How to find a job for a person with a disability

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The second year of the Great War paved the way for negotiations on Ukraine’s membership in the EU and exacerbated many social problems. Due to the significant increase in the number of people with disabilities, and there are already more than 3 million of them, the demand for the development of accessible environments, the creation and adaptation of workplaces for them, and the formation of a new culture of their acceptance in society has increased.

In fact, inclusion in developed countries involves creating an environment in which diversity is valued and supported, where people with disabilities work on equal terms with other people, are involved in social processes and become drivers of social change.

Research by the Josh Bersin Academy of Diversity and Inclusion found that companies that listen to the needs of employees are 12 times better at retaining them, minimizing employee turnover, nearly 9 times better at meeting customer demands, and 6.6 times more successful at adapting to global change in the world .

It is still too early for Ukraine to talk about great achievements in the development of inclusion. According to the government, as of 2023, the share of officially employed people with disabilities was 16%, while in the EU this indicator is more than 55%. Therefore, in parallel with the daily work for victory, we need to create conditions in which people with disabilities and disadvantaged groups of the population can freely exercise their labor rights, and employers will introduce diversity as a way of thinking and a part of our culture.

Today’s technology allows people with physical disabilities to work successfully. People with mental disorders, being involved in work, stop feeling alienated and unnecessary. Therefore, in the search for ways to resuscitate the economy, the formula “inclusion + business” can provide new rules for people and expand opportunities for prosperity, especially for those who have to face the biggest obstacles on the way to well-being.

Education for IDPs, veterans and people with disabilities

In March 2021, the European Commission adopted the Strategy for Ensuring the Rights of People with Disabilities 2021 – 2030. According to clause 4.2 document, promoting the development of new skills for the creation of new jobs and the development of the social economy is a requirement for EU member states. Also, special KPIs have been proposed to the countries regarding the involvement of adults with disabilities in education to ensure the implementation of the national strategy for the development of new skills among EU residents.

P. 4.3 strategies regulate the promotion of access to quality permanent jobs for people with disabilities. The flagship project of the European Commission is a special package for improving conditions on the labor market for people with disabilities who want to cooperate with the European network of employment services.

Ukraine, which is moving along the path of European integration, needs to do a lot of work to improve the quality of life of people with disabilities, because this is one of the key principles of the EU. Currently, we still do not have strategies and programs that would promote the retraining of people with disabilities at the state level and improve their conditions on the labor market.

However, the war has accelerated the implementation of some initiatives that help displaced people, war veterans, people with disabilities and those over 45 to get a new specialty and find a job.

In 2023, the government introduced voucher program for support competitiveness of individuals on the labor market. Training vouchers in the amount of UAH 30,000 are issued by the State Employment Service for about 124 specialties, including construction, civil engineering, cyber security, software engineering, and there is even a sapper specialty.

To get a free training voucher, you need to fill out an application on the website of the State Employment Center. Specialists will contact the applicant within a few days, help them choose an educational institution, and conclude a contract. If the cost of education exceeds the amount reimbursed by the service, the applicant will be able to pay the additional amount himself.

Psychology, social work, construction, civil engineering, and cooks were the most popular specialties last year. At the same time, the trend of the labor market in 2023 showed that in Kyiv and Lviv there are more vacancies than officially registered unemployed.

Development of an inclusive labor market

Despite the war, a public policy of developing an inclusive labor market is being implemented in Ukraine today. It includes a system of encouraging employers through financial support of workplaces and providing assistance to people with disabilities at work. This service includes not only support as such, but also provides an opportunity to prepare for work, adapt, develop skills and receive psychological support.

At the level of the Ministry of Social Policy, it is planned to involve private recruiting agencies specifically for the employment of people with disabilities, informational support is provided to employers who provide work to such people. The state also provides grants for the development of social business.

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When employed, people with disabilities must know their rights:

• favorable working conditions. In this case, monetary remuneration for work is carried out according to the hours worked, or depending on the volume of work;
• the right to refuse to work at night and overtime;
• in the event of staff reduction, the preferential right to remain at work under equal conditions of labor productivity and qualifications is granted to people with disabilities and those who are covered by the Law of Ukraine On the Status of War Veterans and Guarantees of Their Social Protection;
• a probationary period is not established when hiring people with disabilities (applies to those who have been sent to work in accordance with the recommendation of the MSEK).

Also, the employer must take into account the individual inclinations of the person, the recommendations of the MSEK or specialists of the employment service when employing a person with a disability.

The benefits of an inclusive community

In the USA and the EU, one of the common ways to overcome social problems (including unemployment) is membership in communities of mutual support, which is based on the principle of “equal to equal”. Among the vivid examples: the community of those who experience professional burnout, have incurable diseases, disabilities, depression. There are also many professional communities and communities of interest.

The key mission of the existence of such unifying movements consists not only in mutual support, but also in the formation of joint solutions for overcoming crisis situations, building constructive “community-state” relations and improving the quality of one’s own life. An important stage of being in such groups is not only to receive, but also to share support.

Community EnableMe Ukrainewhich has been operating in Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, helps people with disabilities find work and other opportunities. Community members can openly talk about their life experiences, receive various information services, meet and ask questions of experts, learn about their rights.

As foreign experience shows, the involvement of the population in inclusive communities leads to better results for both communities and state bodies. Representatives of state authorities involved in decision-making processes better understand people’s needs and better respond to their requests.

At the same time, staying in communities disciplines the participants themselves. Here they are rehabilitated, rebooted, receive help in solving problems and gain strength to realize their potential. The latter is the greatest value for our state.

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