei’s research on Toward Healthy Outcomes, the employment sector is one of the key twelve sectors requiring support in order to achieve a healthy life outcome and is directly connected to interdependence. In the Anishinabek Nations model for supporting people living with FASD, Knowledge Keeper Charles Meekis of the Sioux Lookout First Nations Health Authority follows Gregory Cajete’s research on Native Science’s Natural Law of Interdependence. However, all current programming and training in both our educational system and our employment agencies on these skills are designed for neurotypical individuals. Our programming uses institutionalized methods with the expectation that the individual has good receptive and expressive language skills, has some problem-solving capabilities, able to follow and contribute in social interactions and mental health strategies to manage anxiety and stress. While great progress has been made in these areas, it is important to note Ontario was denying entry to school for neurodiverse students in 1998 and was institutionalizing neurodiverse adults out of society up to 2008. We are still only one generation removed from no equity, diversity and inclusion for neurodiverse individuals. This means the high school class of 2026 will be the first to have never lived in a world where neurodiverse individuals were segregated from society. In our current employment sector, it is not surprising our largest untapped workforce demographic is individuals living with disabilities. Rural FASD, using the United Nations Theory of Change for Sustainable Development Goal for no poverty, followed the five key steps of creating sustainable change for these individuals. Using a focus group of individuals living with FASD and in poverty and led by a consultant, the initial issue was identified as 1) Provide employment support using a “walk alongside” model. This issue was then added as one of our five strategic priorities to complete our vision and mission. 2) We then identified who the stakeholders were and invited them to join us in the development of our plan. Those stakeholders included people living with FASD, support people, employment agencies, researchers, service providers and funders. 3) We then gathered together and determined the risks and assumptions associated with living with FASD and employment. While there were many which will be summarized in our final report at the end of this project, two key ones were employers, including the Province of Ontario, do not follow AODA guidelines related to readability levels for job descriptions. Through a sample audit of the Job Bank, every job description listed was written at a college level language or higher even if it only required a high school diploma education. Second, currently, provincial employment agencies due to a lack of knowledge capacity will at times refer people living with disabilities to federal partners who receive dedicated funding creating a loop of no lead agency and no direct support. 4) With this information, we developed our plan of peer-supported mentorship and fully AODA compliant information sharing similar to the apprenticeship model but with a complete wrap-around support in all required sectors. 5) Finally, the initial results and data are demonstrating great results and now being copied by our partners. To meet some of the people being supported by this project, please come to our next FASD Awareness Day at Queen’s Park on Thursday, Oct 23 from 10:30 to 1pm sponsored by MPP John Jordan of Lanark, Frontenac and Kingston. You will have an opportunity to speak directly and have lunch with multiple neurodiverse adults who are currently employed. We also invite all MPP’s interested in speaking at this luncheon to contact Jayne at opm@ruralfasd.ca to be added to the itinerary. To all members of the public interested in attending, please reach out to your local MPP to join them as a guest. Rob More, MA, OCT Father of three amazing adult children living with FASD