Good Practices on Employment and Vocational Trainings of Disabled People by EFE PROJECT

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 3 GİRİŞ ........................................................................................................................................ 4 Въведение ............................................................................................................................ 5 ΕΙΣΑΓΩΓΗ............................................................................................................................... 6 INTRODUZIONE.................................................................................................................... 7 UVOD ....................................................................................................................................... 8 GOOD PRACTICES ON EMPLOYMENT AND VOCATIONAL TRAININGS OF DISABLED PEOPLE IN PARTNER COUNTRIES ............................................................ 9 TURKEY ........................................................................................................................................................ 10 “KIRLANGIÇ” Unhindered Designers ....................................................................................................... 11 Vocational Education of Visually Impaired People via Distance Education ............................................ 14 CALL PORTAL............................................................................................................................................ 17 BULGARIA .................................................................................................................................................... 19 Vocational Education and Training – VET / Social Enterprise – SE .......................................................... 20 Social Enterprise – SE Community Center Educational Center ............................................................... 23 Vocational Education and Training – VET ................................................................................................ 26 GREECE ........................................................................................................................................................ 29 COCO MAT ............................................................................................................................................... 30 MARGARITA ............................................................................................................................................. 32 FILOKTITIS ................................................................................................................................................ 35 ITALY ............................................................................................................................................................ 37 ME.CO ...................................................................................................................................................... 38 Umbria Accessible ................................................................................................................................... 40 Employment Project for Inclusion of Disabled People ............................................................................ 42 SLOVENIA ..................................................................................................................................................... 44 Transition of Youth with Disabilities from School to Labour Market ...................................................... 45 Replacement Meet Quotas...................................................................................................................... 48 Persons’ with Disabilities Friendly Company ........................................................................................... 51

The aim of the second booklet is to illustrate good projects and practices on Employment and Vocational Trainings for people with disabilities undertaken in recent years in the partner countries in order to provide a clear and accessible overview on what have been done so far and develop further ideas and opportunities. The booklet includes projects and practices of the leading partner, organizations/institutions located in five European Countries (Turkey, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy and Slovenia) in order to give an overall idea of the situation at EU level. You will follow some good practices implemented in the partner countries. Also you will have information on completed projects financed under the Leonardo Da Vinci Programme â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Transfer of Innovation and Partnerships. The selected projects and practices are related with entrepreneurship, tourism, providing vocational trainings, distance education, new sectors and new companies suitable for employing people with disabilities etc. These projects and practices have been selected on the basis of their good dissemination strategies, the capacity to address the real needs of the labor market and coherence among objectives, actions and results. Generally, the main objective of these good practices and projects are to encourage employers, directors and volunteers to establish new VET trainings and employment opportunities for people with disabilities. The methodologies and tools used and produced throughout these projects and practices have allowed the matching of the VET supply with the existing labour market needs, promoting the sharing of knowledge and information among partner countries and the achievement of establishment of employment chance for people with disabilities. All the projects and good practices selected have successfully produced models for the implementation of Enhancing Employment and Vocational Trainings Opportunities for People with Disabilities in Europe.

Bu kitapçığın hazırlanmasındaki asıl esas, proje ortağı olan ülkelerde son yıllarda gerçekleştirilmiş ve engelli bireylerin mesleki eğitimleri ya da istihdamları alanında uygulanmış başarılı projelerin görünürlüklerini arttırmaktır. Böylece şimdiye kadar neler yapıldığına hızlı bir göz atıp, daha başarılı fikirler ve projeler üretebileceğimize inanıyoruz. Bu kitapçık, projemizin ortağı olan beş farklı ülkede (Türkiye, Bulgaristan, Yunanistan, İtalya ve Slovenya) uygulanmış olan projeler hakkında bilgi sunmayı ve böylece Avrupa seviyesinde durum hakkında genel bir bilgi edindirmeyi amaçlamaktadır. İlerleyen sayfalarda proje ortağı olan kurumların ülkelerinde uygulanmış iyi örneklerden bazılarını göreceksiniz. Bu projelerin bir kısmı Leonardo da Vinci – Yenilik Transferi gibi çeşitli hibe programları tarafından desteklenmiş projeler. Seçilen uygulamalar ve projeler, girişimcilik, turizm, mesleki eğitim sunma, uzaktan eğitim, yeni sektörler ve engelli bireylere istihdam olanağı tanıyan şirketler vb. konularında hazırlanmışlar. Bu uygulamalar ve projeler, başarılı yaygınlaştırma faaliyetleri, iş piyasasının gerçek ihtiyaçlarına değinme ve amacı, uygulaması ve sonuçları arasında tutarlılığı olma gibi kriterlere göre seçilmiştir. Genel olarak, tüm bu iyi uygulamaların ve projelerin amaçları işverenleri, yöneticileri ve gönüllüleri, engelli bireylere yönelik yeni mesleki eğitimler alanları ve istihdam olanakları yaratmaları konusunda teşvik etmektir. Bu kitapçıkta seçilen tüm uygulamalar ve projeler, Avrupa’da engelli bireylere yönelik mesleki eğitim ve istihdam olanaklarını arttırıcı modeller üretmiş ve başarılı bir şekilde uygulanmış örneklerdir.

Целта на втората брошура е да илюстрира добри практики и проекти в областта на заетостта и професионалното обучения за хора с увреждания, предприети през последните години в странитепартньори с цел да се осигури ясен и достъпен преглед на постигнатото досега и да подпомогне разработването на допълнителни възможности и идеи. Брошурата включва проекти и практики на водещите партньори, организации / институции, опериращи в пет европейски страни (Турция, България, Гърция, Италия и Словения), с цел да даде обща представа за ситуацията на европейско ниво. Ще се проследят някои добри практики, прилагани в страните-партньори. Също така ще се предостави информация за завършени проекти, финансирани по програма Леонардо да Винчи Трансфер на иновации и партньорства. Избраните проекти и практики са свързани с предприемачеството, туризма, предоставянето на професионално обучение, дистанционно обучение, нови сектори и нови компании, подходящи за наемане на хора с увреждания и др. Тези проекти и практики са подбрани въз основа на техните добри стратегии за разпространение, капацитета за посрещане на реалните потребности на пазара на труда и съгласуваността между целите, дейностите и резултатите. Като цяло, основната цел на тези добри практики и проекти са да насърчат работодателите, директори и доброволци да въведат нови професионални обучения и да разкрият нови възможностите за заетост за хората с увреждания. Методологии и инструменти, използвани и разроботени в тези проекти и практики позволяват съгласуване на предлагането на ПОО със съществуващите нужди на пазара на труда, насърчаване на обмена на знания и информация между страните партньори и установяване на възможностите за заетост за хора с увреждания. Всички избрани проекти и добри практики успешно са разроботили модели за прилагането на Подобряването на възможностите за заетост и професионалното за хората с увреждания в Европа.

