1. Introduction
Today around the world, many people with disabilities are excluded from society, are living in poor conditions and are unemployed.
At the beginning of the 1980s a paradigm shift in citizenship became visible. A more inclusive model was adopted, which embraced persons with disability as active citizens. It is therefore the responsibility of society to reach out and include these people.
From a human rights point of view, it is civil society that has the responsibility of creating opportunities for people. Persons with disabilities are entitled to these rights too. Owing to their disability however, a proper support structure is often necessary in order to allow them exercise their rights to the full. If this is in place, the focus is no longer on the disability of the person, but rather on their ability, and on all the opportunities that are in reality available to them. Supported employment has proven to be an important instrument in achieving individual goals related to work in the open labour market. Supported employment focuses on abilities and not on disabilities, firstly by proving support to the person according to their individual needs, and secondly by providing advice to employers. For these reasons it has proven an effective tool for helping persons with disabilities to find and maintain employment in the open labour market. The principle of supported employment can be implemented in all parts of the world, provided that it is adapted to the cultural context and labour market trends of the given region. Supported employment does not depend on the strength of the economy, and can be implemented in developing countries and in countries with high unemployment rates.
2. Definition and benefits of Supported Employment
“Supported employment can be characterised as paid work in integrated work settings with ongoing support for individuals with disabilities in the open labour market. Paid work for individuals means the same payment for the same work as for workers without disabilities”*
Benefits of Supported Employment
Recent experience with supported employment has proven that it provides wide-reaching benefits to persons with disabilities, as well as to their families, employers and society as a whole.
Benefits for the person with a disability
Supported employment has now made paid work possible for many persons with disabilities who in the past were considered unable to work. It enables them to earn an income, develop their skills and learn to recognize their abilities. Many disabled persons have grown in dignity and selfconfidence through their supported employment placements. They have built relationships, and participate more actively in their community. They have started to make their own choices, plan for the future and broaden their horizons in life.
Supported employment has many positive effects for the personal development of the individual.
The individual:
• earns an income
• works in ordinary conditions
• makes choices
• is treated with respect and given a valued social role
• builds relationships
• enhances economic self-reliance
• increases self-esteem
Benefits for the parents/family
Traditional forms of care and welfare have placed parents and family (as well as the person with a disability) in a passive role. The experts are considered to be those who know what is good for a person with a disability. The passive dependent role which parents have in such approaches can be a barrier to the personal growth and development of their child. When parents learn that their child has no possibility of obtaining a paid job on the open labour market, they are understandably often eager to hear of the other possibilities available to them, such as those offered by supported employment. Reluctance or hesitation with regard to such alternative possibilities are usually the result of parents’ natural concern that the necessary care for their child will be reduced or disappear.
Because supported employment emphasizes the person’s abilities and not their disability, parents and family have an active and decisive role to play. Their participation should not begin when final decisions are being made, but should be part of an ongoing process. Parents unaccustomed to this approach may need support in fulfilling this role.
Experience with supported employment has shown that parents are often proud to see their child performing a job for which they are paid – especially when earlier they may not have thought this possible at all. The participation of parents/family must be encouraged from the start. They can provide valuable information on many aspects of their child personality and abilities which can be used in the development of an action plan, and when it is necessary to re-evaluate and modify this plan. Participation can also be encouraged by giving parents/family a supporting and stimulating role in their child’s development. Through this, the groundwork can be laid for a child’s integration and participation in society and the world of work.
Supported employment has many positive effects for the family of a person with a disability.
Parents and families:
• can play an active role in the development of their son or daughter
• can see their child become a valued member of the community
• their child can also contribute to the family income, which is very important in developing countries
• they can see their daughter or son as a person with abilities – and a future.
Benefits for the employer
At the beginning of the 1990s, when supported employment started in some European countries, two reactions were common: employers were not willing to hire persons with disabilities, and high unemployment rates were used to imply that persons with disabilities would never have a chance of getting a paid job. A third view often expressed was that persons with a more severe disability were simply unfit for work.
Experience since then has shown that employers are willing to hire persons with disabilities, mainly because supported-employment workers have proven they are capable of performing the tasks required. In these cases, employers’ needs were also supported.
A significant aspect of supported employment is its strong focus on practical training on the job and on worker performance. All necessary support and advice is given both to the employer and to the worker with a disability. Persons with disabilities are well prepared to take up work.
