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Description
The topic of people with disabilities and their inclusion and employment on the labour market is not new and is not insensitive for the Bulgarian public. 2018 was a year marked with rallies, initiatives and proposals how to improve the place of this group in society. New legislation was adopted, the Law on People with Disabilities, the Law on Personal Assistace and the Law on Social Services. However, the latter legislative acts are just a framework, they do not offer specific models how to reach the goals. That is why our project will offer a model of an innovative social form of support in order to provide one of the most vulnerable groups, people with intellectual difficulties, with an efficient support to join the labour market in a manner which meets their needs and opportunities. The model will help provide tailored support based on the needs of each person. The model will be developed following a needs analysis and a broad discussion with the stakeholders. The model will take into account good practices but also the current challenges faced by the individual, the employer and the assisting organizations. Apart from developing a prototype of the model, the project provides for the introduction and specific application of the model to support at least 30 people with intellectual difficulties. In addition, other social service providers will be trained (at least 16 organizations) to use them for their target groups and users and a documentary will be created for broader and more compelling promotion of the model and the outcomes for the life of people with intellectual disabilities. An important focus is advocacy to make the model sustainable in line with the new legislative framework. Thus the solution will be analyzed in advance and developed based on real needs, tested and discussed with a broad circle of stakeholders. The project plans to actively involve people with intellectual disabilities at each stage.
Summary of project results
The project, implemented in partnership with the "Bulgarian Center for Non-Profit Law", aimed to prepare a model of an innovative social form of support so that one of the most vulnerable groups - people with intellectual disabilities - receive effective support for inclusion in the labor market, in a way that meets their needs and capabilities. The model was developed after a needs study and an analysis of the legal framework, its application was piloted and 31 young people with intellectual disabilities received support. In the testing process, the forms and activities of support, the necessary approach, specialists, elements of quality were clearly outlined. All of them were systematized and summarized, on the one hand, in the description of the social service itself, with a view to achieving sustainability of the support for these young people, and on the other hand, as proposals for the normative regulation of the social service. The experience of the implementation of the Model was presented at the open days, the trainings, through the purpose-built network for its promotion, as well as to the participants of the seminars and the viewers of the documentary film. The documentary "I Can Work" also contributed to popularizing the Model and, above all, its usefulness in improving the quality of life and empowering people with intellectual disabilities. During the entire period of project implementation, the active participation of people with intellectual disabilities was advocated, as they participated in each of the stages of implementation as experienced experts.
The developed model within the project made it possible to make a number of proposals for normative changes and to prepare the quality standards of the new social service "Support for the acquisition of labor skills". The structuring of the programs has allowed the continued provision of quality support to the people covered, the analyzes produced and the Model are available to a wide range of stakeholders, the established network of organizations continues to serve as an exchange of information, and the documentary "I Can Work" continues to be viewed on You Tube and the foundation''s Facebook profile. Link to the project documentary on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyeFNjdlX1k