Ο στόχος του δεύτερου φυλλαδίου είναι να παρουσιάσει καλά έργα και πρακτικές για την Απασχόληση και την Επαγγελματική Κατάρτιση για άτομα με ειδικές ανάγκες, τα οποία έχουν αναληφθεί τα τελευταία χρόνια στις χώρες εταίρους, ώστε να δοθεί μια σαφής και προσιτή επισκόπηση για το τι έχουν κάνει μέχρι τώρα και να αναπτύξουν περαιτέρω ιδέες και ευκαιρίες. Το φυλλάδιο περιλαμβάνει τα έργα και τις πρακτικές των εταίρων, σε οργανισμούς / ιδρύματα που βρίσκονται σε πέντε ευρωπαϊκές χώρες (Τουρκία, Βουλγαρία, Ελλάδα, Ιταλία και Σλοβενία), προκειμένου να δώσει μια γενική εικόνα της κατάστασης σε επίπεδο ΕΕ. Θα ακολουθήσουν κάποιες καλές πρακτικές που εφαρμόζονται στις χώρες εταίρους. Επίσης θα έχετε πληροφορίες για τα έργα που χρηματοδοτούνται στο πλαίσιο του προγράμματος Leonardo Da Vinci Μεταφορά Καινοτομίας και Συμπράξεις καθώς και τα επιλεγμένα έργα και τις πρακτικές που σχετίζονται με την επιχειρηματικότητα, τον τουρισμό, την παροχή επαγγελματικής κατάρτισης, εξ αποστάσεως εκπαίδευση, νέους τομείς και νέες εταιρείες κατάλληλες για την απασχόληση ατόμων με ειδικές ανάγκες κ.λπ. Αυτά τα έργα και οι πρακτικές έχουν επιλεγεί με βάση την καλή στρατηγικών διάδοσης τους, την ικανότητα για την αντιμετώπιση των πραγματικών αναγκών της αγοράς εργασίας και τη συνοχή μεταξύ των στόχων, των δράσεων και των αποτελεσμάτων. Σε γενικές γραμμές, ο κύριος στόχος αυτών των ορθών πρακτικών και σχεδίων είναι να ενθαρρύνουν τους εργοδότες, τους διευθυντές και τους εθελοντές για τη δημιουργία νέων εκπαιδεύσεων επαγγελματικής εκπαίδευσης και κατάρτισης και των ευκαιριών απασχόλησης για τα άτομα με ειδικές ανάγκες. Οι μεθοδολογίες και τα εργαλεία που χρησιμοποιούνται και παράγονται σε όλη αυτά τα έργα και τις πρακτικές που επέτρεψαν την αντιστοίχιση της προσφοράς επαγγελματικής εκπαίδευσης και κατάρτισης με τις υπάρχουσες ανάγκες της αγοράς εργασίας, η προώθηση της ανταλλαγής γνώσεων και πληροφοριών μεταξύ των χωρών εταίρων και την επίτευξη της δημιουργίας ευκαιρία απασχόλησης για τα άτομα με ειδικές ανάγκες. Όλα τα έργα και τις καλές πρακτικές που επιλέγονται, έχουν παράξει με επιτυχία μοντέλα για την ενίσχυση της Απασχόλησης και Επαγγελματικής Κατάρτισης Ευκαιριών για τα Άτομα με Αναπηρίες στην Ευρώπη.

Lo scopo dell’opuscolo è quello di illustrare progetti di successo e buone pratiche riguardanti la formazione professionale e l’inclusione nel mercato del lavoro di persone con disabilità, realizzati negli ultimi anni, al fine di fornire una visione d’insieme chiara sulla strategia attuata dal progetto per identificare nuove opportunità e idee, in termini di inclusione nel mercato del lavoro di persone disabili. L’opuscolo include progetti e pratiche implementati nei cinque paesi partner del progetto (Turchia, Bulgaria, Grecia, Italia e Slovenia) con lo scopo di delineare una situazione generale in Europa. Seguiranno alcune buone pratiche implementate nei paesi partner. Avrete anche informazioni sui progetti completati finanziati dall’azione Leonardo Da Vinci – Trasferimento dell’Innovazione e Partenariati. I progetti selezionati si riferiscono a diversi settori come l’imprenditorialità, il turismo, formazione professionale, educazione a distanza e nuovi settori e tipologie aziendali, per includere i disabili nel mercato del lavoro. Questi progetti e pratiche sono stati selezionati sulla base della loro strategia di disseminazione e la capacità di trattare bisogni reali del mercato del lavoro, ma soprattutto per la loro coerenza nell’affrontare gli obiettivi, le azioni e raggiungere i risultati. Generalmente, l’obiettivo principale di queste buone pratiche e progetti è quello di incoraggiare i datori di lavoro, direttori e volontari a stabilire nuove tipologie di formazione professionale e opportunità di lavoro per persone con disabilità. Le metodologie e strumenti utilizzati attraverso questi progetti, hanno permesso più facilmente il matching tra domanda e offerta di lavoro, promuovendo la condivisione delle conoscenze e informazioni tra i paesi partner e la creazione di nuove opportunità per persone con disabilità. Tutti i progetti e le buone pratiche hanno prodotto con successo modelli e spunti innovativi per l’implementazione del progetto “Enhancing Employment and Vocational Trainings Opportunities for People with Disabilities in Europe”.

Cilj druge knjižice je predstaviti dobre projekte in primere dobrih praks na področju zaposlovanja in poklicnega usposabljanja ljudi s posebnimi potrebami, ki so jih partnerske države izvedle v zadnjih letih. In sicer z namenom, da bi zagotovili jasen in dostopen pregled dosedanjih dosežkov in razvoja novih idej in priložnosti. Za celovito predstavo razmer zaposlovanja invalidnih oseb na EU ravni, smo zbrali projekte in prakse vodilnega partnerja ter organizacij / institucij iz petih evropskih držav (Turčije, Bolgarije, Grčije, Italije in Slovenije). V knjižici boste sledili primerom dobrih praks, ki so se izvajale v partnerskih državah. Prav tako boste pridobili informacije o zaključenih projektih, financiranih v okviru programa Leonardo da Vinci - prenosa inovacij in partnerstva. Tematsko so izbrani projekti in primeri praks povezani s podjetništvom, turizmom, zagotavljanjem poklicnega usposabljanja, izobraževanjem na daljavo, novimi sektorji in novimi podjetji, primernimi za zaposlovanje invalidov itd. Projekti in primeri praks so bili izbrani na podlagi njihovih dobrih strategij diseminacije rezultatov, zmogljivosti za reševanje resničnih potreb trga dela ter skladnosti med cilji, ukrepi in rezultati. Na splošno je glavni cilj druge knjižice spodbuditev delodajalcev, direktorjev in prostovoljcev za vzpostavitev novih poklicnih usposabljanj in možnostih zaposlovanja ljudi s posebnimi potrebami. Metodologije in orodja, uporabljena in razvita preko omenjenih projektov in primerov praks, omogočajo usklajevanje ponudb v poklicnem izobraževanju in usposabljanju z obstoječimi potrebami trga dela. Prav tako spodbujajo izmenjavo znanja in informacij med partnerskimi državami in doseganje priložnosti zaposlovanja ljudi s posebnimi potrebami. Vsi izbrani projekti in primeri dobrih praks, so uspešno proizvedli modele za izvajanje krepitve zaposlitvenih možnosti in možnosti poklicnega usposabljanja invalidnih oseb v EU.

