Deaf Career Project
A career is not just a job. It is confidence, independence, and belonging.
Ireland has one of the highest disability employment gaps in the EU. In 2022, 49.3% of working age people with disabilities were employed, compared to 70.8% of those without disabilities.
For Deaf people, participation in the labour force is even lower. Despite this, there is no dedicated national Deaf-led career service focused on structured career development.
Source: National Disability Authority, Employment and Disability Factsheet (November 2024).
The Deaf Career Project was developed by the Irish Deaf Society to build structured and accessible career support for Deaf people. Drawing on community engagement, research and direct advocacy experience, IDS has tested guidance models, peer mentoring approaches and employer engagement initiatives.
The next step is to establish a permanent Deaf Career Service so that Deaf people can access consistent, community-led career support across Ireland.
To discuss partnership or collaboration, contact info@irishdeafsociety.ie