Description
Transition of youth with disabilities (hereinafter YWD) from school to labour market in Slovenia is not integrally and adequately organised. Support system should be introduced to monitor them while they are still at school and prepare them for entering labour market. Project objective is to empower vulnerable groups by establishing a comprehensive system of assistance and support network in two Slovenian regions, where two joining points for transition of YWD will be established. They will offer informational, educational and counseling activities for the YWD, their parents, staff of institutions and services that come into contact with YWD and employers. In both regions a supportive network of institutions, agencies, employers and other NGOs will be created with the objective to ensure high-quality and well-managed process of transition of YWD. Solutions deriving from the project will be used in proposals for the responsible government institutions and bodies on national level with the aim to ensure a change in regulatory framework. The project will benefit YWD, their families as well as professionals, employers and other NGOs.
Summary of project results
Transition of youth with disabilities (hereinafter YWD) from school to labour market in Slovenia is not integrally and adequately organised. Therefore support system should be introduced to monitor them while they are still at school and prepare them for entering labour market. Within the project two joining points for transition of YWD were established. They operate in two Slovenian regions (Savinjska and Gorenjska region) and offer informational, educational and counselling activities for the YWD, their parents, staff of institutions and services that come into contact with YWD and employers. In both regions a supportive network is being created, but there are still some obstacles, because institutions are scattered, there is no communications or connections between different fields that cover transition (health, education, employment, etc.). Project empowered vulnerable groups by establishing a comprehensive system of assistance and support network and by developing concrete proposals to tackle the problem of YWD in transition from school to the labour market to responsible government institutions and bodies at the state level. Altogether 113 young people were included in counselling, 273 young people and 82 parents participated at the workshops, lectures and counselling, and 136 people from support institutions were involved project activities. Beside that very concrete proposals were developed and addressed to the responsible government institutions and bodies. They have been discussed at the national level with the aim to ensure a change in regulatory framework. Beneficiary managed to include problems of transition of YWD from school to labour market in some important documents on national level: Action program for persons with disabilities, Implementation plan of the national program of social protection on national level, Implementation plan for Resolution on National Programme for Youth, and Implementation plan of the operational Programme for the implementation of the cohesion policy. Knowledge and experience from the project “Joining Point2 will be transferred to entire Slovenia and will start in October 2016. Vocational rehabilitation providers will be additionality trained and service transition of youth will be piloted. Considering the fact that providers have interdisciplinary teams which will be supplemented and have active networks of employers, this solution proves to be most effective.
Summary of bilateral results
Sharing of knowledge and experience with Norwegian partner contributed to beneficiary’s’ work with YWD in transition from school to the labour market. They obtained direct information about Norwegian practices on this issue, compared them with other European practices, which they have already had the opportunity to learn about, and explored the possible adjustments and improvements to their way of working. The partnership enabled the exchange of experience, transfer of knowledge and reciprocal cooperation in solving the issues of young people with disabilities.