Experiences of workers with disabilities receiving supported employment services in Greece

Abstract

People with disabilities (PwDs) are under-represented in the workforce, especially during times of economic recession. Supported employment is recognized as an effective practice for promoting work inclusion of PwDs, including people with intellectual disabilities (IDs). This study aimed at exploring the experiences of workers with ID or mental health conditions who received supported employment services in Greece. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine workers with ID and five with mental health conditions. The thematic analysis revealed that emotional pressure was experienced by the participants with mental health conditions and those with ID during the job search and the adaptation period, respectively. On-the-job training was available for the participants with ID and assistance in finding suitable job opportunities was given to those with mental health conditions. All participants highlighted the importance of maintaining employment. The findings can inform efforts on developing employment services targeting social and work inclusion for PwDs.

Employment Sustainability for People with Intellectual Disability: A Systematic Review

“…Ten articles [ 25 – 34 ] met the inclusion criteria. Half of them [ 25 – 28 , 31 ] had quantitative designs, and the other half [ 29 , 30 , 32 – 34 ] had qualitative designs.…”

“… Qualitative Multiple-method, multiple case-study, longitudinal design (4 years) Interviews combined with documents and observations. Three interviews with each person with ID 4 persons with ID Over the next 6 to 8 years, participants maintained steady patterns of part-time employment Once entering the labor market, a combination of ongoing training and supervision, flexible employers, and supportive co-workers created the support system needed for job maintenance and stability over time Meltzer et al, Australia [ 30 ] Examines the systemic barriers they [people with ID] report to finding and maintaining work in open employment Qualitative In-depth, semi-structured interviews 51 persons with ID Barriers to maintaining work in open employment include being subjected to experiences of stigma and discrimination from employers, supervisors, and colleagues, varying from feeling undervalued in their job to experiencing both subtle and overt discrimination Park and Park, South Korea [ 31 ] Analyzed factors affecting the acquisition and retention of employment among individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) Quantitative Survey conducted as interviews 398 persons with ID Being married, absence of basic living security assistance, greater householder income level, family support, and manufacturing industry work were associated with increased job retention Petner-Arrey et al, Canada [ 32 ] To better understand the experiences of people with IDD in gaining and keeping productivity roles Qualitative Semi-structured interviews 74 persons with IDD (out of which 21 were represented by someone else) The results demonstrate the importance of parents and other members of social and family networks relative to connecting with work options and sustaining work over time, especially through continued advocacy and investment Teindl et al, Canada [ 33 ] To explore how visibility of a disability influences employment for adults with developmental disabilities Qualitative Semi-structured interviews 3 persons with ID Easier to find, but not keep, a job with an invisible disability [such as ID] Vlachou et al, Greece [ 34 ] Exploring the experiences of workers with ID who received supported employment services in Greece …”

“…Ten articles [25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34] met the inclusion criteria. Half of them [25][26][27][28]31] had quantitative designs, and the other half [29,30,[32][33][34] had qualitative designs. They were from seven different countries and they were published between 2013 and 2020.…”

“…All five qualitative articles [29,30,[32][33][34] were based on semi-structured interviews (see Table 2). Employment sustainability was thus measured in terms of accounts given by the participants during the interviews.…”

Инклюзивная Организационная Культура Как Аномалия: Взаимосвязь Размера Компании И Проявления В Ней Инклюзивных Норм И Практик

“…На этом фоне все более востребованным становится такой вид поддержки бизнеса в отношении трудоустройства ЛсИ, как сопровождаемое трудоустройство [Vlachou, Roka, Stavroussi, 2021] Уже сегодня в России есть регионы -лидеры в инклюзивном трудоустройстве. Так, в Санкт Петербурге закон, подобный только что принятому на федеральном уровне, применяется с 2018 г. Согласно ему существуют такие способы выполнить квоту по трудоустройству ЛсИ, как нанять человека к себе в компанию, заключить соглашение с другой компанией в счет своей квоты, заключить договор с частным агентством занятости (ЧАЗ), создать совместные с другой компанией рабочие места.…”