General News
Best Practices in Vocational Training in Europe and Eurasia - Final paper
โThe Social Transition Team is pleased to share a new report, โTransitions towards an Inclusive Future: Community-Based Vocational Skills Development and Employment Options for Persons with Disabilities in Europe & Eurasiaโ. This report presents internationally recognized models, approaches and ยจbest practicesยจ in programming and implementation of vocational skills development and employment-related services that have successfully transitioned persons with disabilities into open, gainful employment in diverse international contexts.
The Report describes numerous models. The employment trial model and the supported employment model promote full participation of persons with moderate to severe disabilities (physical, mental and/or sensorial) and strive to integrate this population into mainstream society; whereas, apprenticeship training and on-the-job training are approaches that can be used with mildly disabled and non-disabled groups. Likewise, open, competitive employment, self-employment, and social enterprises are approaches that can be used with both disabled and non-disabled persons.
Additionally, the Report outlines a set of specific recommended actions for USAID missions in Europe and Eurasia (and elsewhere) regarding how to support the development of vocational skills training and employment-related services that are consistent with a ยจrights-basedยจ approach to disability and that will effectively contribute to the successful transition of persons with disabilities into gainful employment and mainstream society.
Key recommendations include:
- For countries that do not yet have a national transition strategy that supports the shift away from institutions as providers of services, support efforts of both the public and private sectors to develop such a strategy in order to move toward a de-centralized community-based service delivery system;
- For countries that lack institutional capacity to implement the services consistent with a national transition strategy, support institutional and human capacity building initiatives targeted at national, regional and local agencies, as well as NGOs, DPOs, and CBOs, in order to implement effectively and efficiently a de-centralized, inclusive, community-based service delivery system;
- Support the design, development and implementation/piloting of different ยจbest practicesยจ vocational skills training and employment-related services interventions for persons with disabilities;
- Support the development of community-based support systems, i.e., transportation and health services, required by persons with disabilities to secure and maintain open, competitive employment;
- Support the development of a monitoring and evaluation system for successfully implemented community-based vocational skills training and employment models, as well as a service delivery system.
Once we have resolved a few technical problems, the Report will also be available on the ST Team intranet site and in a few months, on DEC.
Please feel free to share this email widely. Thank you and let me know if you have any questions.โ
Email from Cozzarelli, Catherine(E&E/DGST)
Source:Horvath, Rob (DCHA/DG) through GPDD