TURKEY

LEAD INSTITUTION/ORGANIZATION NAME

The Spinal Cord Paralytics Association of Turkey Partner: The Governorship of Istanbul

SUPPORTIVE INSTITUTION/ORGANIZATION NAME TITLE and ACRONYM

TARGET GROUP

Contributors: İstanbul University, Turkey Directorate of Employment Agency Provincial Directorate of Istanbul, Organization Companies Association (OFİDER) Engelsiz Tasarımcılar “KIRLANGIÇ” (Unhindered Designers) Project - 36 orthopedically disabled young people aged 18-24 who reside in European side of Istanbul; - Family members of 36 orthopedically disabled young people aged 1824 who reside in European side of Istanbul who attend family support seminars. - Colleagues of disabled young people who attend co-worker support and raising awareness seminars; - Companies which received support for architecture consultancy service during the project.

YEAR

1.12.2012 – 30.11.2013 / 12 Months Unhindered Designers Project has been started to implement on 1st of December, 2012 by the coordination of The Spinal Cord Paralytics Association of Turkey thanks to Istanbul Development Agency Supporting Skills, Entrepreneurship and Future Of Children And Youth Financial Assistance Program. This project was implemented in the European side of Istanbul during 12 months to contribute integration of young disabled population to the social life and work force.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PRACTICE

36 young (between 18 and 24 years old) orthopedically disabled persons attended the courses in the field of graphic design and they also received personal development trainings to develop their knowledge, skills, creativity and entrepreneurial capacity. They were divided as 12 persons (3 groups) and each group attend the lectures 2 days in a week. Transportation and lunch were provided as a service of the project during that period to project participants. More than half of the successfully graduated project participants (32 participants graduated successfully) was employed by different companies at the end of the project. The rest of the group has enough capacities to establish their own companies or work from home thanks

to project. At the same time, work places (future work places) and habitants (where they live such as home, dorm, etc,) of project participants was identified in accessibility standards in terms of architecture by professionals and these works reported to related persons. Furthermore, communication support trainings were given during the project for families of project participants and their future work collogues. PLACE WEBSITE CONTACT PERSON EMAIL PHOTOS AND VIDEO RECORDING

Ä°stanbul, Turkey www.kirlangicprojesi.com Gizem Morova YĂźcel gizem.morova@tofd.org.tr https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZX3D2Xo1tJ8

LEAD INSTITUTION/ORGANIZATION Uşak University- Distance Learning Vocational Higher Education (UZEMYO) - Coordinator / Turkey NAME

SUPPORTIVE INSTITUTION/PARTNERS

TITLE and ACRONYM TARGET GROUP YEAR

1. Berufsförderungswerk Düren Zentrum für berufliche Bildung blinder und sehbehinderter Menschen (BFW DUREN)/ Germany 2. INTRON Information and Software Techlogies Industry and Trade Limited Company / Turkey 3. Association of Call Centers (ÇMD) / Turkey 4. L'Istituto per le Tecnologie Didattiche (Italia) 5. Six Points Association of The Blind/Turkey Vocational Education of Visually Impaired People via Distance Education Visually Impaired People 2010-2012 This project has an importance, because of being an innovation transfer of LMS system developed in the scope of a European elearn VIP project that provides distance education opportunities for the visually impaired individuals on a national basis. In addition, the preparation of the certification training for the call centre agent content in German, İtalian, English and Turkish and performing the international certification program have vital importance in terms of increasing the life quality and the employment opportunity of disabled people both in Turkey and Europe.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PRACTICE

By providing vocational training opportunities for visually impaired individuals, as the target audience and visually impaired women in particular, it will be possible to avoid all types of discriminations encountered by disabled people, to strengthen their status in social life and to increase their life quality with the studies that will be realized. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF PROJECT  Increasing opportunities and quality of vocational training for visually impaired individuals, in particular women.  Transfer of a learning management system (LMS) that is suitable for the use of visually impaired individuals that is unavailable in Turkey and translation of this software into Turkish.  Development of the transferred LMS systems with addition of mobile access support and examination module. 14

PLACE WEBSITE EMAIL

OUTPUTS/RESULTS

 Creation of international certification program for call center agent.  Preparation of educational content in German, English, Italian and Turkish versions and integration the content into the system,  Introduction of training opportunities and certification programs to the target audience Web page preparation of the project and dissemination of the work plan and developments on the webpage  Implementation of international certification program of call center agent  Increasing the accessibility and utilizing opportunities to information and communication technologies for visually impaired individuals.  Dissemination of project outcomes by arranging international symposiums and to provide resources for scientific studies on this subject.  The introduction of the project in national press and electronic media to provide the visibility of the Project.  Creating awareness about the problems of the visually impaired people in Turkey.  Collaborating with non-governmental organization to perform studies considering the persons with different types or degrees of disability and ensuring of sustainability.  Development of a multi-cultural dialogue between Turkey, which has the EU candidate country status, and EU member countries. Uşak (Turkey), Germany, Italia http://vodie.usak.edu.tr vodie@usak.edu.tr  Sustainability of trainings planned to be given to visually impaired individuals ensured by transferring developed Learning Management System for use of visually impaired people within the scope of the project.  As a result of our project, visually impaired individuals’ usage level of technology has been increased within the scope of the vocational training. Our project lead to use of digital resources when printed materials cannot meet needs of the visually impaired people  Created a curriculum for Call Center Agent Certification Program that will be given to people with visual impairments.  Supported employment of visually impaired individuals who completed the Call Center Agent certification program.  Provided an opportunity for taking training to visually impaired people in educational area in particular mobile learning with increasing popularity and widespread use, thanks to VODIE Mobile application which works in IOS platform.  In the same context, provide different solutions to educational issues of people with visual disabilities by realizing an international symposium on “Mobile learning for visually impaired people”.  Made a workshop under the title of "Workshop for Equality" with participation of visually impaired individuals who are employed in different areas, Members of various NGOs and 15

academics and experts in the field of education. Click here for the report of the workshop.

