Making the right hires possible,
in partnership
with NZDSA
For everyone, finding your own place in the world of work can be challenging, but for people with Down syndrome and other disabilities, it is an even greater challenge.
New Zealanders with Down syndrome have so much to offer to employers but sadly are not always included in mainstream employment.
That’s why we proudly donate time to the New Zealand Down Syndrome Association (NZDSA) with the aim of ensuring more people with Down syndrome are included in New Zealand workplaces.
We’ve sought feedback from a variety of individuals with Down syndrome, their support people and whānau about the challenges finding work, and the resources they need to support with gaining employment.
We’ve also spoken to employers about the information they feel they need to include more people with Down syndrome in their workplaces.
The result is the design of the two toolkits below.
My Career Plan - Workbook for job seekers with Down syndrome
This is a workbook for people with Down syndrome and their support people or whānau. It is designed as a step-by-step guide to gaining employment and starting a new role.
The workbook covers topics from identifying the skills you may offer a potential employer, to understanding the type of work you might like to do, sourcing opportunities, drafting a CV, interviewing, and starting a new job.
Employers Guide to hiring someone with Down syndrome
This resource for employers answers some FAQs about hiring people with Down syndrome and provides tips for creating more inclusive recruitment and onboarding processes.
The beauty of inclusive design is that these inclusive practices won’t just benefit candidates with Down syndrome, they’ll contribute to creating a more inclusive process and better hiring experience for all candidates.