Overcoming Barriers Inhibiting the Transition from

School to Employment

Recommendations

Create a culture of high expectations amongst learners, schools and importantly families. If this is achieved society will have a more positive image of PwD. High expectations can also address lack of autonomy, low self-esteem and self-confidence. This will also result in giving a stronger voice to PwD.

What do employers look for in today’s labour market? Qualifications and Soft Skills including Personality. Learning programmes must therefore have real, widely recognised value – collaborate with Employers’ Associations to build trust re. validity of programmes. Provide Job Coaches. Address legitimate concerns of parents while concurrently encouraging them to be more willing to let go.

Attitudes/Perceptions/Awareness

Attitudes/Perceptions/Awareness

Greater personal coping

strategies

Greater commitme

nt to combat mobbing

Greater awareness/sensitivity by public

Negative/Perverse Effect of Policy – Review legislation/policies re. Employment of PwD

Introduce Enforcement Officers for Disability Issues (on lines similar to Enforcement regarding OHS regulations). No legislation is effective without Enforcement;

Malta (Min. Wage €162 & Disability Pension €120/week) - Benefits Trap.

Individual Transition Planning (ITP) documents

Structural/administrative

Article 26 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights Not a Handout Mentality but RIGHTS Representations with the European Commission for

Transport and Mobility:- All new transport systems in all EU member states

should be fully accessible by an agreed date; All public contracts for infrastructure projects

should be compliant with disability specifications.

Environmental/physical/Accessibility

OECD/PISA – Evaluation, Evaluation, Evaluation!! Standards – Validation/Accreditation of all learning

including procedural structures to validate Informal Learning;

Greater coordination between Education and Employment sectors, Associations of PwD must learn to work closer with employers (same as all VET);

Reorganisation of Career Guidance Structures with specialisation in disability issues. .

Education/training/including informal learning

Rather than a haphazard approach to providing internships, there should be a data base of Employers willing to participate in such schemes. Employers too need to be helped to understand disability issues.

Too many organisations/agencies involved. Each EU member-state should have a centralise information unit/department. The latter should liaise effectively with supra-national agencies such as EASPD.

Resources/Opportunities

Education campaigns targeting Discrimination

A greater commitment/willingness by those in authority to challenge discriminatory behaviour;

More flexible, rapid and less expensive legal redress;

A web-site where cases of discrimination can be exposed (many Consumer Associations utilise such a tactic).

Accessibility

16 EU member states signed to Fiscal Compact Treaty. Implications?

Disability issues and Employment should not be seen in isolation of what is happening to other disadvantaged groups. Organisations focusing on Disability Issues need to learn to collaborate with other groups representing disadvantaged elements in society.

Co-operatives?

State of the Economy

Summary