Employment with support is an innovative employment model for people with disabilities that enables people with major disabilities, including intellectual disabilities, to be included in the regular work system.
Traditionally, people with disabilities were employed in protective conditions and were thus isolated and excluded from the community. Therefore, employment with support as a model enables a personally oriented approach to each individual, his interests, possibilities and needs. Learning skills at the workplace replaces learning skills in advance, and monitoring by the service and experts/assistants ensures quality interpersonal communication at the workplace, prevention of possible conflicts and job retention.
The right to work is the fundamental right of every individual, and by joining the world of work and employment, work is being done to improve the quality of life and inclusion in the life of the local community.
Since 2007, Inkluzija Šibenik has been continuously providing employment with support, that is, including people with intellectual disabilities in the regular working environment. When joining, they are provided with support in accordance with their individual needs.
The goal of supported employment is to find and adapt meaningful jobs on the open labour market and to provide individually appropriate training and support at the workplace.
The provision of support does not imply that the support provider performs tasks instead of the employed person, but that in a way he is a bridge between the person with intellectual disabilities and the work environment, the employer and work tasks, but also all those activities that precede going to work.
Providing support in this sense can be planning the time before going to work and all preparatory activities before arriving at the workplace (e.g. what time do you need to get up, what needs to be done in terms of personal hygiene, what time do you need to leave the house, itinerary and the like). On the other hand, the support is also familiarization with the work tasks that the person needs to perform, as well as breaking down the work tasks and dividing them into smaller units, getting to know the person with work colleagues, etc.). Support is needed both for a person with intellectual disabilities, as well as for work colleagues and the employer.
At the beginning of the work, support is provided by a work assistant, and over time, the support gradually decreases, and then one of the associates at the workplace takes over this role.
During 2020 and 2021, the existing supported employment service provided employment support for a total of 16 beneficiaries. A total of 16 users in Šibenik, Betina, Knin, Zadar, Tisno and Vodice were engaged in the open labour market through employment contracts and contracts on work activities. Out of the total number of users, nine were engaged through work activities.
Employers with whom we have achieved business cooperation so far are dm-drogerie markt d.o.o., Camp Hostin, Merkur Insurance, Club Azimut, Caritas of the Diocese of Šibenik, City of Šibenik, Incluido, NP Krka, Vodovod, Restaurant "Na Moru" and City of Vodice. Continuous support from a work assistant was organized for six users, while the other employed users had occasional support from a work assistant, in accordance with the expert team's assessment and individual needs.
