Media release
Media release from Office Disability updated Dec 2010:
Bar None in Employment
Employment in Victoria
The skills shortage is one of the biggest issues currently facing Victorian companies. With an ageing population and baby boomers set to retire in the next decade, businesses will struggle to meet future labour needs unless they are innovative in their approach to recruitment.
People with a disability represent a largely untapped talent pool and could not only help ease current shortages but also enable companies to remain competitive and relevant in the future.
Hiring people with a disability
The benefits to business of hiring people with a disability are both economic and ethical. Research has consistently found that people with a disability often make better employees than their colleagues because of higher attendance rates, lower turnover and better than average performance and safety records.
Additionally workplaces that reflect the broader population – one in five people has a disability – are more likely to increase their appeal among their customers. Hiring people with a disability also helps organisations to play a part in promoting human rights and in complying with anti-discrimination legislation.
The Bar None Campaign
One of the most significant barriers for people with a disability in the workplace is attitudes. This is often a product of misinformation and limited exposure to, knowledge and understanding of disabilities.
To help support change in the workplace the Office for Disability has launched the Bar None Employment Campaign. The campaign features a photographic exhibition, a DVD and resource guide.
DVD
The Bar None DVD features employers talking about the benefits of hiring people with disabilities.
For the extended DVD featuring people with disabilities talking about their journey to employment contact the Office for Disability.
DVD Preview: 
90 second DVD Preview (WMV 6Mb)
DVD Preview (High Bandwidth): 90 second DVD Preview (MPEG 8Mb)
Transcript: Employment campaign DVD preview transcript (Word 27Kb)
Bar None Resource Guide
The Bar None Resource Guide profiles 15 Victorians ranging from artists and opera singers to teachers and business analysts.
Bar None Resource Guide (PDF 1.1Mb)
Bar None Resource Guide (Word 90Kb)
We’d like to hear from you
If you are from a local council or public body and would like to host the photographic exhibition or receive updates on the campaign contact Georgina Lyell at ofd@dpcd.vic.gov.au.
If you’d like to receive copies of the booklet or DVD please email ofd@dpcd.vic.gov.au or call 9208 3015 with any enquiries.
Our mission is to increase employment opportunities for
people with disabilities and from diverse backgrounds
in Australia. For those of you who are not aware we were
officially formed on September 7, 2005 at Victorian Council
of Social Services (VCOSS).
ADDE promotes pro-active employment
policies and practices for disadvantaged groups including
people with disabilities, mature age workers, people from
culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds as well
as indigenous people. People who fall into more than one
of these categories are recognised as being even more
disadvantaged. Therefore, we see a greater need for a
change of attitude and awareness.