SELECTION CRITERIA

NEGATIVE OPINIONS

PHOTOS AND VIDEO RECORDING

1. Direct Relations with EFE Project’s General Concept 2. Website of the project is still alive and they created a link to the coordinator institution’s link 3. Good consortium and Related Partners 4. They were successful in social media, they have a professional YouTube video 5. Successful Project’s Website 6. Accessible to report of the workshop from project website 1. Need More Dissemination Activities 2. There should be also Turkish stakeholders/partners in other cities of Turkey https://plus.google.com/111509114499662298172/posts https://twitter.com/ProjectVodie http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8E15h0mJP3w http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8E15h0mJP3w

LEAD INSTITUTION/ORGANIZATI ON NAME

SUPPORTIVE INSTITUTION/PARTNERS

TITLE and ACRONYM TARGET GROUP YEAR

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PRACTICE

All Europe Women's Cultural Collaborative Dialogue Association (TAKIDD) - Coordinator / Turkey 1. POINT (www.pnt-grp.com) is a general engineering and project management organisation (TR) 2. BFW Oberhausen (www.bfw-oberhausen.de) (DE) 3. Instituto de Formación Integral (IFI) (ES) 4. CEIPES (IT) 5. ITeE-PIB (PL) 6. Nadácia Mojmír (SK) CALL PORTAL Physically Impaired People 2012-2014 People who are employed in call centers as call center representatives are not necessarily have to be employed in the organisations’ premises or working offices anymore thanks to fast developing communication technologies and Internet. As a result of development in communication technologies, call diverting is very easy and inexpensive. Access to company Intranets via Internet is now part of daily life due to high Internet access speeds. Therefore, home based working in this field is perfectly possible in any part of Europe, if proper training and practice channels are made available to those who will be interested in such a challenging employment opportunity. Another important factor of choosing this field for e-working is the fact that the sector steadily grows around 10% every year all in Europe in spite of recent years' global crises. In this portal, interested call center representative prospects will find opportunity to receive online training and practicing with their colleagues. For over years, increasing the employability of disabled people was one of the main concerns of European Union, similarly to the rest of the world. “Finding and keeping a job for disabled people” has been kept supported by many legislations including combating discrimination (Directive 2000/78/ EC - protection from discrimination in area of employment), many regulations have been introduced, such as obligations of employing certain number of disabled people in medium-large enterprises. There also exist some financial penalties if such obligations are not fulfilled. One big mobile operator in Turkey has already announced that they will recruit new 100 people to work at home as call center representatives. Sure, these numbers are extremely low when compared to 40.000 employees in the sector. That's why, an efficient and continuous e-training mechanism is urgently needed for Turkey and Europe AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF PROJECT 

Clear aim of this project is “to e-train people with physical disabilities

PLACE WEBSITE CONTACT PERSON

OUTPUTS/RESULTS

for their e-employment as call center representatives, to work from their homes”. Training concept will also include e-Stage possibility for efficient and complete result achievement. After such a programme, individual will be ready to start working, without needing extra steps. So, main objective is “to increase employability of people with disabilities in a profitable scheme for both employee and employer, under current market conditions”.  IT-Call directly aims to e-train individual and prepare them to work at home after successful completion of e-stage phase. Direct aim is to prepare the call center representative prospect who is physically disabled person, to work at home and serve to call center service providers. As call center providers are already seeking such employees, this project's tool will prepare those potential e-workers in such a way that, they will not need any extra step, but can start working after they complete their e-training and e-stage.  Creation an IT Portal Turkey, Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland, Slovakia http://www.it-call.net/index.php?lang=en

http://www.itcall.net/index.php?option=com_contact&view=contact&id=20&Itemid=37&l ang=en http://www.itcall.net/index.php?option=com_contact&view=contact&id=20&Itemid=37&l ang=en  IT-Call Web Portal - Multilanguage  e-Training Course supported by training movies  - Module 1: Call Center Basics and Typical Call Center Technologies - Module 2: Preparation for Delivering Quality Service - Module 3: Communicating Successfully by Telephone and Building Trust - Module 4: Enhancing your Listening Skills - Module 5: Call Center Technology for Home Based Agents, Health and safety Issues, Time and Stress Management - Module 6: Problem Solving and Decision Making - Module 7: Handling Difficult Customers, Coping with Conflicts and Service Breakdowns  e-Stage System  e-Stage Performance Rating Questionnaire  Pilot Tests

SELECTION CRITERIA

NEGATIVE OPINIONS

1. This hasn’t completed. In the piloting process 2. There is no tangible result yet

BULGARIA

LEAD INSTITUTION/ORGANIZATION The “Knowledge” Association – Lovech, Bulgaria NAME SUPPORTIVE INSTITUTION/ORGANIZATION The association is a member of the Federation of societies for spread of knowledge (http://www.fssk-bg.com/) NAME TITLE and ACRONYM TARGET GROUP YEAR

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PRACTICE

Vocational Education and Training – VET / Social Enterprise - SE - Children and youth with disabilities, permanently unemployed, youths from social institutions (900 people per year); - Youth and adults from the region of Lovech (500 people per year) 2003 The organization consists of 52 intellectuals, teachers and experts sharing the common idea of Lifelong Learning. It organizes short term trainings, evening courses, seminars, workshops, and nonformal interactive trainings in support of the idea for Life Long learning. The trainees obtain European Language Certificate /TELC/; European Computer Passport /EXPERT/; Online certifying of IT skills /ITCARD/; Qualification document corresponding of the state standards licensed from NAVET. The association is certified in training for obtaining the following specialties: “Consultant seller”, “Banking”, “Insurance cause”, “Custom and tax services”, “Accountant”, “Assistant in SME”, “Administrative services”, “Cook” and others. It offers short term trainings, interactive trainings, and seminars, workshops for obtaining key competences in development of successful project proposal; team work; negotiation skills; conflict management; project management; motivation training and others. The association has a market share of around 50 % on the market of educational services in the Lovech municipality. It works as a social enterprise, which offers its courses for free or at preferential prices for youths with disabilities. It supplies educational services to a broader range of people, including people without disabilities too, thus creating financial sustainability and funds for the courses for disabled. There is an ever increasing need and demand for high quality education, particularly in the smaller municipalities of Bulgaria, such as Lovech. Thus, the demand for vocational education from both disabled people and people without disabilities and the supply of those services based on market principles, creates a solid foundation for a successful enterprise. The effects of the social 20

PLACE WEBSITE CONTACT PERSON EMAIL

SELECTION CRITERIA

enterprise are measured with the financial possibilities of the association to offer subsidized education to even more people with disabilities and youths at risk from social isolation. The association has also completed such projects as Vocational Education of Teacher Working With Handicapped Children, which includes study visits in order to be acquainted with the methods and techniques used in the partner countries when working with SEN students; Initiative for Innovations in the Social Economy with the main objective of the project is establishment of cross border cooperation for dissemination of innovative results in the field of the social economy; Improvement of the access to the labour market; Knowledge for all; School for Everyone with the aim to support the educational process of SEN students through establishment of out of school activities and many others. Those projects helped the organisation in creating organisational and financial sustainability and building capacity in the supply of educational courses to people with disabilities. Lovech, Bulgaria http://www.znanielovech.org/en/ N/A znanielovech@mbox.contact.bg This practice is established by a non-governmental organisation with high public authority, which positions itself successfully at the market of educational services and tries to achieve financial sustainability through the development of economic activities. An important factor for its success is the balance between social and economic goals. The association has competitive advantages due to the precise selection of teachers, the quality services at competitive prices, new methodology and effective approaches towards the learning process.

