Jump to Job! is a Erasmus + funded project coordinated by EPR in partnership with other six organisations including EPR members GTB (Belgium), Theotokos Foundation (Greece), URI (Slovenia) and Fundacion INTRAS (Spain) and the University of Leuven Limburg, (UCLL, Belgium) and LYK-Z (Norway). This project focuses on training peers and job coaches for young people with disabilities. 

Project’s partners during the Kick-off Meeting in November 2019 at EPR in Brussels

Objectives of Jump to Job!

Core objective of the project: The main objective of this project is to increase employment among young people with disabilities (YPWD). The related four key aims are:

  • YPWD are more self-confident and have a more proactive approach to job search.
  • Job coaches and YPWD have a stronger, more fruitful relationship, supporting real job inclusion.
  • Companies are able to adapt their environment and work process to create sustainable jobs for YPWD.
  • Job coaches’ training is effective and takes into account the inputs and insights from the YPWD and is also co-produced with the YPWD and the peer mentors.

Jump to Job! Activities (November 2019 – October 2022)

  • This project will release a need analysis for Peer Mentors and Job Coaches.
  • A first training course will be delivered to 16 peer mentors and job coaches.
  • A first pilot phase will be implemented in 4 countries, Belgium, Greece, Slovenia and Spain.
  • An evaluation of the first training phase of YPWD involving the peer mentors will be released.
  • A second training course will be delivered again to 16 peer mentors and job coaches.
  • A second pilot phase will be implemented in the same 4 countries as listed above.
  • An evaluation of the second training phase of YPWD involving the peer mentors will be released.
  • A training module/curriculum for Peer Mentors and Job Coaches will be delivered.

Jump to Job! Outputs

>> Curriculum for Peer Mentors and Job Coaches for Young Persons with Disabilities (YPWD). This is the training course designed by LYK-Z, implemented and tested to enhance participant’s skills and to get better support for YPWD job inclusion. You can read it here in English, Dutch, Greek, Slovenian and Spanish.

>> Analysis of Strengths and Weaknesses of the FROG Methodology used in the project and in the Curriculum for Peer Mentors and Job Coaches for YPWD. You can read it here in English, Dutch, Greek, Slovenian and Spanish.

>> Protocol on experience expertise and job coaching of YPWD/“Co-Production Protocol” (available in English only).

>> Environmental Impact Protocol and Environmental Impact Report (available in English only).

Good Practices Collection

Among the activities envisaged by the project, the collection of good practices on the subject of work inclusion linked to the issue of disability. The aim of the collection is to provide useful ideas, tools and methodologies for professionals in the sector and to provide a starting point for project partners in the development of the curriculum for Peer Mentor and Job Coach for young people with disabilities.

Jump to Job partners have selected 10 good practices among those collected, the ones that suited most the aim of the project. The Good Practices Collection is available here.

Insights from the First and Second Pilot Phase

How were the first and second pilot phase of training of the YPWD assessed? What did the participants say about the training? What are the most important takeaways, also from the job coaches? Before and after the training, the participants and the job coaches were asked to answer an evaluation questionnaire, prepared by the University College of Limburg-Leuven (UCLL). The results achieved are extremely positive and the training methodology and the exercises used were assessed by the trainers/job coaches as very positive! Have a look at the promotional material elaborated by EPR for both pilot phases. It contains infographics based on the self assessment of the participants, the peer mentors and the job coaches. We also have included a lot of quotes from the Young People with Disabilities (YPWD) and from the job coaches (only in the promotional material for the second pilot phase. Both documents contain two additional sections to contextualise the project work and project outcomes. The first refers to the collection of promising practices, the second to the relevant overarching policy and legislative frameworks both at the level of the EU and of the United Nations (UN).

Jump to Job! Newsletters

Would you like to keep up with our project’s activities and outcomes? Read our Newsletter shared here and on our social media channels! Over the course of the project we have produced 4 newsletters. Have a look at them below!

Final Dissemination Event

The Final Dissemination Event for the project which deals with the training of peer mentors and job coaches for young people with disabilities (YPWD) was organised by EPR on the morning of 23 June 2022 (from 9:30 to 12:45) at Mundo Madou, Room Artemisia (ground floor). You can read the report here.

More info in the event page here.

Contact

The Jump to Job! project coordinator and person of contact is Mathias Maucher, Senior Project and Programme Officer at EPR, mmaucher@epr.eu

Follow Jump to Job! on Twitter #JumptoJob! and on Facebook here.