Description
The project addresses the need for employment opportunities for people with disabilities to support their integration. The project aims at raising the employment opportunities of the disabled by counselling and setting up a social enterprise. First, a comparative analysis of the legal framework on employment of people with disabilities and social enterprises in Norway and Bulgaria will be carried out. Second, 25 beneficiaries at the age of 16+ from the social service centre in Sopot will have counselling with a labor mediator and a psychologist to overcome their social isolation and assess individual chances, needs, competences and skills. Third, a social enterprise will be set up (2 greenhouses) as a job opportunity. Finally, 3 round tables will be held with the stakeholders to discuss possible solutions and proposals for legislative amendments. The project will benefit the 25 disabled in Sopot, NGOs, employers and decision-makers. The partners will help with their expertise.
Summary of project results
The project was aimed at working-age people with disabilities and supporting them to join the labour market. The experts’ work on the project helped all people with disabilities from the Social Service Centre in the town of Sopot to appreciate and realize their own value for the public, become sure of their competence and look for solution to their problems. A social enterprise was set up under the project which will ensure sustainable employment to people with disabilities in the municipalities of Sopot and Karlovo and will raise their quality of life. Almost all nationally represented organizations of people with disabilities took part in the 2 round tables and 2 conferences on the issues facing the people with disabilities organized under the project. An innovative social service was created, i.e. specialized labour mediation, as well as 4 social workers had their awareness and competences raised. A Guide with Surveys of Employment Opportunities for People with Disabilities was issued and disseminated in Bulgarian and Norwegian. Employment was provided under the project in a specialized working environment to 25 people with disabilities and in a normal working environment to 6 more representatives of the target group. After the project end the social enterprise set up will continue to work and be used by the partner the Social Service Centre in the town of Sopot funded from the municipal budget and donations. The project partner, the Bulgarian – Norwegian company took part in the project with its experts, a legal adviser and a social worker, who carried out research of employment opportunities for people with disabilities in Norway. The partnership was also aimed at transfer of good practices from Norway into Bulgaria including exchange of experience. For more information about the project, visit:
http://nwodp.sitemo.net
Summary of bilateral results
The Norwegian partner (the Bulgarian-Norwegian Association) was involved in the project activities by providing experts with appropriate qualifications and extensive experience who carried out two studies, one of them related to the legal framework and the other one to the best practices of the provision of employment to people with disabilities in Norway. A handbook comparing the legal framework of the provision of employment to people with disabilities in Bulgaria and Norway was published in Bulgarian (600 copies) and Norwegian (200 copies) and was distributed in both countries. The main outcome of the partnership is the improved knowledge and mutual understanding developed between the two organisations. Due to the partnership the capacity of the social workers in the Complex for Social Services in Sopot was enhanced.