LEAD INSTITUTION/ORGANIZATION Bread Houses Network – Bulgaria NAME SUPPORTIVE INSTITUTION/ORGANIZATION NAME TITLE and ACRONYM TARGET GROUP YEAR

1. Part of International Council for Cultural Centres (I3C) – global network, connecting more than 50 countries on 6 continents (http://www.international3c.org/) 2. Slow Food International (www.slowfood.com) Social Enterprise – SE Community Centre Educational Centre Disadvantaged people - mental, psychological, physical, autism, both adult and children 2009 The Bread Houses Network is part of the International Council for Cultural Centres, which was founded by Dr. Nadezhda Savova. The first bread house was created in the small town of Gabrovo, Bulgaria and since then more than 15 countries have been inspired by the model and are currently developing local initiatives as part of the Bread Houses Network. Currently the BREAD Movement has been recognized by the European Social Innovation Network and is recognized by the International Slow Food as an Exemplary Global Model of Food-Related Community-Building.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PRACTICE

The Bread Houses are physical locations as well as educational and community-building programs. Those places are two types: community cultural centres and social enterprises. The social enterprises are bakeries and educational centres (for team-building, children’s educational programs, etc.) that train and employ disadvantaged people while also serving as a social-cultural centre. It all started in Bulgaria, but now is evolving into a social franchise. The Bread House seeks to encourage inter-religious dialogue, cooperation among different generations and professional and ethnic groups. The main mission is to enable people to discover their creative potential and identify the local assets for problemsolving. The Bread Houses Network’s Programs include: -

Bread Therapy Program: Programs specially tailored to serve both as therapy, in small groups of people with various special needs – mental, psychological, physical, autism, both adult and children – with the support of trained psychologists/therapist;

Bread Breaking Boundaries Life-long Learning Program: regular, community-based, collective bread-making events, usually in the evenings after work and school hours, bringing people of all ages, professions, and cultural backgrounds together to make, bake, and break bread and 23

also create arts and revive cultural traditions. -

Bread Building” team building program: a service created to inspire corporate social responsibility programs

“Hedge Hope” Children’s Program: informal, after-school educational programs tailored for children and youth at schools or community centres teaching various topics through experiential learning based around hand work with dough.

The Bread Houses use the social process of production as a tool for training and employment of vulnerable groups in order to enhance personal realization and social inclusion. Those bread houses produce products and services with social impact. They gain profits, which fund other social solutions and programs. This is a social innovation, because it creates jobs for disadvantaged people who not only produce a product but are actively engaged and integrated in society through the regular community workshops and other events these people help facilitate. The Bread Houses Network (BHN) officially established partnership with Harvard-based Cultural Agents Initiative at Harvard University, founded by Dr. Doris Somer who developed the Pre-Texts Methodology for Engaged Learning. Pre-Ferment Pre-Texts involves two levels of target groups and expected results: 1) School students, for whom employing bread-making and bread puppets to analyse any texts from their school curriculum is a uniquely effective way to stimulate the students’ multiple intelligences by engaging simultaneously all their sense 2) Community members of all ages, as a broader community organizing strategy: in large-scale community bread-making events, people of all ages develop “local problem-solving scripts” PLACE WEBSITE CONTACT PERSON EMAIL

SELECTION CRITERIA

Bulgaria and fifteen other countries http://www.breadhousesnetwork.org/ Dr. Nadezhda Savova n.savova@international3c.org The selected practice represents a unique social innovation that has overcome the national boundaries and turned into an international example of a working social enterprise. Its focus is mainly on the integration of people with disabilities and improving their soft skills. Nowadays soft skills are as important as hard skills are. There is a popular saying that technical skills may get your foot in the door, but your people skills are what open most of the doors to come. Problem solving, delegating, motivating, and team building are all much easier if one has good soft skills. It not only helps people improve their soft skills and learn hard skills (such as bread making), but also helps them integrate much easier into society. Moreover, it is a financially sustainable social enterprise, which can fund by itself its social programs.

LEAD INSTITUTION/ORGANIZ ATION NAME SUPPORTIVE INSTITUTION/ORGANIZ ATION NAME TITLE and ACRONYM TARGET GROUP YEAR

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PRACTICE

PLACE WEBSITE CONTACT PERSON EMAIL SELECTION CRITERIA

Complex for Social Services “St. George” – Plovdiv, Bulgaria 1. National Alliance for Volunteer Action – NAVA (www.navabg.com) – (BG) 2. Verein zur Förderung Bulgarischer Kindereime e.V.( http://www.bulgarische-kinderheime.de/) – (D) 3. Municipality of Plovdiv (www.plovdiv.bg) – (BG) Vocational Education and Training – VET Visually and hearing impaired, people with mental illness, people with spinal cord disabilities, children at risk 2010 “St. George” has a history of over 60 years. In order to optimize its work and the services that are being offered, the institution is reorganized as a centre for social services in 2010. It is licensed from the National agency for vocational education and training as a centre for vocational education and offers training in 10 professions and 14 specialties. Those courses for qualification and prequalification are with a duration of three and six months and are offered in five different forms: day training, evening classes, boarding school, e-training and self-training. The offered education is in such specialties as: “Office secretary”, “Administrative work”, “Computer operator”, “Electrician”, “Tailor”, “Landscaping”, “Construction worker”, “Cook” and others. Probably the most innovative and ambitious practice, initiated by the complex for social services, started in 2012. With the partnership of the National Alliance for Volunteer Action, the complex received a donation from the Association for Assistance for the Bulgarian Homes for Children – Berling in the form of professional kitchen appliances and utilities. With the help of the Plovdiv Municipality and own funds, “St.George” created the first of its kind professional, educational and production kitchen for training of youth at risk. The newly established professional kitchen supports the conduction of courses in cooking, where the students receive a diploma in cooking. In 2014 NAVA started to research and develop an innovative model of a social enterprise, which will give a chance to the people with disabilities to find work and further develop their capabilities. One of the main purposes is to transform the educational kitchen into a social enterprise, which will sell food, thus creating financial sustainability for the centre and providing more working opportunities for the disabled. Plovdiv, Bulgaria http://ksu-svgeorgi.org/ N/A supz_plovdiv@abv.bg This practice shows a working cooperation between centre for social services, local authorities, local and foreign donors and non-governmental organisations. It shows that, in order to be effective and successful, a VET centre needs to unite 26

PHOTOS AND VIDEO RECORDING

the competencies and knowledge of people and institutions with different expertise. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a blend of good institutional management, financial and administrative support from the local authorities and support from the nongovernmental sector in the form of know-how, well-structured partner network and high quality expertise. This is also one of the first attempts at creating a social enterprise, which is not a product oriented but has a focus on delivering useful vocational training. http://ksusvgeorgi.org/%D0%B3%D0%B0%D0%BB%D0%B5%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%8F/ https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151248062940095.418857.261 103015094&type=1

