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Brief History of Employment of People
with Disabilities
Lucie Procházková, Ph.D.
Masaryk University, Faculty of Education
Brno, 9.11.2018
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̶ Work and preparation for it constitute a substantial part of our
lives.
̶ Questions around:
̶ What would you like to do (one day)?
̶ What does your daughter/son do?
̶ The work predetermines our status in the society.
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Right to work
̶ belongs to the basic human rights
(1) Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and
favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment.
(2) Everyone, without any discrimination, has the right to equal pay for equal work...
(Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 23)
̶ For a long time there were doubts about the ability and possibility
of people with disabilities to work. And about their right to work
and necessity of supporting them.
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Right to work
̶ This has changed!
̶ UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
̶ Article 27 – Work and employment
„States Parties recognize the right of persons with disabilities to work, on an equal
basis with others; this includes the right to the opportunity to gain a living by work
freely chosen or accepted in a labour market and work environment that is open,
inclusive and accessible to persons with disabilities.“
̶ Attitudes of the society are changing too – step by step.
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WHY to work?
̶ Secures the living
̶ Enables independence and self-determination
̶ Offers new/other social roles
̶ Provides the possibility to be useful
̶ Meaningful content of time
̶ Prevention of social isolation
̶ Work is a necessary step on the way to true inclusion.
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People with disabilities and work
̶ Face multiple barriers when preparing for work and entering the
labour market
̶ Choice of a suitable profession
̶ Handling the education
̶ Finding a job
̶ BUT the reasons to work are the same!
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Reasons to
work
(of people
with
disabilities)
(Procházková, L. 2014)
WORK
money
independence
needs
useful, self-
fulfillment
contact
with
people
meaningful
spending of
time
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Situation in the Czech Republic – history
̶ Social inclusion of people with disabilities has been related to the
overall political and economic situation.
̶ People with disabilities were integrated to the labour market only
to a small degree until the 1990s.
̶ Cooperative farms – state owned
̶ Cooperatives for/of Disabled
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Situation in the Czech Republic – after 1990
̶ Only 30 years ago people with disabilities began to be employed
(in the free labour market), their potential recognized.
̶ Lack of information and experience, fear, stereotypes, prejudices
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Situation in the Czech Republic – now
̶ Unemployment in general (31.10.2017) – 4,3 %
̶ unemployed: 35.400, unemployed people with disabilities: 5.989
̶ Tools and approaches:
̶ requalification
̶ community service
̶ counselling
̶ support of employment of people with disabilities
̶ Duty to employ – employers with 25 and more employees, 4 %
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Situation in the Czech Republic – now
̶ Still lack of information and experience, fear, stereotypes,
prejudices
̶ Still many barriers: …, …, …
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Group work
What kind of barriers and difficulties are
there in the employment of people with
disabilities?
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Summary
̶ Flexibility and creativity essential
̶ General conditions – support incl. financial needed
̶ Best practices
̶ Experience helps
̶ Quality versus quantity
̶ Diversity represents the potential
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Thank you!
Lucie Procházková
prochazkova.lucie@ped.muni.cz