Self-Employment for People with Disabilities in the United States: A Recommended Process for Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies

Abstract

Self-employment is an important employment option for people with disabilities. It provides flexibility, the ability to work non-traditional hours and to address issues associated with an illness or disability. It particularly addresses accessibility, communication, or transportation barriers for people with disabilities. It is especially useful in rural areas where there are few employers and consequently few employment opportunities. But self-employment is not for everyone, not every business idea is sensible, and not every proposed business is feasible. Rehabilitation agencies and counsellors that work with people with disabilities wishing to start a business usually are operating in unfamiliar territory. For the most part, rehabilitation counsellors are counsellors, not business developers. This article presents a process developed to assist rehabilitation agencies and counsellors to work with a client who wants to start a business. The process was developed after extensive research with rehabilitation agencies and counsellors who indicated they would be more willing to work with a client to start a business if they had guidance from their agency. The following process addresses that need by blending rehabilitation agency policies and procedures with best practice for developing a business.