LINK Seminar

The transition from HE to the workplace for graduates with

disabilities

12th of October 2010

The Hague

2

Getting Acquainted!

• What would you take to a job interview?

• Name, country and organisation/university

3

Central questions

• Which elements of the legal context in the different countries of the LINK partners are vital for the employment of (young) people with disabilities?

• How do you actually get employment for people with a disability out of the atmosphere of charity? How do we prove that diversity adds to the culture and profit of the organization? And is that evidence-based?

• How does contact between the student and the employer result in an internship with adjustments and support based upon the students needs?

4

Areas of Focus

1. The legal context

2. The Value of Diversity

3. Creating the ‘Click’ between employer and (potential) employee

5

Program

• Welcome and introduction• Part 1: The legal context• Part 2: Indicators of value of diversity• Part 3: Make it ‘Click’• Part 4: Conclusions and Reflection• Closing of the seminar

6

Some house rules

• Turn off your mobiles

• Disturbances have priority

7

Part 1: The legal context

Questions to get an impression of the legal context in each country:

1. Is the orientation of your legislation ‘positive’ or ‘negative’ or both?

2. What (kind of) legislation is leading in recruitment of (young) persons with disabilities?

3. What are main bottlenecks? 4. What are best practices?

8

Part 1: The legal context

The ‘perfect’ legal context; advise country X!

• What elements belong within the ideal legal context?

• What conditions are needed to make these elements work well?

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Part 2: Value of diversity

• Presentation by Vivian Rath (Ireland) on the effects of the economic crises on the employment prospects of students with disabilities.

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Part 2: Value of diversity

• Work on Case-studies in three groups• Three rounds with a specific question• Each round is 20 minutes• Break for lunch at 12.30• Start again at 13.30: each group will

summarise findings in 10 min• Each table has a chairman who will guide

you

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Round 1: 20 minutes

Preparation round 1:

1 person describes a case-study > write down on flip-over

Question round 1:• what do you see as indicators of value of

diversity (people with disabilities) in this case? > write down on flip-over

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Round 2: 20 minutes

Question round 2:

• How do you measure the indicators mentioned?

13

Round 3: 20 minutes

Question round 3:

• Is there a difference between internal effects of the added value of diversity and the external effects?

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Part 2: Value of diversity

• Group presentation (10 min) of the last case (findings round 1-3)

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Part 3: Make it ‘Click’

• Short introduction by the Flemish delegation (research among employers and employees with a disability).

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Part 3: Make it ‘Click’

• Inner circle and outer circle• Inner circle: students and employers• Outer circle: observers (‘interaction

specialist’ and ‘mission specialists’)

• Focus of the discussion: what is it that creates a ‘click’ between an employer and a applicant/employee with a disability

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Part 4: Conclusions and Reflection

• Which elements of the legal context in the different countries of the LINK partners are vital for the employment of (young) people with disabilities?

18

Part 4: Conclusions and Reflection

• How do you actually get employment for people with a disability out of the atmosphere of charity? How do we prove that diversity adds to the culture and profit of the organization? And is that evidence-based?

19

Part 4: Conclusions and Reflection

• How does contact between the student and the employer result in an internship with adjustments and support based upon the students needs?

20

Part 4: Conclusions and Reflection

♦ Diamonds What can I bring home from this seminar? (What did actually happen?)

♥ Hearts What feelings did you have today?

♠ SpadesWhat will you pass on to others?

(In case of an employer to other employers/ colleagues, in case of a student/ graduate to other students/ graduates/ higher educational institutions/ employers and in case of a center of expertise to target groups/ partners, etc.)

♣ Clubs Where would you want to further deepen and develop?