Quality of Life Project

This report focuses on the role of adapted work settings in the international framework provided by the UNCRPD; in particular, special attention has been given to Article 26 and 27, as they both deal with principles, measures and services offered by adapted work settings.
Adapted work settings, commonly known also as sheltered workshops, are not referred to in the UNCRPD. This requires clarifications for the thousands of people that benefit from their services and whose future looks therefore uncertain.
The analysis was carried out starting from three main subjects:
- what the Convention brought in general terms through its paradigm shift and the subsequent challenges for social services
- the analysis of the current text of Article 26 and 27 and the links to the role of sheltered workshop matters
- the history of the discussions around the inclusion of sheltered workshops in the UN CRPD.

Services like sheltered workshops may sometimes and very often fulfill more than one function for persons with disabilities, thus their compliance to the UN CRPD articles is particularly sensitive. In the framework of a holistic approach to persons with disabilities, where disability itself is not the focus of attention, but everything is about the individual and the enjoyment of his rights, it is of utter importance to keep a good balance between the multitude of skills, personal choices, possibilities of individual development and society’s response.    
The report provides a state of play of possible links existing between sheltered workshops and the UN CRPD in order to gain a view on future developments needed in the provision of work opportunities to persons with (intellectual) disabilities.

The full report is available here.

For more information on the report please contact Ms. Sabrina Ferraina at sabrina.ferraina@easpd.eu.

This Leonardo Da Vinci project started last October 2006 and will finish end September 2008. The projects goal is to develop an instrument which can be used by service providers of vocational education & training, to better measure the impact of their programmes on the quality of life of people with disabilities in employment.

The 2 year project, addresses Leonardo principles such as ‘improving the quality of, and access to, continuing vocational training’, ‘developing the quality of VET systems and practises’, ‘the development of practices to facilitate access to training for people most at a disadvantage in the labour market, including disabled people’.

In addition a project support group is set up at local and national level, consisting of disability sector umbrella organisations, VET providers, providers of employment opportunities for people with disabilities, people with disabilities and employers.

Her main objectives are the integration and use of project findings and results into VET practices and systems.

Several meetings have taken place in Cork (IE), Salzburg (AT) and Budapest (HU). The last meeting took place last March in Tondela (PT). 

On the 15th of September 2008 the closing conference of this EC project will take place in Vienna (AT).   

If you and your organisation are interested in participating in the project support group and/ or want to take part in the projects conference in Vienna,  please contact Michael Barrett  or Sonia Staskowiak sonia.staskowiak(at)easpd.eu.

For further information you can also visit the website:  www.qol.euproject.org 

***  Click here to download the Pre-invitation for the final conference in Vienna

***  Click here to download the QoL brochure

***  Click here to download the QoL Press release French  / English