Master Class on Inclusive Development:

Successful employment strategies for persons with disabilities

Presentation at the Global Forum of the World Bank Group

Law, Justice and Development Week 2014by Michael Fembek, Head of the Zero Project

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

What is the Zero Project?

• Project of Civil Society, iniated by the Essl Foundation (Austria), run in partnership with the World Future Council (Germany, Switzerland) and the European Foundation Centre (Belgium), started in 2011

• Mission is: “For a World without Barriers”, supporting the implementation of the UN CRPD

• 1. Research and selection of most outstanding Best-Practice examples to improve the situation of persons with disabilities: Innovative Practices and Innovative Policies

• 2. Research Social Indicators that measure the implementation of the UN CRPD worldwide

• Full research is based on the Zero Project Network of experts: more than 2500 have contributed since 2011; more than 1.000 have in 2013/2014

• Communication: Zero Project Report, Website and Conference, Social Media, “Innovative Practice 2014”, “Innovative Policy 2014”

• Annual topic: 2013: Employment; 2014: Accessibility; 2015: Independent Living, Personal and Politicial Rights; 2016: Education

Zero Project Indicator No 13 – mandatory accomodations of the Workplace

Zero Project Indicator No 14 – official data on state employment available

Through a combination of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and Adaptive Technologies, POETA provides persons with disabilities with the necessary skills for improving their participation in the labour market and becoming more independent: Mapping demand, establish alliances with local enterprises, providing ICT training, and exchange of knowledge POETA (a project of the Trust for the Americas) began in Guatemala in 2004. The initiative has since expanded to 14 countries in Latin America, appx. 16.000 people trained, new jobs for appx. 2.000.

Guatemala: POETA`s integrated approach to tackle the low-education trap

Centrum DZWONI (Centre of Career Advising and Sup- porting Mentally Handicapped People) is the first “non-public” employment agency in Poland that aims at finding positions in the open labour market for persons with intellectual disabilities using individual support, i.e. a job coach. Centrum DZWONI's support is free and based on models, that start from assessment and end with the support of employers who already employ persons with disabilities.

Poland: Centrum DZWONI as a specialized and free employment agency

Best buddies provides individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities the opportunity to have personalised coaching in the workplace and become integrated in their place of employment. The supportive employment programme also enables people with disabilities to earn an income, pay taxes, and work in an environment alongside others in their community. Started by Anthony Kennedy Shriver in 1989, Best Buddies International has social inclusion programmes operating in more than 50 countries around the world. Best Buddies Colombia has placed 320 individuals with IDD in an integrated workplace in the various regions of Colombia in 2012.

Best Buddies/Colombia: Integrating persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the workplace

ARUNIM’s key objective is to create a Marketing Federation and enable entrepreneurs with disabilities to become “Contributors and Job Creators”. Set up in 2008, ARUNIM’s activities range from policy level interventions to providing information, offering training in product design, introducing technology-based solutions and marketing opportunities to all its members.

India: A brand for micro-enterprises of persons with disabilities

The bank has created a microcredit product for persons with disabilities called Creer, which means “Believe”. With the help of the product, the bank has been very successful in providing financial services for persons with disabilities. After its start-up in April 2010, the product had 400 clients in 2013, which constitutes around 1% of Banco D-MIRO’s clients (industry average is 0,5%). D-MIRO belongs to the Norwegian microfinance organisation Alliance Microfinance.

Banco D-Miro/Ecuador: Making microfinance inclusive

The F123 Group, formed by F123 Software and F123 Consulting*, designs innovative projects to expand access to technology and to provide professional low cost software and training for people who are blind or who have low vision.F123 provides accessibility to individuals, NGOs, educational institutions, foundations, government agencies and international organizations, promoting job opportunities for and the use of technology by the visually impaired.The affordability and ease-of-use of high performance software distributed by the F123 initiative has had a remarkable social impact, benefiting not just blind persons in Brazil, but aiding the English-, Spanish-, and Portuguese-speaking visually impaired population in over 20 countries.

F123/Brazil: Using low cost technology

Supporting employment by creating accessibility: Filling the digital gapColombia’s Plan Vive Digital pays special attention to people with disabilities, to increase their capacities and opportunities through fostering their access to ICTs

discovering hands trains blind and visually impaired women to become Clinical Breast Examiners (CBEs), deploying them for the early detection of breast cancer. The early discovery and treatment of breast cancer enables a less strenuous form of treatment and improves patients' chances of survival.

Germany: Discovering Hands uses the ability of blind women in breast cancer detection

The company’s approach provides long-term focus. It is part of Wipro’s Sustainability Focus under the pillar “People”. The framework includes: (1) People Policies, (2) Recruitment, (3) Training, (4) Physical Infrastruc- ture, (5) Information Systems and (6) Awareness. There is a strong team driving the initiative, with the Human Resources Head providing the leadership and acting as champion for the programme for inclusion of persons with disabilities. The Diversity Council reviews the programme quarterly.

Wipro/India: Inclusive employment strategy by a Global South IT-Leader

Providing for a comprehensive physical and vocational rehabilitation, Malaysia’s Return to Work Programme of 2007 uses individual case management to assist employees to recover and return to employment. Since the programme’s inception, 4,842 workers have returned to work. Of those who returned to work, 84% continued to work for the same employer (2010: 65%). According to an impact analysis, the benefits far outweigh the costs by a 1,43:1 ratio.

Malaysia: Supporting the return to work is easier than finding new jobs

Join the Network!

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Nominate projects, practices and policies!Fill in the UN CRPD questionnaire for your country!Any other idea for cooperation? Tell us!