„ Different employment models for people with disabilities in Europe“

Gunta Anča

April 14, 2009

Member of European Economic and Social Committee Chair person of The Latvian Umbrella Body for Disability Organisations

SUSTENTOBoard member of European Disability ForumBoard member of European Women’s Lobby

Employment as a key for Employment as a key for social inclusionsocial inclusion

Special efforts need to be made to promote the access of disabled people to employment, preferably in the mainstream labour market. This is one of the important ways to fight against the social exclusion of disabled people and to promote their independent living and dignity. This requires, not only the active mobilisation of the social partners, but also of the public authorities, which need to continue to strengthen the measures already in place.

http://www.madriddeclaration.org

WhereWhere are difficulties?

Stereotypes

Myths

Prejudices

Discrimination

It is based on...

Cinema

Fairytales

Literature

History

Barriers to employmentBarriers to employment

– Negative attitudes, lack of understanding – Administrative obstacles– Inaccessibility of work premises– Lack of flexibility of employer

Who is responsible?

Role of decision-makersRole of decision-makers

• Incentives for companies to employ people with disabilities

• Better and more information on available incentives

• Measures to compensate for lower, inadequate education

• Make use provisions in EU public procurement directives

• Start-up grants for people with disabilities adapted to their needs Structural Funds as a tool to promote employment and accessibility

• Horizontal non discrimination legislation

Role of employersRole of employers

• increase their efforts to include, retain, and increase their efforts to include, retain, and promote disabled people in their workforcepromote disabled people in their workforce

• to design their products so that they are to design their products so that they are accessibleaccessible for everybody for everybody

• review their internal policies to ensure that review their internal policies to ensure that none of these prevents disabled people from none of these prevents disabled people from enjoying equal opportunities. enjoying equal opportunities.

Role of trade unionsRole of trade unions

• increase their involvement to improve the increase their involvement to improve the access and retention of disabled people in access and retention of disabled people in the labour marketthe labour market

• ensure that people with disabilities benefit ensure that people with disabilities benefit from equal access to training and promotion from equal access to training and promotion measures, when negotiating agreements in measures, when negotiating agreements in companies. companies.

• increased attention to participation and increased attention to participation and representation of disabled workers in their representation of disabled workers in their own decision making structures and in own decision making structures and in companiescompanies

Role of disability NGOsRole of disability NGOs• promote new legislation and initiativespromote new legislation and initiatives• follow policy developments on national and follow policy developments on national and

EU levelEU level• seize opportunities for change in review of seize opportunities for change in review of

existing legislationexisting legislation• develop and promote a dialogue between develop and promote a dialogue between

employers, workers, and disabled people’s employers, workers, and disabled people’s organisationsorganisations

• raise awareness on people with disabilities as raise awareness on people with disabilities as equal part of societyequal part of society

• to develop skills and knowledge of people to develop skills and knowledge of people with disabilitieswith disabilities

Definition of disabilityDefinition of disability

The convention adopts a social model of disability, and defines disability as including

those who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments which in interaction with various barriers may hinder their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.

WaysWays of solution

Different kinds of disabilities:

People

Subsidised worplace;

supported work;

sheltered workshops;

quota system;

labor market through the employer's

motivation.

Latvijas Cilvēku ar īpašām vajadzībām sadarbības organizācija SUSTENTOwww.sustento.lv