GREECE

LEAD INSTITUTION/ORGANIZATION Coco mat NAME TARGET GROUP

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PRACTICE

PLACE WEBSITE

All diverse groups In 1989, in Athens, appeared a small family company launching a new, innovative type of mattress, non-metal, 100% natural materials and fully recyclable. The company was baptized COCOMAT of the words coconut (coco fibre) and mattress (mattress). From its inception, the company implements such a policy management to the human factor that offers equal opportunities to all employees. Cultural and language differences are noticeable in the company environment, as more than 46% of the staff consists of refugees. It is also important to note that the COCO-MAT provides equal opportunities for people with disabilities. Features mention that 10% of workers are people with disabilities. The COCO-MAT from the beginning showed their confidence and their assigned important responsibilities. Athens http://www.coco-mat.com/?i=coco_gr.el

LEAD Margarita-Special Vocational Training Center INSTITUTION/ORGANIZATION NAME •

•

• •

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PRACTICE

Is approved as a Charity Organisation, it is included in the National Register of privately owned welfare service providers and is supervised by the Greek Ministry of Health. Is licensed as a Day Care Centre for disabled people, and accredited as a Specialized Vocational Training Centre by the National Centre for Accreditation in Greece (www.ekepis.gr). Is founding member of Meledoni and Eletype, the Learning Disability Service Providers Union (www.meledoni.gr) and the Hellenic Organization of Supported Employment (www.supportedemployment.gr), respectively. It has implemented some twenty five vocational training programmes for young people with disabilities, which were funded by the EU and National agencies (namely, the Horizon, Leonardo and other various national programmes). It has published a couple of manuals, both available in Greek only, namely: The Special Education Manual. Athens. 2000

It has received merits by the Hellenic Red Cross, the Citizens Act for Open Society, the Lions' Club, and others. Following their vocational training course, provided there are available places, young people are placed at work posts within the sheltered employment workshops, aiming to provide services or products under supervision by specialized staff. A monthly salary applies, as a symbolic pay, to help establish a "worker'' role. Approximately 70 people are placed in six sheltered workshops, namely:  Gifts and Decoration: Products include home decoration items, gifts, and accessories, as well as seasonal items such as Easter candles and Christmas decorations.  Candied-Almond Bags traditionally offered at weddings and christening events: Orders can be placed by individuals, while offering a vast variety of designs at competitive prices, all part of a very successful workshop.  Silk Screening: Equipped to print on paper and cloth by silk screening, this workshop produces Christmas greetings and business cards as well as logo branded T-shirts, bags.  Weaving: Products here include carpets, runners and mats as well as minute weaved items such as personal accessories, under liners, etc..  Gardening: A greenhouse and open-air garden facilitates gardening chores, aiming at producing organic vegetables, decorative plants, and fresh herbs. 32

PLACE WEBSITE

ď ą Laundry: Equipped to provide a laundry facility to both individuals and firms, such as restaurants, hostels and schools. The ultimate goal of Margarita is placement of our young people at a work post in the open market. A purpose-built programme, titled "Pathways to Employment ", is set to provide vocational training at regular work environment standards, a career orientation and vocational profile. We produce training settings both within our premises and the community, ultimately providing a work post in the open market for the young people attending the programme. We seek work posts that can accommodate our young people's skills and needs, according to the model of Supported Employment. We provide continuous support for an unlimited period of time, taking into account both the new workers' and their colleagues' and employers' needs. Margarita has placed over 30 people in the open market, at various work posts, mostly as support workers in offices, canteens and restaurants, super-markets etc. Athens, Greece http://www.eeamargarita.gr/

LEAD INSTITUTION/ORGANIZATION Filoktitis NAME

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PRACTICE

PLACE WEBSITE

FILOKTITIS Recovery and Rehabilitation Center is the largest private unit of its kind in Attica with 175 beds, special technological equipment and modern facilities for both inpatients and outpatients. FILOKTITIS Center has all the necessary, state-of-the-art, instruments to implement comprehensive Rehabilitation programs and its whole concept is based on a highly human-centered philosophy. According to that, the person attending a rehabilitation program is essentially a participant and accomplice throughout his Recovery process. By assessing the needs of individuals who participate in its programs and of the various bodies (relatives & family, doctors, wider scientific community) who have an active interest in the progress and development of rehabilitation in our country FILOKTITIS Center aims to:  Coordinated and effective management of the rehabilitation programs  Ensure functional & smooth cooperation and communication in order to provide substantial care and services to the individuals attending the rehabilitation programs  Provide detailed information to collaborating physicians  Briefing to family  The rehabilitation team will work closely with the patient to advance their recovery and will provide the best possible rehabilitation services tailored to the patient’s individual needs. FILOKTITIS ongoing mission is to develop individualized recovery plans for its inpatients in order to meet their particular needs and expectations, providing a successful transition to normal life back home and wellbeing. In this context, the responsibility and contribution of the Center on the physical and mental health of its patients and their families and the society in general, are of particular importance. The vision of FILOKTITIS founding members, shareholders, employees and associates is to jointly create the largest private provider of rehabilitation services in Greece able to serve its mission of providing high quality care services with continuous updating, monitoring and adoption of scientific developments.

Athens,Greece http://www.filoktitis.com.gr/en/

ITALY

LEAD INSTITUTION/ORGANIZATION Comunità La Tenda Cooperativa Sociale NAME SUPPORTIVE INSTITUTION/ORGANIZATION ME.CO NAME TITLE and ACRONYM TARGET GROUP YEAR

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PRACTICE

PLACE WEBSITE CONTACT PERSON EMAIL SELECTION CRITERIA

Internship project for inclusion of disabled people 1 2010 The internship project was managed by Comunità La Tenda in line with its activity of tutorship for disabled people and their commitment in organizing valuable job opportunities. La Tenda carries out usually job inclusion activities for disabled people, their goal is to find long lasting placement whether is possible. La Tenda apply innovative procedures to match the person with the rights job, orienteering and preparation of the job place especially organizing training for the work force already working in the company, to prepare the environment for the person. Foligno http://www.mecococcia.com/index.html Mr. Coccia info@mecococcia.com The practice was chosen according to the fact that the person was employed after the internship

LEAD INSTITUTION/ORGANIZATION Umbria Accessible NAME SUPPORTIVE INSTITUTION/ORGANIZATION Municipality of Foligno NAME TARGET GROUP YEAR

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PRACTICE

PLACE CONTACT PERSON EMAIL SELECTION CRITERIA

1 2011 - still Recruitment of people with disabilities made by a public institution, notably the Municipality of Foligno. Umbria Accessible is a no profit organization that promotes tourism and accessible touristic accommodation and services. Moreover promoted the inclusion of people with disabilities in the tourism sector and different workplaces. Foligno Mr. Guido Chiodini info@iat.foligno.pg.it

