Background of Transition-Work Module 1 Pilot Training Trainer: Mag. a Gabriele Krainz

Introduction to the pilot training  Welcome  Getting to know each other  Expectations about the module and the pilot training in general  Inclusion and Disability Mainstreaming: personal views and experiences

Disability Mainstreaming  Mainstreaming means that the needs of disadvantaged people need to be taken into account in the design of all policies and measures. The legal background is to be found in the EU directive against discrimination.  The directive prohibits any discrimination defined as access to employment, self-employment and occupation, vocational guidance and training. This course is not only relevant for people with disabilities it also counts in the field of gender equality or with other groups as migrants and ethnic minorities or low skilled people.  In Austria “integration” at school is being practiced for 25 years now meaning that students with disabilities can attend classes at regular schools.

Inclusion versus Integration: just a linguistic shift? Every person, regardless of age, sex, disability or nationality can participate to the same extent in all facets of life, education included  Integration: to adapt people to meet practices and systems like specialised classes or segregated group activities outside of mainstream classes.  Inclusion: to adjust curriculums, assessment systems, teaching styles and the physical environment to allow all people to participate equally.  The students are able to participate fully in classroom and other activities. What is inclusive education?  Inclusive education is meeting the needs of all students.  Nobody is turned away and individuals, regardless of their level of ability, can access all programs and activities available to others.

About the module  Before Clearing – The situation in Austria 1999: Visions and strategies  Start of Clearing in Austria  Development of a Clearing project  Existing situation in partner countries – inclusionary setting at school & transition from school to work: political and financial visions

Before Clearing  Over a decade (from 1990 to 2000) the number of people with disabilities unemployed has more than doubled (from around to around ).  Reliability of statistics?  How many people with disabilities were registered as “unemployed”?  How many of them were not registered because of being in sheltered workshops (although they would have liked to find a “real” job)?  How many of them were not registered because of simply staying at home after school was finished?

The situation in Austria before 1999  Persons concerned, Federal Social Welfare Office, Public Employment Service and NGOs working with people with disabilities  Goal: Status quo and collection of needs:  Not enough projects for young people with disability at transition from school to work  Not enough trainers who help with the integration into jobs after school (or out of sheltered workshops)  Not enough sheltered work places  Need for an information centre (one stop agency) – pathway to integration  Possibility to choose for persons concerned  Empowerment  Further education for target group after school  Equal treatment

Benefits of transition service  Results of the evaluation of the Clearing service in Austria made by L & R Sozialforschung on behalf of the Austrian Ministry for Social Affairs in cooperation with Prof. G. Wetzel, University of Salzburg (2006):  86% of the juveniles made a practical training in companies  positive effect on development of maturity  87% of the participants could realize their goals of their career plan  39% of the non-participants could reach their initial vocational goal  25% of the non-participants did nothing at first after their school- education

Results after the Clearing Service  28% of the participants are in an apprenticeship  25% of the participants are in are in a service of the AMS- Public Employment Service or the Federal Social Welfare Office  10% of the participants are mostly otherwise employed  13% of the participants are mostly unemployed  20% of the participants phases of school attendance or episodes of “distance of labor market”  high level of integration by Clearing service

Characteristics of the transition process  Specific steps in the Clearing process  Different steps & different partners – main shareholders in the Clearing process

Steps in Clearing Process Contact Information Consultation Clearing Agreement Clearing File Career Planning/ Supporter Network Vocational Training/Try out placements Networking Career Planning Final Consultation

Definition of target group Access to Clearing – the target group in Austria  Multiple disabilities  Physical disabilities  Hearing or vision impairment  Learning disabilities  Intellectual/cognitive disabilities  Psychiatric illness  Socially and emotionally disturbed  Autism

Clearing - Transition workers in Austria  Different target groups – different needs  What is NOT the role of a Clearer?

Qualification profile of Clearer A variety of special needs asks for a variety of special competencies  Knowledge in pedagogics and psychology  Knowledge of communication techniques  Knowledge of legal system and labour market  Knowledge of diversity mainstreaming  teamwork

GeM & DiM in Clearing Misunderstanding the meaning of Gender Mainstreaming?  Practical examples of GeM in Clearing Intercultural competencies  Additional needs of target group  Practical examples of DiM in Clearing

About the pilot training  Process of Clearing – coming modules  Learning effects – adapting the model  Feedback round