Another important point for the employer is that many persons with disabilities (especially persons with intellectual disabilities) can effectively, efficiently and accurately perform simple repetitive tasks. They like to do this type of work, and often prove to be reliable employees, with low absenteeism and accident rates.
In general, the turnover in repetitive-task jobs is very high: the employer has to deal with frequent vacancies and high recruitment costs. For the employer, one economic advantage of hiring workers with a disability is that they tend to remain in a given job for a long period of time.
Even in countries with labour shortages however, the employment rate of persons with disabilities is very low. Sadly, the reasons for this are discrimination, lack of opportunities, stereotyping and negative attitudes. Supported employment recognizes that the solution to the problems of unemployment and underemployment of persons with disabilities needs to be a multifaceted one, yet at the same time one oriented to the needs of employers.
These needs dictate the employer’s decision regarding the hiring of persons with disabilities. There is however a growing feeling in society that employees of a firm should represent all groups of society, as all social groups are consumers of the firm’s products and services. If this is the case, persons with a disability should be included and represented in all workforces. Indeed, many successful firms are highly aware of the benefits of a diverse and representative workforce.
Increasingly firms are recognizing that they have a social responsibility, and are using supported employment to ensure that this responsibility is fulfilled.
Benefits for the public sector
Governments in many countries have laws, regulations and facilities which focus on persons with disabilities. The public sector undoubtedly has a duty and a responsibility to facilitate the inclusion and participation of persons with disabilities in society.
Many countries in Europe have ratified the new UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. The new UN Convention has a more concrete focus with regard to the nature of support which persons with a disability need. Article 27 of the Convention is specifically linked to supported employment. Governments now no longer have any excuse for maintaining a passive role in this respect. They too must now act.
Supported employment is an important instrument for the promotion of individual rights and inclusion and participation in society. It is in harmony with other policies related to human rights and to the inclusion and participation of persons with disabilities in society and work. It is also based on the real needs of employers and of the economy. Finally, it is aimed at the individual – it is tailored to their abilities rather than to their disabilities, and it responds to them accordingly.
Developing countries in the process of formulating policies on how to provide work opportunities for persons with disabilities must now make a choice. Supported employment is a realistic option for governments, and should be taken seriously. It is a cost-effective alternative to high investment in segregated sheltered workshop programmes, and the investment costs of supported employment over time compare favourably with more traditional approaches. From a policy perspective there are direct measurable results which reflect the best practice in the field. As more people with disabilities became actively involved in the labour force, they become more economically self-reliant and less dependent on public resources in general.
Supported employment can be
carried out anywhere. It is feasible in countries at every level of economic development, irrespective of culture. The basic principle is the same: supporting people with disabilities to obtain and retain a paid job in the open labour market.
3. What does supported employment involve?
Supported employment is based on a “Place-Train-Maintain” approach, which means an investment in people rather than in buildings or equipment. It focuses on the individual abilities and needs of a man or woman with a disability. The support strategy is tailored to individual needs. The person with a disability is the key player in the supported employment process. The principle of supported employment is:
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“No more support than needed and no less than necessary.”
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The supported employment model consists of several different phases:
- assessment
- job finding
- job analysis
- job matching
- job (re)design
- introduction into the workplace
- training on the job/job coaching
- support outside the workplace
- ongoing support.
The phases the individual undergoes and the intensity of the support provided depend on his or her situation. Not everyone requires each phase of the process. If it is clear which type of job is wanted and that such a job is available, the early phases can be skipped and the focus can be on training and placement.
Assessment
The model of assessment used in supported employment focuses on abilities. The emphasis is on what a person can do. This dynamic approach to assessment views the person with a disability as the key actor. The person’s ideas, wishes, preferences and options form the basis of the assessment activities.
If a person with a disability has little or no knowledge or experience of certain work or work options, the dynamic assessment approach helps the person to experience different types of work, so that he or she can make an informed decision as to whether or not they are individually suited to them.
This dynamic approach also involves a proactive attitude. The assessment specialist and the person with a disability work together to find suitable options and solutions.
Assessment in supported employment recognizes that the outcome has not been decided for the rest of the person’s life. The individual’s situation may change, just as options or needs may also change based on individual experiences. New experiences can be and are the basis for new choices.
Job finding
This involves surveying the open labour market to identify job placement opportunities suited to individual job seekers. The central criterion for suitability is that the job is consistent with the individual’s interests as well as their abilities. The central criterion for opportunities is the employer’s needs.
