Transfer of Employment Support Tools

for People with Disabilities

Leonardo da Vinci innovation transfer-project

LLP-LDV-TOI-12-AT-0011

01.11.2012-31.10.2014

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] and all its

contents reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be

made of the information contained therein

SE Implementation in Romania -

DGASPC Harghita

Where are we from?

Statistical data on the 30th June 2012

Source: National Authority for People with Disabilities, INSSE, ANOFM

Romania, Harghita County

• a bi-linguistic region with Hungarian

majority

• total population of 300.000

• historically part of Transylvania

• less important economical

investments

• small job market

• good development of social services

• active NGO sector – strong

international relations

Who are we?

Harghita County Council’s Social and Child Protection Department.

Social assistance system in Romania

Three main levels:

• Governmental level

• County level

• Local level

Two kinds of tools:

• Social benefits

• Social services

Why this project?

Target group in Harghita county:

• Disability Rate: 2.66%

• Rate of employment among PwD: 4.18%

Legal Regulation of Employment of People with Disabilities (Law

448/2006)

But:

• Differences between the legal texts and their concrete

implementation

• Shortage of services for people seeking a job (especially in the field

of education, vocational training)

• Economic factors that impede insertion into the labour market (ex:

shortage of workplaces)

• Too protective benefit system: inactivity trap that exists in relation to

social security measures

Source: National Authority for People with Disabilities, Statistical data on the 30th June 2012

How to start to implement SE?

Main objectives at the start:

• Raise awareness among potential social partners

• Introduce the concept of individual support , SE for better opportunities for employment of PwD

• Developing a network of supporters

• Get informed about other similar initiatives and collaborate: merge efforts for a better governmental support

Implementation on two levels: 1st level

Strategic level

• Meeting in Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs with director

responsible for People with Disabilities Department, 2013 –

explaining the concept of SE

• Contribution in elaboration of the Regional Development Strategy for

2014-2020 of the Centre Region/ social section,

• Meeting with National Child Protection Authority, county Child

protection departments, NGO’s, representatives of the Ministry of

Labour and Social Affairs – explaining utility of SE for youth from the

child protection system

• Social Strategy Harghita County – 5 consultation with local

authorities, NGO, social activists –SE implementation is part of the

social strategy

Implementation on two levels: 2nd level

Establishment of a support network in the county for • the concrete implementation

• Support of the governmental recognition of SE as social service

• Find a organizational and financial resources for the service

• Partners: – Office for Evaluation of People with Disabilities, Social and Child Protection

Department,

– County Employment Agency, Harghita County,

– “Szent Agoston” Day Care Center, Caritas Alba-Iulia Organisation

– Association of People with Physical Disabilities, Harghita Branch

– Foundation LIA (Foundation of Youth from Locodeni).

Training Workshop for Implementation

Coaches | 24th to 25th Sep. 2013 | Graz, AT

• 5 SE coach, professionals, participating on the training

• Insights into how the Supported Employment Concept is

conceptually implemented in Austria

• Training to become coaches for the implementation of work

assistance and job coaching services in Romania.

How did we work? • Promotion of the concept of

SE

• Implementation round tables

with head of organisation and

coaches

• Individual use and testing of

SE tools

Exploitation seminar/ conference | 29.04.2014

• Presence of near 80 participants

• Presentations of SE best practices and initiatives from all over the country

• An opportunity for getting in contact

The invited:

Alpha Transilvana Fundation Tg-Mures,

DGASPC Timis

DGASPC Bucharest, Nazarcea Group

DGASPC Iasi

After lunch at the workshops:

WS1

Challenges of the integration of PWD at the workplace

WS3

Financial subsidies – myths and truths

WS2

Job interview – How do employer and

employee see each other?

Implementation Support visit 27-28.05.2014

• Office for Evaluation of People with Disabilities,

Social and Child Protection Department

• County Employment Agency, Harghita County

• “Szent Agoston” Day Care Center, Caritas Alba-

Iulia

• Association of People with Physical Disabilities,

Harghita Branch

• LIA-WOLTER : village and apartments for young

people in Lokod, family housings, advisory

centers, a house for assisted living and a

sheltered work shop.

Results

OUTPUTS :

• 49 clients engaged

• 7 persons - probation time at a workplace

• 2 persons - employment with contract after starting implementation

• 5 persons – off the job support (were employed before

implementation)

• The other clients are participating in special training to develop work

specific, transversal abilities or are currently at work experience

placements (job tasting), whereas others are waiting for the right

employment possibilities.

…. implementation still an ongoing process.

Impact:

• The recognition that the parts of SE. already exist in the

provided services.

• The conceptual and methodological approach of the SE

tools bring more structure into the assistance provided to

PwD

• Improved collaboration between organisations and

county level state institutions deal with PwD and

employment.

What are the next steps?

Youth for the Future- Supported Employement

Romanian Found for Social Development (FRDS) Synergies for the Future – Youth at Risk

Objective Increasing the economic and social cohesion in the county

• To support the integration on the labour market and into the society of

disadvantaged groups of youth leaving foster care and persons with

disability - and their parents

• establishment of 4 SE centers in Harghita County each with 1,5 SE

coach

• sensitization of employers

Thank you for kind attention!

Social and Child Protection Department

Harghita County Council

530140 – Miercurea Ciuc, Piata Libertatii 5.

Tel: +40 266 314 711, Fax: +40 266 207 754

E-mail: office@dgaspchr.ro