The practice was chosen because is an example of how public spaces can be adapted to people needs

LEAD INSTITUTION/ORGANIZATION Comunità La Tenda Cooperativa Sociale NAME SUPPORTIVE INSTITUTION/ORGANIZATION PASTA JULIA NAME TITLE and ACRONYM TARGET GROUP YEAR

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PRACTICE

PLACE CONTACT PERSON EMAIL SELECTION CRITERIA

Employment project for inclusion of disabled people 1 2008-2009 The internship project was managed by Comunità La Tenda in line with its activity of tutorship for disabled people and their committment in organizing valuable job opportunities. La Tenda carries out usually job inclusion activities for disabled people, their goal is to find long lasting placement whether is possible. La Tenda apply innovative procedures to match the person with the rights job, orientering and preparation of the job place especially organizing training for the work force already working in the company, to prepare the environment for the person. Spello Mrs. Paola Porzi paola.porzi@pastajulia.it

The practice was chosen according to the fact that the person was employed after the internship

SLOVENIA

LEAD INSTITUTION/ORGANIZATION Racio social, Institute for Development of Social and Employment Programmes NAME AURIS, Intermunicipal Association of Deaf and Hard of Hearing from the Gorenjska Region SUPPORTIVE University Rehabilitation Institute Republic INSTITUTION/ORGANIZATION Development Centre for Vocational Rehabilitation NAME

Slovenia,

Caritas Vienna

TITLE and ACRONYM

TARGET GROUP

YEAR

Queraum. cultures - & Sozialforschung, Vienna Transition of Youth with Disabilities from School to Labour Market Professional workers that will offer assistance and support to young people with disabilities (Physically disabled, Deaf and hard of hearing, Blind and visually impaired, Individuals with cerebral palsy,....) and monitor them when they make the transition from school to employment. 2013 International studies are focusing on the fact that young people and their parents have little knowledge about the transition to the labor market and that the disclosure/hiding of disability is very complex (stigma!). Through programme they establish conditions and organisational structures that will enable professionals to work with young persons and help them in their transition from school to the labour market.â&#x20AC;?

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PRACTICE

To train 10 professional workers that will offer assistance and support to 50 young PwD and monitor them when they make the transition from school to employment. To ensure that the professional workers perform their work successfully, they must be properly trained. Comprehensive training programme for professional workers: 80 hours of theoretical work in 5 modules: 1. Legislation, 2. Evaluation and assessment of competencies, 3. Learning and planning for future, 4. Partnership: schools - employers, good practices, 5. Management of transition process.

PLACE WEBSITE CONTACT PERSON EMAIL

100 hours of practical work with target group. Ljubljana, Slovenia N/A Ä&#x152;rtomir Bitenc, BA psychology University Rehabilitation Institute Republic of Slovenia crtomir.bitenc@ir-rs.si Feedback on the programme was from (almost) all involved participants very positive. Through the programme cooperation of professional and other institutions dealing with the transition of young PwD improved. The project was also useful for policy solutions at the national level. That this is a good practice can be supported by figures:

SELECTION CRITERIA

15 trained transition counsellors 61 (nf = 27, nm = 34) young PwD, aged above 15 years: - 43 continued with their education, - 9 included in vocational rehabilitation, - 6 employed, - 2 have dropped out of school and have not yet registered to the Employment Service of Slovenia, - 1 acquired the status in accordance with Act Concerning Social Care of Mentally and Physically Handicapped Persons.

LEAD INSTITUTION/ORGANIZATION ŠENT – Slovenian Association for Mental Health NAME ŠENT’s legal supportive entities: 1. ŠENTPRIMA - Institute for advice, training and rehabilitation of the disabled 2. DOBROVITA PLUS D.O.O. - Society for training and employment of persons with disabilities We are a social enterprise that fully follows the principles and objectives of social entrepreneurship. The company was founded in SUPPORTIVE 1994 to provide assistance to persons with disabilities in INSTITUTION/ORGANIZATION rehabilitation and employment. Founder and owner of the company NAME are sent - Slovenian Association for Mental Health. 3. Employment centre - DOBROŠIN D.O.O. 4. PREMIKI Institute for advice, promotion and development of accessible tourism, Ljubljana 5. Employment centre - ZAVOD DLAN MARIBOR 6. KARSO D.O.O. - Employment centre 7. ZAVOD ŠENTPLAVŽ - Employment centre 8. SO TRA PLUS D.O.O. - SOCIAL start-ups TITLE and ACRONYM Replacement meet quotas 1. target group - persons with mental development and health TARGET GROUP 2. new target group – deaf people YEAR N/A As it is written above the Dobrovita Ltd is social enterprise which is offering replacement meet quotas to the companies that employ more than 20 people. Quota of disabled employees ranging between 2% and 6%. Business cooperation contract is one way how companies can save money and on the other hand helping to increase employment of disabled people. This replacement fills the statutory mandatory quota of disabled persons. The companies under the Act on Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment of Persons with Disabilities have an obligation to GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF employ of persons with disabilities in a certain percentage of the THE PRACTICE number of employees (2% – 6%) in relation to the activity of the deals. If the number of disabled employees is not reached, the company need to contribute to The fund for the promotion of employment of disabled people. Namely, the company needs contribute amount 70% of the minimum wage for each missing disabled every month. Alternatively to this issue is the replacement that meets the quotas. The companies can fulfill their obligations to the employment of persons with disabilities with entering into a service contract with Dobrovita Ltd. They advise and assist to the companies in the implementation of

the Treaty on business cooperation with sheltered workshops and the preparation of reports as required by the Law on Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment of Persons with Disabilities. In this case, contracted company gets high quality services and because of the quota they reduce the cost that they should pay to the Fund. With this practice, company suggesting to the companies to consider the possibility of concluding a contract on a business cooperation with them to provide the services of assembling , editing, green areas or cleaning premises, and at the same time reduce or save unnecessary expense of paying to the Fund. As a social enterprise, they present on the open market, which means that they do not have specific advantages in access to potential subscribers. This way of the contractual cooperation is their main source of income. Thus, in 2013, they employed over 10 people with disabilities who are now employed. For them, this is certainly an example of good practice, which has some positive aspects:   

PLACE WEBSITE CONTACT PERSON EMAIL PHOTOS AND VIDEO RECORDING

The interest of the client who cooperate with them to meet the quotas providing long-term stability and job security. Reducing stigma. When recruiting the first time they turn on the staff, which are already associated with their company or they are included in the training through vocational rehabilitation. Thus, they may directly provide them employment.

