BITSE

Middin - the Netherlands

Presentation: Martien LekkerkerkDesign: Stans Kroon6 februari 2013

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Barriers transition school to Employment

Experiences Middin theNetherlands

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MIDDIN

● Independent● Living situations● Focus groups● Working area

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Introduction Martien Lekkerkerk

● 20 years● Student international communication● Nystagmus and other visual problems from birth● Diagnosis ADD/NLD at age 15

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Introduction Stans Kroon• Stans Kroon, 45 years old • Lobbyist for mentally handicapped people

Born without a thyroid gland I became mentally handicapped

• Two sisters & mother (83 years) & my father died. • Schools for people with handicaps. I became an electro

mechanic A• Sisters & parents are very proud of me

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Interviews

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Interviews

We interviewed:

•6 persons with disabilitiesBetween 16 and 55 years old

•8 jobcoaches, 1 coach and 1 manager of the jobcoaches

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Barriers

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Barriers most commonly experienced• The self confidence and abilities of youngsters

aren't balanced• Switch from secondary school to vocational

education is very difficult. not enough support at school

• Public transport isn't accessible for everyone• Not enough possibilities to try different sorts of

work, traineeships

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Barriers most commonly experienced 2

• Employers have little knowledge about disabilities

• Persons with disabilities can’t measure up with the requirements of the labourmarket

• Jobcoach possible for at most 3 years• Jobcoaching doesn’t start at school

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Barriers Stans Kroon• Dokters didn’t believe my mother when I was

born

• I was teased for years at school and at work

• My workcoach could not deal with girls

• The transition from WSW to a regular job was very difficult

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Barriers Martien Lekkerkerk

•The switch from secondary school to vocational education

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Barriers Jobcoaches• Not being sufficiently prepared for a paid job:

expectations social skills, employee skills support information labour market information

• Not being able to measure up to the requirements of the labour market

• Wages are almost equal to social benefits

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What helped• People (family, friends):• who believed in me• saw my qualities• helped me

• Teachers who recognised and acknowledged my qualities, who supported me and stimulated me to continue studying

• The possibility to ‘pile up’ schooling

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Important in the work I do

• That I get the chance to do what I like and to use my qualities.

• They take me serious• They treat me as a colleague and as the person I am• That I have a coach• That they respect:

– I’m ill quite often– I need coaching

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Switch WSW regular job.

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Switch WSW regular job.• Give people opportunities

• Give possibilities to try other work

• Give opportunities for traineeships

• Provide more schooling i.e. reading, writing, Dutch etc.

• Do more against teasing

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• Thank you for your attention