Social Enterprises and Transition to Employment for People Labeled with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

Purpose of Review To explore transition to employment and social enterprise (SE) models for people labeled with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), assess the benefits and drawbacks of SEs, and discuss the potential implications for realizing the United Nations Convention on the Rights for Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) in international contexts. Recent Findings Although the UNCRPD promotes employment as a human right, people labeled with IDD continue to experience barriers to labor market participation. Sheltered workshops and supported employment are common paths to employment. SEs are alternatives that are driven by a mission or cause that benefits the community. Summary SEs can address issues of unemployment and social exclusion of people with IDD. Drawbacks include limited transition to paid positions, lack of public awareness of their purpose, and unclear implementation guidelines. SEs can help in contexts where disability services are less developed, provide opportunities to challenge negative perceptions of disability, and promote inclusion and access to employment for people labeled with IDD.