City: Ljubljana Country: Slovenia ŠENT ‘s web page: http://www.sent.si/index.php?m_id=english Dobrovita plus d.o.o. web page: http://www.dobrovita.com/ Uroš Urbas advisor uros@dobrovita.com PROMOTION OF ŠENT: http://vimeo.com/62560592 PRESENTATION OF ŠENT's http://vimeo.com/64460397

SOCIAL

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Poslovni sistem Mercator, d.d. (Business System Mercator, d.d.) It LEAD is the controlling company of a group of associated companies in INSTITUTION/ORGANIZATION Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and NAME Macedonia. The Mercator Group is the leading trading chain in Slovenia and one of the largest chains in South-eastern Europe. Mercator IP d.o.o. – disabled company, represent one of the SUPPORTIVE INSTITUTION/ORGANIZATION modern concepts of employment of workers with disabilities as a special protected category of employees and devotes particular NAME care. TITLE and ACRONYM Persons’ with Disabilities Friendly Company Business System Mercator, d.d. employing more than 500 disabled people which represent more than 5 % of persons with disabilities. The company Mercator employs persons with disabilities in excess of the quota prescribed by the state (4%). TARGET GROUP

Most of them work as sellers and some of them also as warehouse workers and commission agents Mercator IP – disabled company has more than 200 disabled persons with disabilities. This company is more production-oriented with the main activity making and selling cosmetics and ecoproducts

YEAR

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PRACTICE

Mercator IP carried out practice since 2009 and the number of employed persons with disabilities is more and more higher. The practice mentioned below reffers on the the company Mercator d.d. It is a large company having more than 10.000 employees in the area of Slovenia. The same employment policy is implementing in the disabled company Mercato IP d.o.o. whose owner is Mercator d.d. One of the persons with disabilities is Mr. J. I.. He is 37 years old and he works fulltime in Mercator since he has finished secondary school. He has a sensory disability. In the year 1995 he was injured during his work in a shop (chemical burn of the eye), and now he is almost completely blind on his right eye. Another employee with disabilities is Mrs. M. A. who is over 55 years old. She is a professor of English and Russian languages. Mercator has employed her since she has graduated from university. In 1996 she underwent a surgery due to a breast cancer. Since then she has been recognised as a person with disabilities. After the injury Mr. J. I. has been promoted to assistant shop manager. The employer has supported and financed his further education. Mr. J. I. has successfully finished higher school and later 51

on the university. Since 2000 he has been working in the merchandising department. He was unable to work in his previous job because of intensive oscillation of temperature commonly present in shops. He needed more adequate working conditions, which would offer lower burdening for his eye. Currently he is working as team coordinator of the micro merchandising and packaging programme. The other employee with disabilities, Mrs. M. A. worked as a translator before her illness and was the promoted manager in the translation department. Due to the intellectual nature of her job she was able to continue her work in the same department also after the surgery but only for 4 hours per day. Two years ago Mercator reorganised the translation department and now Mrs. M. A. is working in the Department for Education of Employees. She is responsible for different administrative and other professional tasks. Due to the fact that Mercator surpasses the quota of employed persons with disabilities required by the Slovenian law, the company received funds from the government. Mercator has used this money for assuring the reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities; however, the company has covered a large share of the incurred expenses from its own sources. In the cases of the two employees with disabilities described above, the employer financed Mr. J. I.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s education and qualification expenses and the provision of the latest technology. In the case of Mrs. M. A. the employer also covered a part of her expenses that incurred while she worked from home. Mercator acknowledges the problems resulting from the increasing number of workers with disabilities, high restrictions at their work and consecutively the lack of suitable workplaces. Due to the trading operations Mercator is rather limited in offering a person with disability a suitable job. Because of this, they are very satisfied when the integration of a person with disabilities is successful. Mercator is aware that the adaptation to a new workplace was very difficult for both, Mr. J. I. and for Mrs. M. A., but they managed to integrate themselves into the new working environment and now contribute successfully to the business results. Soon after his injury, the employer transferred Mr. J. I. to a more appropriate workplace. First within the shop, but then because of his dysfunction he was promoted to the merchandise department. On his own initiative Mr. J. I. educated and qualified himself for the job he is still carrying out. He now works on programmes where temperature changes are not present. As well, he was given the right to reject work that he can not accomplish because of his injury (e. g. permanent work with a computer). The employer has also organised for the best and the newest computer monitors for 52

his use. In case of Mrs. M. A., Mercator enabled her to work at home for a few months after the surgery. The employer covered part of the telephone and electricity costs. After she returned to work at the company premises again, they had relieved her and she started to work 4 hours per day. Because she has been driving to work by bus, she was given a possibility to choose her daily working hours liberally. After transferring her to a new job this option has changed to a mode that one week she works at mornings and next week in the afternoons. Help from her collaborators has also been at her disposal. Mercator provides satisfying work environment for employees with disabilities with a special voluntary project called “Persons’ with Disabilities Friendly Company”. In the frame of the project two goals are pursued - to improve the satisfaction of customers with disabilities and to assure reasonable accommodation for employees with disabilities. In 2008, Mercator also established a special (daughter) “company for persons with disabilities”, with the intention to provide persons with disabilities (existing and newly recruited) with better working conditions and to introduce new jobs (tasks) for them. Within the “company for persons with disabilities” (with the main activity making and selling cosmetics and eco-products) managers and specialists are creating many new activities to accommodate for persons with disabilities to fully utilise their capabilities. The possibilities to work from home shall also be expanded. Providing supportive working environment, team inclusion and tolerance towards employees with disabilities has brought a positive impact on the satisfaction of a larger number of employees. Accommodation measures are not only applicable for persons with disabilities; they are useful also for large and increasing group of people with special needs, such as the ageing workforce. Due to its commitment to corporate social responsibility values, Mercator was awarded a certificate called “Family Friendly Company”. This award underlines the harmony of employees’ occupational and family life. Different company stakeholders accepted Mercator’s project “Persons’ with Disabilities Friendly Company” very positively. To ensure better work conditions Mercator collaborates with the Slovene association for mental health - ŠENT, the Ministry of Labour, Family and Social Affairs and the organisation ŠENT Prima. The latter trained some of Mercator’s employees to become specialists for working with persons with disabilities (mentors). The management of Mercator considers that the main success factor in achieving the personal satisfaction of persons with disabilities is the time when they discover that they are still fully useful for the

company.

PLACE WEBSITE CONTACT PERSON EMAIL

In future, Mercator considers the possibility of collaboration with local organisations of persons with disabilities or non-profit organisations. Mercator also wants to establish more extensive interaction between doctors, committees for evaluation of disabilities and employers. City: Ljubljana Country: Slovenia http://www.mercatorgroup.si/en/home-en-us/ Barbara Mandelj, Director of Human Resources info@mercator-ip.si First year, when Mercator IP was established, they employed 5 persons with disabilities and the number have been increased every year since than. The last record is more than 200 employed persons with disabilities â&#x20AC;&#x201C; more than 50 % of staff.

SELECTION CRITERIA The figures show that awareness of employers about the effectiveness of persons with disabilities, under the assumption that they provide appropriate workplace, is growing.