A good understanding of the employer and the firm as a whole is necessary. Thus an analysis of the job possibilities in a given region is undertaken before a particular employer is approached. The objective is to acquire a clear understanding of job prospects in a specific region – not only of the number of vacancies, but also knowledge about the firms and their activities. This type of work is carried out by placement personnel, either from non-governmental organizations or from the public employment service.
An inventory of available resources (including public transport) within the given region is also recommended.
There are many different ways to collect relevant information. Contacting people in their own environment can contribute to success in finding jobs. Using networks of people, such as business people who meet each other on a regular basis, rotary clubs and others, can be very effective. Each person in a circle of contacts can add relevant information. The people who can give information may be family, friends or colleagues, for example.
It will be easier to identify prospective jobs if supported employment is actively marketed, drawing on successful cases. When there is a successful placement, the next step is to make an appointment with the employer who hired the individual. Ask if he or she is willing to speak to other employers about the experience. When there are several interested employers, an advisory group of employers can be formed to help identify the jobs where recurrent difficulties occur in recruiting and retaining non-disabled workers. These are opportunities for supported employment placements. Success stories can be published in the newspapers. Information can also be given at meetings or clubs for employers, and promotional material developed.
The job finder visits prospective employers to explain the potential of supported employment and describe the prospective employee. During this visit, a specific job is not discussed with the employer. Rather the needs of the employer are identified. The reason for this is that a clear understanding of the job setting must first be established so that possibilities are maximized rather than limited.
Employers who have little or no experience in hiring workers with disabilities may be hesitant, but in most cases this hesitation is based on lack of knowledge or on apprehension about how to deal with a person with a disability. As a starting point the focus must be on what the employer requires in relation to the work to be done. When it is clear that a candidate with a disability can do the work, an appointment can be made with the employer. During the appointment, the nature and amount of support to be provided to the employee and the employer can be agreed. This leads us to the key principle of supported employment; “No more support than needed and no less than necessary.”
Job analysis
Once a potential job has been identified the job coach must carry out a job analysis to identify in detail the tasks involved. The job coach thoroughly examines the various elements of a job to identify those which the person with a disability can complete and those for which the person will require training.
The potential job is examined and divided into smaller components so as to determine which skills and knowledge the employee will need to achieve performance and employment success. It must be emphasized that the purpose of the task analysis is not to formulate a list of job qualifications. This would only limit opportunities. Rather, the objective is to formulate a basis for designing a training programme and/or to describe the job.
Job analysis can also identify those tasks presently performed by employees which are additional components of their jobs. These might effectively be combined into a new job and performed by a worker with a disability. This could include activities such as filing, data entry, watering plants, making coffee etc.
Special attention must always be given to job requirements, physical demands and working conditions.
Examples of job components that need to be examined are:
• the level of education specified for the position
• the description of the various functions (the overall activity)
• secondary tasks required to fulfil the role (including time spent, level of difficulty, materials used, physical requirements and psychological requirements)
• role of co-workers.
Information is gathered during the job analysis through direct observation and speaking with individuals who are familiar with the work to be done. Often the job analyst spends time in the work setting and performs the various job tasks to gain information and insights.
Job matching
The next phase is to compare information acquired from the job analysis and the assessment in order to achieve optimal job placement. This comparison determines the degree to which the demands of the job match the abilities and interests of the prospective employee.
In this step of the supported employment process, the individual with a disability is ‘matched’ to a particular job. A perfect match between employee skills and the demands of the position is unlikely.
The intention, however, is to find the best possible match between the interests and abilities of the person with a disability and the demands of the position. It should be emphasized that the person must be actively involved at all stages of the matching process.
Job (re)design
It may happen that the person with a disability is unable to perform one or more tasks of the job. Here, the possibility of removing these tasks from the job and replacing them with other tasks should be explored. In this way a job can be (re)designed so that it meets the employer’s needs and better matches the employee’s abilities.
The job analysis may have led to a number of duties being combined, and a new position for the person with a disability being created. If the prospective employee is not yet able to perform all tasks demanded but can acquire the necessary skills, then a training plan is agreed upon.
Tasks must be clearly defined from the outset, for both the employer and employee.
It must be clear which duties are expected of the employee, what the employer can expect and how the work is organized. In some situations persons with disabilities have lost their jobs because of differing interpretations or expectations.
