Promoting labour market inclusion through supported employment

Promoting labour market inclusion through supported employment

In spite of legislative and social advances, according to annual data from the Spanish National Statistics Institute (NSI), people with mental and intellectual disabilities continue to represent the groups with the greatest difficulties in accessing paid employment, and in particular regular employment. At the same time, and from an ethical and rights perspective, it is known that obtaining a job is a material and symbolic factor that has a positive impact on the level of social participation of people with disabilities. For these reasons, INTRAS Foundation is investing in Supported Employment, with the aim of achieving greater opportunities for insertion in the ordinary labour market, thus contributing to the overall improvement of the employability of people with disabilities.

Why a model of Employment with Support?

The first step is to understand labour insertion, not as a concrete act, but as a process that requires a series of actions: preparation, monitoring, support and accompaniment of all the parties, agents and actors involved, i.e. the business and economic network, the support institutions and of course the people assisted. Supported employment aims to achieve the goal of collective and individual benefit in an interdependent society, considering that all people, despite having a disability, can obtain and maintain paid employment in ordinary companies, if they have the necessary professional and natural support to do so.

This type of programme includes a series of actions, ranging from marketing actions for companies to providing all the support needed by people in the different phases of the insertion process. In the development of the ECA, then, there are two defined modalities of action, bifurcated from each other. On the one hand, those actions that pay greater attention to the promotion and achievement of agreements by the social entities with the ordinary business fabric. On the other hand, the support actions provided to individuals, based on individualised processes adapted to the characteristics of each person. Both modalities are combined, with the intention of stimulating both global knowledge, as regards the ordinary employment market, and individual knowledge, as regards people.

INTRAS Foundation is promoting a support service for the recruitment of people with disabilities, implementing Supported Employment in accordance with the processes established by the European Union of Supported Employment (www.euse2022.org), and also taking into account the specific principles that make up the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) programme model, www.ipsworks.org.

INTRAS Foundation’s employment support programme, whose main objective is the labour insertion of people with disabilities as the first means for social insertion, includes tasks such as the active search for employment, contact with companies and with the appropriate professional profiles, providing an intermediation and support service, where the foundation attend to the needs and demands of both people and companies. This programme promotes labour insertion including the personal benefits already mentioned, and benefits companies through bonuses, reductions and, above all, with committed quality workers.

How does INTRAS Foundation carry it out?

The figure of the labour prospector, together with the professionals in charge of guidance and labour preparation provide all the necessary support to the agents involved in the insertion process; the actions are carried out both in person and telematically, adapting to the demands and needs of the candidates and the companies involved. List of actions:

1. Prospecting companies.

• Contact with companies in the context of action and belonging to the ordinary labour market.
• Information to the company on types of contracts, Social Security bonuses, compliance with the Spanish Law on Social Integration of the Disabled, etc.
• Request for a list of possible job offers.
• Job analysis: functions and tasks, methods, available and/or necessary means, work context, difficulties and requirements of the job. Analysis by the job seeker and the employer of the possible tasks to be carried out in the job, adaptations, support.
• Analysis of working conditions and recruitment procedures.
• Regular monitoring and evaluation.

2. Candidate matching and support.

• Contact with the candidate.
• Creation of a professional profile through interviews and forms.
• Signing of the action plan by the coach and the candidate.
• Study of the professional profile, expectations, skills, competences.
• Sending of applications for the positions offered.
• Follow-up and evaluation, on a regular basis, where training and support continues to be given in the active search for employment.
• Job placement, accompaniment to the job, explanation and training if the person requires it.
• Continuous support in any area of employment, management of formalities, specific requests from the worker.
• Records and follow-up of all the above-mentioned actions.

3. Active job search.

• Registration of candidates in at least one online job search engine.
• Registration of candidates in the placement agency of INTRAS Foundation.
• Sending or submission of CVs.
• Simulation and/or job interviews.
• Registration as a job seeker.
• Training or information actions aimed at self-management and/or self-employment.

