Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-8bhkd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T10:44:59.877Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Supports and Impediments on the Way to Occupation, Employment and Workplace Integration for People With Cognitive Disabilities

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 November 2017

Michaela Studer
Affiliation:
University of Applied Sciences of Special Needs Education, Switzerland
Annette Lichtenauer
Affiliation:
School of Social Work, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland
Angela Wyder
Affiliation:
sensiQoL AG, Switzerland
Anne Parpan-Blaser*
Affiliation:
School of Social Work, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland
*
Address for correspondence: Prof Dr Anne Parpan-Blaser, Senior Lecturer, School of Social Work, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Riggenbachstrasse 16, CH-4600 Olten, Switzerland. E-mail: anne.parpan@fhnw.ch

Abstract

Purpose: This article focuses on occupation and employment after basic vocational training for people with cognitive disabilities. The aim is to reveal supporting and hindering factors of different forms of workplace integration as perceived by those with disabilities. Method: Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used, consisting of an easy-to-read questionnaire completed by 412 graduates of practical vocational training, and in-depth interviews with 27 graduates. Results: The key findings show that workplace integration of people with disabilities takes place through a combination of various factors and materialises in different ways in terms of workplace, employment status, activity and further perspectives. Our findings suggest that supporting and accompanying people with disabilities in their work activities should always take into account both their desire for self-determination and their dependence on structural conditions.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2017 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Aldridge, J. (2015). Participatory research: Working with vulnerable groups in research and practice. Chicago, IL: Policy Press.Google Scholar
Butcher, St. & Wilton, R. (2008). Stuck in transition? Exploring the spaces of employment training for youths with intellectual disability. Geoforum 39, 10791092.Google Scholar
Bundesamt für Statistik. (2012). Die berufliche Mobilität. Eine Analyse aufgrund der Ergebnisse der Schweizerischen Arbeitskräfteerhebung (SAKE) von 1993 bis 2011. Retrieved from http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/news/publikationen.html?publicationID=4977 Google Scholar
Bundesamt für Statistik. (2016). Gleichstellung von Menschen mit Behinderungen: Geschützte Arbeit. Retrieved from http://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/portal/de/index/themen/20/06/blank/key/03/03.html Google Scholar
Crivelli, L., Bracci, A., & Avilés, G. (2012). Das Modell der Sozialfirma «made in Switzerland». Resultate einer landesweit durchgeführten explorativen Studie. Retrieved from http://www.bsv.admin.ch/themen/gesellschaft/00074/03195/index.html Google Scholar
Doose, S. (2006). Unterstützte Beschäftigung: Berufliche Integration auf lange Sicht. Eine Verbleibs- und Verlaufsstudie. Marburg, Germany: Lebenshilfe-Verlag.Google Scholar
Egloff, E., & Jungo, D. (2011). Berufswahltagebuch. Bern, Switzerland: Schulverlag.Google Scholar
Estrada-Hernández, N., Wadsworth, J. S., Nietupski, J.A., Warth, J., & Winslow, A. (2008). Employment or economic success: the experience of individuals with disabilities in transition school to work. Journal of Employment Counselling, 45 (2), 1124.Google Scholar
European Agency for Development in Special Needs Education. (2012). Vocational education and training: Policy and practice in the field of special needs education – literature review. Odense, Denmark: Author. Retrieved from https://www.european-agency.org/sites/default/files/vocational-education-and-training-policy-and-practice-in-the-field-of-special-needs-education-literature-review_VET-LiteratureReview.pdf Google Scholar
