Digital Jobs for Youth with Disabilities

The COVID‒19 pandemic has had massive ramifications for the digital economy. The digital transformation of work and education that was already underway before the crisis is accelerated as governments, firms, and workers seek ways to minimize human interaction to stem transmission. There is a growing recognition of the importance of digital work opportunities and telework. Businesses are increasingly adopting digital tools to stay afloat. Recent development in digital work opportunities also presents an opportunity to ramp up efforts to include youth with disabilities. The inclusion of persons with disabilities is an essential part of the World Bank Group’s Jobs and Economic Transformation agenda. However, youth with disabilities face many barriers to accessing the new digital opportunities, including lower access to the internet and smartphones, inherent biases in digital platforms, stereotypes, and infrastructure limitations. This Thematic Note highlights five strategies that programs have used to overcome challenges and increase access to youth with disabilities in digital jobs. These include incorporating disability-sensitive design in training programs, providing accessible environments, exploring the gig economy and outsourcing jobs, using opportunities of digital entrepreneurship and e-commerce, and engaging private sector employers. The note highlights different case studies and discusses factors that would be necessary for scaling.