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< Back Breaking Barriers, Building Careers Enabling inclusion and employment for persons with disabilities 'Breaking Barriers, Building Careers' focuses on promoting employment opportunities for persons with developmental and intellectual disabilities. The cross-format campaign - developed by Much Much Spectrum and facilitated by Yash Charitable Trust and IP Integrated Services Pvt Ltd - highlights the importance of inclusion, skill development, and supported employment programs to ensure individuals with disabilities can live and work with dignity and self-respect to create an inclusive society where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. Data & insights: According to the 2011 Census, only 36% of the 26 million disabled individuals in India are employed. Gender disparity is significant, with 47% male and only 23% female participation. Misconceptions persist that individuals with disabilities are unemployable, despite strong evidence to the contrary. The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2021-2022 shows a higher unemployment rate for persons with disabilities compared to the general population, highlighting systemic barriers. Despite the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016 mandating a 4% reservation in government jobs, implementation varies widely, with many positions unfilled due to administrative inefficiencies and lack of awareness. Workplace accommodations are often lacking, preventing optimal performance and inclusion for employees with disabilities. Societal attitudes and stereotypes result in discrimination during hiring processes, with biases against the capabilities of persons with disabilities. Limited access to quality education and vocational training restricts employability, as inclusive education and skills development programs are not widely available or adequately implemented. Effective support programs for job searching, application processes, and workplace adjustments are scarce, exacerbating employment challenges. Higher levels of poverty and economic insecurity among persons with disabilities limit access to resources needed for job searches and professional development. Our approach: We adopted a data-driven, social impact-led approach to highlight the journey of individuals with disabilities, from skills development to meaningful employment. By documenting their experiences and the support provided by YCT, we aimed to address common misconceptions and promote inclusive hiring practices. Campaign objective & goals: To promote employment opportunities for persons with developmental and intellectual disabilities. To showcase the impact of meaningful employment on the lives of these people To encourage employers to hire individuals with disabilities and reach out to YCT for help, support and sensitization sessions. Challenges: Overcoming societal stereotypes and biases against employing individuals with disabilities. Ensuring widespread dissemination of the campaign message to reach target audiences. Solutions devised: Target audience: employers, HR professionals, recruitment agencies, and senior leaders. Narrative: chronicling the stories of individuals with disabilities at their workplaces, showcasing their skills and the support provided by YCT. Topicality: emphasizing the importance of inclusive hiring practices and the benefits of a diverse workforce. Deliverables: Films x 2: documenting the journey of individuals with disabilities Ancillary assets: 5 x social media posts 10 x stories Platforms: Multi-format, cross-platform campaign distributed on social media, websites, and partner channels, including LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, and company websites to maximize reach and engagement. Timelines: The campaign ran for over a month with consistent traction and engagement. Impact: Reactions from corporate leaders, employers, and caregivers. 10x increased awareness and inquiries about YCT’s programs. Positive feedback and support from the community. Learnings: Successfully promoted employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities and encouraged inclusive hiring practices. Increased awareness and positive perception of the capabilities of individuals with disabilities. Way forward: Continue promoting inclusive hiring practices through ongoing content creation and partnerships. Expand the campaign to include more sectors and geographical regions. Develop additional support programs for employers and individuals with disabilities to facilitate successful employment. Monitor and analyze the long-term impact of the campaign to refine strategies and approaches. WhatsApp Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Copy link Much much relate? Share it now! < Back CAMPAIGNS

< Back The Disability Roundtable Real stories, real impact: Changing views on disability in India The Disability Roundtable campaign addressed the marginalization and workforce underrepresentation of the Indian disability community. It aimed to dismantle misconceptions about people with disabilities, specifically: Highlighting the false notion that disabled people are unemployable. Challenging the view of disabled individuals as burdens or objects of charity. Shifting the narrative from seeing disabled people solely as inspirational figures to recognizing them as well-rounded individuals. Countering the misconception that disabled people are incapable of love, dating, relationships, marriage, or family. Existing data on these topics: According to the 2011 census, 36% of the 26 million disabled individuals in India are employed. However, a significant gender gap exists here with 47% male and only 23% female participation. There is a widespread misconception that people with disabilities are unemployable. This stigma exists due to a lack of awareness about the abilities and strengths of disabled individuals. Disabled individuals are often viewed through a lens of pity and charity rather than respect and opportunity. Cultural narratives often paint disabled people as inspirational figures overcoming immense odds, but it’s crucial to see them as individuals with diverse aspirations and capabilities. Many disabled individuals face infantilization, undermining their autonomy, and are often considered unfit for relationships, marriage, or parenting. Our approach: Leading with lived experience, we featured seven self-advocates with intellectual and developmental disabilities sharing their stories. The campaign was designed to challenge misconceptions, highlight the capabilities and strengths of these individuals, and promote inclusive employment practices within corporates. Objective & goals: To promote better support systems for disabled individuals. To increase the representation of disabled people in the workforce. To foster inclusive work cultures and policies. To enable and empower self-advocacy among disabled individuals. Challenges: Raising awareness about a complex and often marginalized topic. Countering deeply ingrained stigma and societal beliefs. Engaging a diverse target audience. Solutions devised: To bring in corporate leaders, recruiters, parents, caregivers, and the general public unfamiliar with the experiences of disabled individuals in India we decided to highlight the personal stories of the 7 self-advocates, focusing on their dreams, ambitions, career choices, and the societal barriers they face. The topics that our research showed us as relevant in this space included careers, relationships, and social inclusion. Campaign deliverables: 1 x short film Ancillary assets: 4 x carousel posts 10 x reels 8 x stories Campaign channels & specifics: Social media platforms (Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook) and community forums. To maximize reach and engagement across different audience segments. Continuous release over a quarter to maintain consistent traction and engagement. Timelines & Duration: The campaign spanned 3 months, with regular updates and content releases to sustain engagement. Impact: Views: 750K+ Shares: 1,000+ Reach: 1.5million+ Engagement: Overwhelmingly positive comments, highlighting a deep understanding and empathy towards the topics. Analysis: Positive reception for authentic portrayals and sensitivity in depicting a diverse range of lived experiences. Conclusion & learnings: The campaign successfully accomplished its objectives by promoting inclusivity and self-advocacy. Authentic storytelling resonated deeply with the audience, leading to a significant shift in perceptions around disabled employability and the strengths of neurodivergent people. Focus on lived experiences and engaging narratives helped rope in a diverse general audience. Way forward: Widening the scope of the campaign to include more self-advocates from different regions, backgrounds, nationalities, skills and marginalized identities. Developing additional content focused on specific issues like education, healthcare, and legal rights. Continuing partnerships with corporate leaders to implement inclusive policies and practices. Exploring potential partnerships with other disability rights organizations. WhatsApp Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Copy link Much much relate? Share it now! < Back CAMPAIGNS

< Back Diversity Equity Inclusion at Work The first report in a 3-part series based on #ChatterFest '23 Chatter Fest is a global inclusion festival where professionals, creatives, people with lived experience, and leaders from around the globe come together to discuss all things inclusion. Click below to download the report: MMS_DEI-at-work_ChatterFest-23_2024 .pdf Download PDF • 5.22MB WhatsApp Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Copy link Much much relate? Share it now! < Back CAMPAIGNS