8th International Conference on Higher Education And Disability - Innsbruck Austria Enhancing Transition to Work for S

1. 8th International Conference on Higher Education And Disability - Innsbruck Austria Enhancing Transition to Work for Students with Disabilities A Guidance Methodology This presentation will give an overview of an innovative Leonardo Project entitled Univers 'Emploi. The project aimed to enhance the employability of students with high end disabilities utilising a holistic guidance methodology on a sample of 80 students across four partner countries. Mary O’Grady Disability Support Officer/Head of Service University College Cork Ireland

2. Partners in the Project • INS HEA institute (France) • Savoir et Compétences Formation (France) • University of Aarhus (Denmark) • Trinity College Dublin (Ireland) • University College Cork (Ireland) • University of Rome “ForoItalico” (Italy) Further Information - http://www.inshea.fr/ http://www.ucc.ie/en/dss/projects/leonardo/

3. Outline of Presentation • The Irish Perspective – Reason for Participation • Determining the challenges for students with disabilities • Engagement with External Agencies • The Mentoring Process and Quotes from Participants • Project Evaluation – Benefits & Challenges for Students • Project Evaluation – Learning Outcomes for Irish Universities • The Future –Focus on sustainability • Embedding employment context into the support framework for students with disabilities

4. Reason for Participation in Univers’ Emploi Project – Irish Perspective • Currently 15% unemployment in Ireland • Highest rate of unemployment amongst 25 – 30 year age group • Significant increase in number of students with disabilities in Higher Education over last four years • Currently, 8,000 students with disabilities participating in Higher Education. (AHEAD Survey 2011/12) • Challenges experienced by Graduates with Disabilities • Particular challenges experienced by graduates with physical and sensory disabilities seeking employment

5. Ireland - Profile of Participants Category of Disability

6. Ireland - Profile of Participants Area of Study

7. Participation in Univers’ Emploi Pathways towards Employment---- Irish Perspective • UCC and TCD hosted one day Workshop- “Get Ready for Work” to ascertain the employment challenges experienced by final year students with disabilities in transitioning towards employment • 26 students participated across the two HEIs Students outlined key challenges as both workplace and personal . They were as follows: • Managing Disclosure • Preparation for the Interview process. • Understanding work place culture and dynamic of the work environment. • Managing disability in the workplace • Organising reasonable accommodations • Managing poor self esteem/ stress and anxiety in the workplace

8. Engagement with External Agenciesas part of Univers’ Emploi Project Pathways towards Employment • UCC and TCD engaged with Employability Services and the Association Higher Education Access and Disability (AHEAD) to assist the HEIs in creating Pathways to Employment Employability Services – Cork and Dublin– Who are they? Agencies that: • Promote employment rights and independence for people with disabilities. • Empower people with disabilities to find paid employment and develop their career. • Provide a recruitment advice and employment support service for the Business Community. • Promote mainstream access to the Irish labour market for graduates with disabilities. AHEAD • Promotes access and participation in Higher Education • Enhances employment prospects for graduates • WAM – Mentored Work Placement programme • For more information on AHEAD please see www.ahead.ie

9. Mentoring Process in Univers’ Emploi • Disability Service staff liaised with Employability Services to engage with Employment Mentors that would best compliment needs of students • Students were matched with Mentors according to the following criteria: • Area of Study • Student Background and Experience • Employment Interests • Gender • Age

10. Monitoring of the Mentoring Process • Employability Services and the Disability Services in UCC and TCD liaised regularly with Employment Mentors to ensure that students were benefiting from the mentoring process and that Pathways to Employment were being created for participants • If the mentoring process was unsuccessful, the student was liaised with an alternative Employment Mentor • Focus Groups were held with Employment Mentors, Employability Services, Disability Services and Students to get feedback • Feedback collected across partner countries and recommendations recorded in final report— • Web link to Report: http://www.inshea.fr/

11. Quotes from Student Participants • “This project has been a really worthwhile experience and I have learned a lot about the importance of good communication skills and self presentation in the workplace as part of the process.” (UCC Participant) • “I found all stakeholders to be really supportive, particularly my Employment Mentor. She has knowledge of disability issues and was able to advise me on approaches to disclosure as well as the culture of the work environment.” ( TCD Participant) • “I have been given a lot of advice on job hunting, employability skills, disclosure and supports. Now I need to go out into the world and put it into practice!” (UCC Participant) • “It focused my mind. Transition planning can be easy to put off. It has given me more job seeking tools and I have more avenues to pursue after graduation.” ( UCC Participant)

12. Evaluation of Univers’ EmploiIrish Perspective • Benefit for Student: Students enhanced employability skills as part of mentoring process: • Goal clarification • Using social media and information technology in job seeking process • CV and application process • Interview process • Managing disclosure • Understanding of work place culture • Understanding of dynamics of work place 40% of participants in the project were offered further employment opportunities • Challenges for Student: • Difficulties committing to the project, mentoring process and dealing with demands of final year of degree programme • Many students underestimated the amount of mentoring/career coaching necessary to enhance employment

13. Evaluation of Univers’ EmploiIrish Perspective Learning Outcomes for both HEIs--UCC & TCD • Deeper understanding of the need for employment focus for students with high end disabilities • Cross fertilisation of ideas and approaches to enhance employment– e.g. utilisation of Danish model of assessment across partner countries • Need for inclusion of employment focus as part of needs assessment • Development of career planning for students with disabilities throughout the student journey • Engagement with external agencies such as employability services and AHEAD to source work placement opportunities for graduates with disabilities

14. The FutureEmbedding Employment focus Pre Entry to Higher Education: • Begin employment focus as part of pre entry activities • Enhance careers information for all prospective students with disabilities and their parents/teachers: • Students with disabilities need to make appropriate choices to improve successful transition to employment In Higher Education: • Build employability focus into needs assessment process • Promote participation in career planning workshops from year one • Engage with Placement Officers to promote understanding of needs of students with disabilities in transition to employment • Source work placement for students who don’t have work experience as part of core module Transition to Employment: • Engage with agencies to build on work shadowing/ work placement/ volunteer work opportunities for all students and in particular students with sensory, physical disabilities and those on the autism spectrum

15. Contact Details Mary O Grady Disability Support Officer & Head of Service University College Cork Phone: 021-4902985 E Mail: mogrady@reg.ucc.ie Web: www.ucc.ie/dss