The work-occupation program “Ready, set, I’m working!” is a structured program of social inclusion and training of a part of the population threatened by social exclusion and thus the violation of their human rights, including the right to work and have an active life in the community. The priority group we include in the program is a vulnerable group of young people (19 to 30 years old) who were diagnosed or undiagnosed during school, and have difficulties in development and psychosocial functioning. We have been improving the program since 2016 in order to create the conditions for the provision of social services (first in a broader sense, and later in a narrower sense) and to shape the model of work and employment of people who need professional support in their work.
In accordance with the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the Law on Ratification of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and the University Protocol in connection with the Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities we apply the basic principles:
(a) Respect for innate dignity and personal autonomy, including freedom of personal choice and the independence of people
(b) Non-discrimination
(c) Full and effective participation and inclusion in society
(d) Respect for differences and acceptance of people with disabilities as part of human diversity and humanity
(e) Equality of opportunity
(f) Accessibility
(g) Equality between men and women
(h) Respect for the developmental abilities of children with developmental disabilities and respect for their rights to preserve their identity.
In accordance with these principles, we encourage each person to be fully involved in the community they live in, while oriented to the needs of each young person individually and with the involvement of the whole community.
In accordance with the National Strategy for the Equality of Opportunities for People with Difficulties 2017-2020, which envisions in the Chapter “Community Life, Measure of Employment of People with Difficulties in the Open Labour Market – Activity: Establish a support system for the work assistant program and a system for monitoring the application of the professional support service at the workplace”, we provide conditions for work-occupation daily stay and work activities in the open labour market!
“Supported employment advocates for the right to work, respect for human dignity and provides an opportunity for the social and economic inclusion of people with difficulties in the community.” (Udruga za promicanje inkluzije i Centar za inkluziju i socijalne usluge; eng. Association for the Promotion of Inclusion and the Centre for Inclusion and Social Services, 2015: p.5)
Short-term goal: to create prerequisites for the provision of the social service “working daily stay”
Long-term goal: to create a platform for the implementation of work activities and employment/work of people with difficulties.
It was partially funded by the Ministry of Demography, Family, Youth and Social Policy from 2017 to 2018.
Partners:
Contributors:
- Centar za inkluzivne radne aktivnosti (CIRA) (eng. Centre for Inclusive Work Activities) (https://www.cira.hr)
- Instructors of education for work assistants: Centar za obrazovanje odraslih (COO) Validus (eng. Centre for Adult Education) (https://coovalidus.hr) and BM Plast d.o.o.
Some of the goals of the program:
- Reduce the social exclusion of young people with development and psychosocial functioning difficulties that are outside the education system and outside training and work (in the NEET situation) and young unemployed people in general.
- Provide a model of social work support for young people with difficulties in order to prevent their social exclusion by training them for simple jobs in the workshop/practicum in organizations and in the open labour market – “work-occupation daily stay”
- Form an innovative model of employment of young people with difficulties (people with disabilities and/or psychosocial functioning difficulties) with support and establish a coordinated support system – introduction of a new “model of employment with support” through social entrepreneurship
Who is the program for?
- Young people with intellectual and other psychosocial difficulties, such as ADHD, difficulties from the autism spectrum, etc., young people with disabilities outside education, training and work (in the NEET situation) – training to work with the support of work assistants
Are you under 30? Do you want to know about your rights to work? Do you want to work and study? Do you want to get involved in the community you live in? Do you want to work in the garden or go swimming with us? Contact us because we certainly have some activity for you!
- Young unemployed people up to the age of 30 who want to study and work in a stimulating environment.
If you are a young unemployed person under 30 and you want to study and work in a stimulating environment with young people with difficulties, as well as if you want, in addition to learning and working, to have the opportunity to share your experience and knowledge with other young people who need support, contact us because we are sure we have something for you as well as you for us!
- Employers who employ people with disabilities and/or psychosocial functioning difficulties
Do you want your business to be socially responsible? Do you want to be an example to other employers in supporting marginalized groups in your community? Do you want to learn how to provide work support? Please contact us, we are sure we have something for you and you for us!
What do we offer?
- Work-occupation activities for young people with difficulties: eco garden in Viškovo, assembling plastic parts of objects, making decorative-useful objects, recreational therapeutic swimming, work on the ranch Anđeli, therapeutic horse riding and more
- Training unemployed young people for work with young people with difficulties, for the work of “work assistants” in internal training. Selected people are referred to training for “employment assistants/work with people with disabilities with support” at the Validus Adult Training Centre in Zagreb (training certificate is entered in the e-workbook), which gives them an advantage when applying for employment in DIP and similar organizations
What does a work assistant do?
Assistant jobs for people with disabilities in employment/work with support include jobs of individually tailored support for people with intellectual and/or psychosocial difficulties in the workplace and/or in work-occupational activities.
Contacts:
- email: [email protected]
- phone: 091/558-0920
- address: Wenzelova 2, 51000 Rijeka
- Program leader: Marta Berčić, prof.
- Coordinators of work-occupation activities: Nela Bralić, Bachelor of Arts, Karmen Vučetić, Master of Psychology
Legal framework
- Law on professional rehabilitation and employment of people with disabilities (“Narodne novine” n.157/13, 152/14)
- Regulation on professional rehabilitation and centres for professional rehabilitation of people with disabilities (“Narodne novine” n. 44/14, 2/15)
- Regulation on the content and manner of keeping the register of employed people with disabilities (“Narodne novine” n. 44/14, 97/14, 2/15)
- Regulation on determining the quota for the employment of people with disabilities (“Narodne novine” n. 44/14, 2/15)
- Regulation on incentives for the employment of people with disabilities (“Narodne novine” n. 44/14, 2/15, 13/15, 113/16, 116/17)
- Regulation on protective workshops and integrative workshops for the employment of people with disabilities (“Narodne novine” n. 44/14, 2/15)
- Standards of professional rehabilitation services
Important links
