ESF-SI-2023-SKILLS-01-0071
Trojan horses in ecosystems of appreciation. Scaling new approaches to learn-work transitions for youth with special support needs.
A rise in YSSN (Youth with Special Support Needs) in most EU countries, including NL and BE is reflected in growing awareness and efforts to improve job market access. However, policy efforts in the past 15 years have not closed the disability employment gap. YSSN often find the transition from school and care to work and society hard to handle. The transition is a challenging phase for all young adults. Complex regulations, and changing responsibilities in combination with adulthood, create uncertainties. Fragmentation in health and social care services makes addressing and offering support difficult. A paradigm change of attitudes and values is required to support the transition of schools to work.
Two innovative care-work-learn labour market activation approaches with practice-based learning models for YSSN will be scaled up using an action research method engaging professionals from associated partners. In these so-called transition arenas they train, practice and explore new approaches to facilitating young adults’ development of their strengths and engagement on regular work floors in SMEs. The transition arenas will seek to develop collective competence through service integration, with a high degree of interlinked activities between professionals and organisational units also including service recipients and family caregivers as legitimate extra-professional parts of the collaborative network.
Expected results:
- 170 YSSN actively engaged in work environments.
- 35 professionals in Care and Education organisations explore the integration of care-work-learn transitions for YSSN.
- Welfare organisations actively explore Simple Switching as the conditions for a healthy care-work-learn ecosystem.
- Inclusive professional education synthesises the innovative practices in replicable learning models for creating ecosystems of appreciation for YSSN synthesis document with Case tools and methods descriptions.
- At least 20 regional SMEs have adopted inclusive practices e.g. job carving.
Funding: 472,718.00 Eur