Workplace introduction
Before starting in the firm, a plan must be made for the (future) employee to be introduced to the firm, to the co-workers and supervisors, and to workplace rules and work-related safety and health regulations. He or she must also be aware of the formal and informal organizational structure within the firm and its (often unwritten) rules. For example, in a more formalized environment the employee must ask permission to perform tasks, while the informal line is for all employees go ahead with the tasks at hand. It is also essential to be aware of how to deal with various internal rules pertaining to coffee breaks or lunchtime, for example. Co-workers should meet the person with a disability and their role should be clarified before the person starts work. In many cases a person with a disability has lost his or her job because the introductory process was inadequate.
Job coaching/Training on the job
One of the most important aspects of supported employment is training on the job. Most of this training is provided by a job coach and takes place in the firm. Training is tailored to the specific requirements of the job, according to the criteria of the employer.
Job coaching involves on-the-job teaching of the necessary practical and social skills to increase the independence of the worker with a disability and to strengthen their ability to perform. Coaching also focuses on the guidance and activation of persons in the direct environment of the worker with a disability, so that both job inclusion and social inclusion can be optimised.
Attention must not only be given to the work and the work environment, but also to individual aspects of the worker, such as specific personal support that relates to their disability. This type of support can be provided by family, friends or professionals.
The function of a job coach can be carried out by an employee of the firm as well as by an external person, who usually works for a supported employment agency or organization. The job coach is also intended to be a resource for employers and co-workers. For example, if there are changes in workplace equipment, the employer can consult the job coach to determine whether the supported employee needs specific training to enable him or her to use the new equipment. The person with a disability is trained by the job coach to work with a machine. The job coach can also be consulted when problems arise at the workplace and the employer or co-workers cannot deal with these. Lack of communication or problems at home can affect on-the-job performance and behaviour. The job coach should be asked to be aware of these problems and help the employee with a disability to resolve workplace issues.
The job coach must be familiar with all aspects of the supported employment job. He or she must familiarize co-workers of the person with a disability with supported employment methods and with their role in the process. Often, the job coach has already started performing tasks in the firm to gain insights before the person with a disability takes up the job. The job coach is responsible for the introduction phase and for the training programme of the employee. The programme carefully describes the skills necessary for the job itself and disability-related support.
When the person with a disability begins work, the job coach provides training in the required skills and supports the person in many other ways. A large proportion of job tasks may initially be completed by the job coach. This balance changes as the worker gradually adjusts to the job and assumes responsibility for it.
The amount of support and the roles of the employer, co-workers and job coach are continually evaluated. Changes and adjustments are then agreed upon. It is essential that there is full agreement and understanding about the roles and duties of each party. In many cases a person with a disability has lost a job because of too few appointments and lack of evaluation.
Support outside the workplace
Supported employment may also include the provision of support outside the workplace, which may be necessary in some situations.
The type of support differs from person to person, depending on individual needs.
Examples include:
• helping the person to get organized
• assistance in monitoring the person’s financial situation
• providing transport
• training in use of public transport
• help in solving individual and family problems
• providing specific, disability-related support, for example health care support
• help in planning activities
• mediating with public officials to arrange services and facilities.
A lack of attention to support needs outside the workplace may result in job loss for a worker with a disability because of some of the above issues, for example, not being organized to reach work on time.
Ongoing support
Agreements are made with employers on the terms and conditions of employment. The employer’s expectations and arrangements regarding ongoing support are also agreed.
In situations where these agreements are not clear from the outset, problems may arise which sometimes result in the worker with a disability not being retained in the job. Many employers have identified the provision of ongoing support as one of the most important aspects of the supported employment model. Should any difficulties arise, employers perceive ongoing support as a safety net for both them and the disabled employee.
4. Supported Employment is person-centered and tailor-made
Over the last few years many economic changes have taken place. These developments have had an impact on the labour market position of persons with disabilities. Through supported employment more attention is given to individual needs and to the interests of persons with disabilities in situations of change. Attention is also paid to the skills and training requirements of the employer. Tailor made support also entails ongoing examination of developments in the job, in the work environment and also in the choices for the individual. Through this more proactive approach interventions can be made when necessary, and on time. Examples of when such interventions would occur would be when a person has to change job due to changes in the work environment, or changes in the job itself.
Increasing the numbers in supported employment has clearly been set out as a goal in this chapter. The most important thing is to focus on the abilities of the individual and on the creation of opportunities. In the next chapter we will focus on the European and international legal frameworks and practices that have a direct effect on the employment of persons with disabilities.
*Definition from the World Association for Supported Employment
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