Long-Term Employment Opportunities for the Disabled in Vorarlberg, Austria

1. Long-term Employment for the Disabled

2. The Region of Vorarlberg • Vorarlberg, the westernmost state of Austria at Lake Constance, borders the Tyrol, Germany, Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein. 2,601 km2

3. Population + Economy • 380,000 inhabitants • 78% of the population are Roman Catholic • 30% commerce and craft • 33% trade • 15% information/consulting • 14% tourism • 8% others • change from textile industry to iron, metal and electrical industry

4. People with disabilities • 5-10% of the population are people with disabilities • 11.8% of the registered unemployed have a handicap

5. Initial Situation • 30 social service providers offer assistance to people with disabilities • The system of government aids has led to specialization and differentiation • Companies and people with disabilities complain about the vagueness of the system • Decision of the Federal Social Services Department and the Department for Disability Aid of the provincial government of Vorarlberg to reorganise the whole system

6. Target Groups + Goals of the Project • Goals of the Project • A country-wide, integrated action model for the professional integration of people with disabilities • All protagonists are correctly orientated on this model • Target Groups of the Project • People with disabilities • Social institutions • Companies

7. Elements of the System Financing bodies: BASB, Land Vlbg. Enterprises Service providers People with disabilities Relatives Communication, Information, Services

8. Requirements + Criteria for Success • Region • Market orientation • Evaluation criteria • Costs • Actual state and target state • Placement rate • Actual and planned goal system – MbO • Sustainability of placement • Actual and planned • Access and degree of attractiveness for the target group • Actual and planned

9. Contracting bodies/partners/structure

10. Structure of the Project • Module 1: Regional competence of integration • Module 2: Regional company-orientated network • Module 3: Networked implementation model • Transnational Network • National Network

11. (1) Module 1 • Goals • An innovative, functional model for the preparation, qualification and placement of people with disabilities into the free economy • A functional instruction for the implementation of the model • Analysis of initial situation • Collection of source data from service providers resulting from integration efforts • Definition of the best areas in which to apply the model

12. (1) Module 1 • Development of target model • Development of the defining concept • Development of the strategic concept • Development of the organizational concept • Development of the managerial concept Instruction for the implementation of the model • Compilation of all results in an implementation handbook

13. (2) Module 2 • Goals • Company Club is founded and implemented • Specific ‘tool kit’ is compiled concentrating on the needs of companies in Vorarlberg • Trial operation for a hotline is running • Study of existing consultancy models • Market research in Vorarlberg • National networking and research • International cooperation for the ascertainment of best practices

14. (2) Module 2 • Generation of action models for implementation in companies • Conception of action models based upon the analysis • Provision of innovative action models for the integration of people with disabilities • Testing of activities in selected companies • Concept of a Company Club • Needs of the companies • Companies are active in the creation of the club • Planning regarding the creation of a regional network • Hotline • Specific outgoing contacts with companies (outbound) • Competent consultation of incoming contacts (inbound) + testing

15. (3) Module 3 • Goals • Active participation of all service providers in planning the target model • Clear positioning of individual service providers in the target model • Awareness of the resulting internal changes to be made by service providers • Completion of planning and preparatory work for the implementation of the target model • Elaboration of initial situation • Analysis of existing models of integration • Clarification of the differences between integration models and the target model • Definition of required changes to be made by service providers

16. (3) Module 3 • Development of network for target model • Exchange of experiences and models in the national and transnational networks • Discussion of the benefit of the target model arising for all parties • Generation of willingness of service providers to contribute in model implementation • Finalising model networking • Definition of the role and position of the individual service providers in the target model • Definition of specific networking between parties with regard to contents

17. (3) Module 3 • Planning of Implementation • Compilation of all work results • Elaboration of a concrete implementation plan • Preparation of implementation • Presentation of target model and implementation plan to contracting body

18. (4) Transnational Network • Goals • Models about communication / cooperation between stakeholders • Collection of factors for success or failure concerning placement of people with disabilities • Identification of win–win situations to create awareness with all parties • Collection and exchange of models • Collection of good-practice models in partner countries (Finland, the Netherlands, Belgium, Hungary, Austria) • Definition of critical success factors for the placement of people with disabilities • Definition of new solutions for the work of the stakeholders

19. (4) Transnational Network • Development of instruments to create awareness • Generation of a tool box (book on success stories, brochure on win-win situations) • Provision of an international website promoting the creation of awareness

20. (5) National Network • Goals • Models to implement new offers with service providers • Elaboration of arguments for the benefit of professional integration of people with disabilities • Innovative offers for implementation within government aid program • Model development • Collection of new offers for service providers • Further preparation of concrete offers • Definition of a change management process for service providers

21. (5) National Network • Elaboration of arguments concerning benefit • Collection of win-win information (companies, people with disabilities) • Elaboration of concrete arguments concerning benefit as the decision makers see it