Results of the Change4Inclusion Questionnaire

Throughout 2022 INTRAS Foundation have achieved, firstly, a greater dissemination of Supported Employment as a free programme available to companies in the territory, and this is fundamental, as knowledge and availability of the service represents the first step to promote opportunities for collaboration for job placement in the ordinary labour market. Thus, the collaborating companies show a change in their attitude and organisational culture with the aim of promoting the inclusion in the labour market of all people interested in working, beyond having a disability:

“We try to promote inclusion in the company through human and direct treatment with our workers and by collaborating with entities that promote inclusion, a clear example of collaboration is the one we have with INTRAS Foundation with which we have signed an agreement with a view to promoting the recruitment of people with disabilities through the Supported Employment model, us being an ordinary employment company. Our aim is to grow and that our workforce increasingly attends to and understands diversity and inclusion, where people feel that they form part of a whole. In addition to our collaboration with INTRAS Foundation, in our area we have more and more entities dedicated to inclusive work, from which we generate greater employment opportunities, promote inclusion among colleagues and, above all, mutual respect. We are trying to ensure that, in the future, our company will be able to generate more and more equal opportunities, considering diversity as an enriching factor“. (HR Manager, company 1)

With the dissemination of the programme INTRAS Foundation also promote a change in the mentality of all the agents that make up the business fabric, confirming that diversity is an enriching factor and something to consider when hiring, generating satisfied companies and quality workers; to the question “Have you had bad experiences when hiring workers with disabilities?, INTRAS Foundation received the following answers:

“To tell you the truth, when we talk about experiences when hiring people with disabilities or with a chronic illness, I think we have been very lucky because I have nothing bad to say about it, in fact, I think that the workers we currently have are absolutely committed to the company and to their work. A clear example is a worker from Zamora who, despite having suffered a serious foot injury, initially intended not to apply for sick leave because of his commitment to the company. To date, all the experiences have been good and we hope to continue along these lines“. (HR manager, company 2)

Secondly, and in terms of people, INTRAS Foundation has achieved a series of successes, based on the achievement indicators indicated and included below, which encompass the satisfaction of workers with the support received throughout the labour market insertion process:

Indicators of achievement:

• Increase in job placements: 51% of job seekers have obtained a job in 2022 thanks to the programme;
• Increase in job placements in ordinary jobs: 36% of those hired;
• Scope, working day and working hours: 80% of the insertions have been achieved in accordance with the wishes and expectations presented by the job seekers;
• Job stability: 52% currently hold the same job, improving the rate of resignations and dismissals recorded in previous years. This figure is accompanied by an indefinite hiring registered in 48% of the insertions.

All the literature referring to Supported Employment points out the importance for people of finding a job, as it is one of the direct channels to become an active part of society. This job stability leads to economic autonomy and gives rise to great personal satisfaction.

“As a result of his insertion in the ordinary labour market, J has improved his economic autonomy, showing great satisfaction in all areas of his life; increased social relations, economic stability, increased self-esteem and self-concept, as well as the improvement of skills such as emotional management, problem solving and the development of his lifelong learning“. (Success story 1, Job coach)

“After his insertion in the ordinary labour market, A has improved his economic autonomy and his participation as an active citizen, expressing great satisfaction in his personal life. Thanks to the programme he has increased his social relations, improved his family relations, bringing economic and personal stability. A has improved his commitment to people and obligations in his life, also improving his self-concept, as well as improving skills such as emotional management and problem solving. He is currently planning to get his driving licence to improve his employability. He is completely satisfied with the support received from both the foundation and the company itself”. (Case study 2, Prospective employer)

Some conclusions

From the actions carried out throughout the project and the insertion processes of the people involved, INTRAS Foundation reached the following conclusions:

• The labour insertion of people with disabilities, whether in ordinary or sheltered settings, presents great challenges and needs that require collective strategies and solutions to guarantee participation and an increase in the quality of life for everyone.
• Supported Employment (SE) is an effective model for the vast majority of individuals and companies, as long as there is a commitment from all parties involved.
• These programmes can achieve the desired results, but it is essential to have involved and qualified support professionals. At the same time, it is essential to have the support and collaboration of companies that are truly committed to the inclusion of people with disabilities in the labour market.

Original in Spanish article by INTRAS Foundation: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/potenciamos-la-inclusi%25C3%25B3n-laboral-mediante-el-empleo-con/?trackingId=2SPwTOu5RqCxysYTuTTU7A%3D%3D

Text translated by EPR