Fasching, H. (2012). Career counselling at school for placement in sheltered workshops? British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 42, 5259.Google Scholar
Fasching, H. (2014). Vocational education and training and transitions into the labour market of persons with intellectual disabilities. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 29 (4), 505520.Google Scholar
Gebhardt, M., Tretter, T., Schwab, S., & Gasteiger-Klicpera, B. (2011) The transition from school to the workplace for students with learning disabilities: status quo and the efficiency of pre-vocational and vocational training schemes. European Journal of Special Needs Education, 26 (4), 443459.Google Scholar
Gillan, D., & Coughlan, B. (2010). Transition from special education into post-school services for young adults with intellectual disability: Irish parents’ experience. Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 7 (3), 196203.Google Scholar
Göhring-Lange, G. (2011). Selbstbestimmte Teilhabe. Von der Theorie zur Umsetzung in der Praxis. Freiburg, Germany: Lambertus Verlag.Google Scholar
Häfeli, K. (2012). Durchlässigkeit in der Berufsbildung. Chancen und Risiken. Schweizerische Zeitschrift für Heilpädagogik, 16 (3), 2732.Google Scholar
Hagen, J. (2007). Und es geht doch! Menschen mit einer geistigen Behinderung als Untersuchungspersonen in qualitativen Forschungszusammenhängen. Vierteljahresschrift für Heilpädagogik und ihre Nachbargebiete (VHN), 76 (1), 2234.Google Scholar
Hammersley, M. (2006). Sensitizing concepts. In Jupp, V. (Ed.), The Sage dictionary of social research methods (p. 280). London, England: SAGE. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.4135/9780857020116.n190 Google Scholar
Heinz, W. (2009). Structure and agency in transition research. Journal of Education and Work, 22 (5), 391404.Google Scholar
Hofmann, C., & Häfeli, K. (2013). Zweijährige Grundbildung mit Berufsattest: eine Chance für Jugendliche aus Sonderschulen oder -klassen? Schweizerische Zeitschrift für Heilpädagogik, 19 (11–12), 2633.Google Scholar
Hofmann, C., & Kammermann, M. (2009). Die zweijährige berufliche Grundbildung – ein Erfolgsmodell? Schweizerische Zeitschrift für Heilpädagogik, 15 (6), 2734.Google Scholar
Kardorff, E. V. & Ohlbrecht, H. (2010). Erwerbsarbeit für psychisch kranke Menschen im gesellschaftlichen Wandel. In Mecklenburg, H. & Storck, J. (Eds.), Handbuch beruflicher Integration und Rehabilitation. Wie psychisch kranke Menschen in bezahlte Arbeit kommen und bleiben (pp. 71–83). Bonn, Germany>: Psychiatrie-Verlag.:+Psychiatrie-Verlag.>Google Scholar
Kelle, U., & Kluge, S. (2010). Vom Einzelfall zum Typus. Fallvergleich und Fallkontrastierung in der qualitativen Sozialforschung (2., akt. Aufl.). Wiesbaden, Germany: VS Verlag.Google Scholar
Lichtenauer, A. (2012). Menschen mit Kommunikationsbeeinträchtigungen und schweren Behinderungen als kompetente Interviewpartner – Voraussetzungen einer gelingenden Befragung, dargelegt am Beispiel eines Projektes aus der Evaluationsforschung. In Gredig, D. & Schnurr, S. (Eds.), Forschen in der Sozialen Arbeit. Typische methodische Herausforderungen (pp. 36–59). Baltmannsweiler, Germany: Schneider Verlag Hohengehren.Google Scholar
Mayring, P. (2008). Qualitative Inhaltsanalyse. Grundlagen und Techniken. Weinheim, Germany: Beltz.Google Scholar
McConkey, R., & Haddock, M. (2012). Post-school education and training for students with intellectual disabilities. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 46, 37933797.Google Scholar
Müller, E., & Van Gilder, R. (2014). The relationship between participation in Project SEARCH and job readiness and employment for young adults with disabilities. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation, 40, 1526.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Niemi, A., & Kurki, T. (2014). Getting on the right track? Educational choice-making of students with special educational needs in pre-vocational education and training. Disability & Society, 29 (10), 16311644.Google Scholar
