Bridging Barriers: A Case Study of Collaborative Strategies and Approaches between Government and Disability Service Organizations in Supporting Hard-to-Employ Individuals in China

Background and Purposes

Since 2016, the Chinese government has increasingly prioritized employment initiatives for people with disabilities (PWDs). Despite such policy shifts, individuals with intellectual, mental, and severe physical disabilities continue to experience significant structural disadvantages in labor market access. In response, the China Disabled Persons’ Federation (DPF) has been tasked with strengthening collaborations with social organizations to improve employment services for hard-to-employ PWDs. Grounded in resource dependence theory, this study investigates the nature of resource exchange between local DPFs and disability service organizations, and examines how such interactions shape employment outcomes for these vulnerable populations.

Methods

This study employed a qualitative case study approach in NJ city, an economically advanced region in eastern China with a high concentration of nonprofit activity. Four disability service organizations were purposively selected to reflect diversity in employment services. Fieldwork conducted from May 2022 to August 2024 involved semi-structured interviews and participant observation. Key informants included organizational directors, staff, employees with disabilities, and DPF street-level officials. All interviews were conducted with informed consent, transcribed verbatim, and supplemented by transcriptions of field observations and informal discussions. Data were analyzed thematically (Braun & Clarke, 2006). One author generated initial codes, drafted memos, and grouped codes into themes using a constant comparative method. Other authors reviewed and refined the themes through discussion to reach consensus, enhancing the study’s reliability (Creswell, 2014).

Results

The findings demonstrate the emergence of an interdependent relationship between DPFs and disability organizations, underpinned by strategic resource exchange. While disability organizations retained considerable operational autonomy and played a vital role in designing and piloting innovative employment models—particularly through Work Integration Social Enterprises (WISEs)—they remained heavily reliant on public contracts. Due to limited financial and human resources, these organizations tended to prioritize upward accountability to DPFs, focusing on performance indicators such as job placement numbers. Consequently, the specific needs and lived experiences of hard-to-employ PWDs were often overlooked or insufficiently addressed.

Conclusions and Implications

This study highlights the evolving interdependence between state and nonprofit actors in China’s disability employment sector. Disability service organizations functioned as social entrepreneurs, actively bridging governmental, commercial, and nonprofit resources to deliver inclusive employment interventions. However, ongoing resource constraints limited their responsiveness to marginalized stakeholders, particularly those with the greatest support needs. Policy recommendations include expanding government funding schemes, developing tax incentives for corporate and individual participation in social service delivery, and strengthening mechanisms for the direct involvement of hard-to-employ PWDs in service design and evaluation.