Published Jul 23, 2024 | by Kaitlyn Lowes
Kaitlyn walking with two dogs inside a mall

Assistance Dog Organizations Facilitate Work Opportunities: Reducing Barriers to Inclusive Employment 

Assistance dog providers empower disabled individuals to reduce barriers to independence by providing trained dogs to mitigate the symptoms and challenges of their disabilities. The continued development of support, advocacy, and opportunities for clients creates an accessible workplace with educated and compassionate employers. My work term placement allowed myself with a service dog Shelby the opportunity to get hands-on learning experiences within an ADI-accredited organization. Through the Service Dog and Canine Studies Management program at Medicine Hat College, students participate in work integrated learning to gain practical experience at assistance dog organizations, applying their course learning in dog training techniques and best business practices. Assistance dog organizations naturally cultivate an inclusive workplace environment and ensure their staff undergo specialized sensitivity training to support individuals with disabilities and their assistance dogs effectively.

Individuals with disabilities encounter obstacles in securing employment due to the  modifications to accommodate their specific needs, often facing ingrained social perceptions that employing them would be inconvenient and that they are incapable of fulfilling the job requirements. By emphasizing inclusivity in their programs and public interactions, organizations promote the benefits of supporting disabled individuals to align with modern societal expectations of equality and inclusivity. Integrating as a disabled individual in the workforce at my work term has broadened my sense of purpose through meaningful employment as an intern and improved my overall well-being as they welcomed me within their community of staff and volunteers.

Working with an ADI-accredited organization demonstrated the influence of how initiatives only begin to generate the standards of care that staff, volunteers and clients experience. Guidelines are used to form a baseline standard of care and compassion organizations should abide by, and fostering a supportive internal and external network allows all staff members of different abilities to feel welcome. By valuing the involvement of community members and disabled individuals, the organization has gained access to a broader pool of experiences to further the success of their service dogs in training. The popularized phrase from James Charlton’s novel “Nothing about us without us” (1998) reflects initiatives to focus on the empowerment of knowledge and ability from disabled individuals. Harnessing an assistance dog handler’s unique perspective imparts invaluable insights into the practical application of training techniques, the daily challenges faced by individuals with disabilities, and the specific needs of both the handler and the dog in the workplace.

My work term has employed six specific strategies to create a more inclusive and accommodating workplace for individuals with service dogs;

  • tailoring responsibilities by offering low-medium effort tasks suitable for diverse abilities
  • encouragement of growth opportunities by providing chances to tackle challenging responsibilities
  • seeking input and communicating to understand their preferences and skills
  • defining tasks and supporting independence in completing them
  • allowing short breaks to support the needs of the individual and their service dog
  • fostering communication by creating an open environment for staff to share needs and concerns.

Incorporation of unique perspectives within the industry is beneficial to the individuals, assistance dog organizations and the greater community. The organization’s united effort to promote equality in the workforce is evident in the growth of their program and the support from their community of staff, volunteers and donors. Working alongside an assistance dog organization presents an invaluable opportunity for the upcoming generation of trainers graduating from collegiate programs, enabling them to support individuals with disabilities whom we actively serve.

References:

Charlton, J. (1998). Nothing about us without us: disability, oppression and empowerment. University of California Press. https://doi.org/10.1525/california/9780520207950.001.0001

 

###

Kaitlyn sitting on a bench smiling at the camera. A black labrardor retriever is sitting next to her. Kaitlyn Lowes has worked with owner-trainer clients, not-for-profits, and private trainers in the service dog industry since 2019 to further opportunities for disabled Canadians to receive an assistance dog. Throughout her career, she has dedicated herself to speaking at private events for disabled individuals, advocating for the invaluable assistance provided by service, facility, and therapy dogs. Completing her Service Dog and Canine Studies Management Diploma in 2024, she continues supporting her local community in Alberta. Having been a guide dog user for over five years, she aspires to make a lasting impact on the service dog industry through her advocacy efforts to the community, businesses, and industry professionals.

Interested in writing a blog post for ADI? Please see our submission form.

Go back | Show other stories