Östlie, I., Johansson, I., & Möller, A. (2009). Struggle and adjustment to an insecure everyday life and an unpredictable life course. Disability and Rehabilitation, 31 (8), 666674.Google Scholar
Parker Harris, S., Heller, T., Schindler, A., & van Heumen, L. (2012). Current Issues, controversies, and solutions. In Heller, T. & Harris, S. Parker (Eds.), Disability through the life course (pp. 39102). Los Angeles, CA: SAGE.Google Scholar
Parpan-Blaser, A., Häfeli, K., Studer, M., Calabrese, S., Wyder, A. & Lichtenauer, A. (2014). «Etwas machen. Geld verdienen. Leute sehen.» Arbeitsbiografien von Menschen mit Beeinträchtigungen. Luzern, Switzerland: SZH.Google Scholar
Patton, M.Q. (2002). Qualitative research & evaluation methods (3. Aufl.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.Google Scholar
Roulstone, A., Gradwell, L., Price, J., & Child, L. (2003). Thriving and surviving at work. Disabled people's employment strategies. Bristol, England: Policy Press.Google Scholar
Rüst, T., & Debrunner, A. (2005). Supported employment. Modelle unterstützter Beschäftigung bei psychischer Beeinträchtigung. Zürich, Switzerland: Rüegger.Google Scholar
Sahli Lozano, C., Eckart, M., & Blanc, P. (2009). Berufswünsche im Kontext schulischer Integration und Separation. Heilpädagogische Forschung, 3, 168175.Google Scholar
Schellenberg, C. & Hofmann, C. (2012). Berufsorientierung in der Schule bei Jugendlichen mit Behinderungen: Zwischen Traumberuf und realen beruflichen Möglichkeiten. Schweizerische Zeitschrift für Heilpädagogik, 18 (10), 1218.Google Scholar
State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI). (2016). Vocational and professional education and training in Switzerland – Facts and figures 2016. Retrieved from https://www.sbfi.admin.ch/sbfi/en/home/documentation/publications/vocational-education-and-training.html Google Scholar
Studer, M., & Parpan-Blaser, A. (2014). Menschen mit Beeinträchtigungen erzählen über ihre Ausbildung und ihre Arbeit. Report in easy-to-read. University of Applied Sciences and Arts FHNW, Olten. Retrieved from http://www.fhnw.ch/ppt/content/pub/bericht-einfache-sprache-projekt-arbeitsbiographien-nach-einer-iv-anlehre/bericht-in-leichter-sprache Google Scholar
Tomblin, M.J. & Haring, K.A. (1999). Vocational training for students with learning disabilities: A qualitative investigation. Journal of Vocational Education and Training, 51 (3), 357370.Google Scholar
Walmsley, J., & Johnson, K. (2003). Inclusive research with people with learning disabilities: past, present, and futures. Philadelphia, PA: Kingsley.Google Scholar
Walther, A. & Plug, W. (2006). Transitions from school to work in Europe: Destandardization and policy trends. In M. du Bois-Reymond & L. Chisholm (Eds.), The modernization of youth transitions in Europe. New Directions for Child and Adolescent Development, 113, 7790.Google Scholar
Waterhouse, P., Kimberley, H., Jonas, P., & Glover, J. (2010). What would it take? Employer perspectives on employing people with a disability. A national vocational education and training research and evaluation program report. Adelaide, South Australia: NCVER.Google Scholar
Wehman, P., Chan, F., Ditchman, N., & Kang, H.-J. (2014). Effect of supported employment on vocational rehabilitation outcomes of transition-age youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities: A case control study. Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 52 (4), 296310.Google Scholar
World Health Organization (WHO). (2013). ICF-CY: Internationale Klassifikation der Funktionsfähigkeit, Behinderung und Gesundheit bei Kindern und Jugendlichen. Bern, Switzerland: Verlag Hans Huber.Google Scholar
Winn, S., & Hay, I. (2009) Transition from school for youths with a disability: issues and challenges. Disability & Society, 24 (1), 103115.Google Scholar