Lessons learned from experience: case studies

1. Lessons learned from experience: case studies Inclusive Employment Title: Professional Integration of Persons with Disabilities in Bamako, Mali/ Consolidation Phase Countries: Bamako, Mali Specific thematic: Plateform for inclusive employment Presented by: Stéphanie Baux

2. Description of the good practices EIHD, a DPO specialized in livelihood, implements a platform with HI technical support, following a longstanding partnership that has developed a comprehensive mecanism to support employment The platform is a space for reception, listening, information, training and support persons with disabilities who wish to implement a career plan. Professionals provide services for this aim. Kinds of services offered:1. Support for the implementation of professional projects (livelihood or employment)2. Skills assessment and training in job search techniques, management, behavioral development,4. Information and publication of job offers,5. Cyberspace: Internet access, office Secretariat, Introduction to Computer6. Club for job search7. Business club for entrepreneurs For this, it is organized into three clusters according to the user needs: • A learning center • An entrepreneurship centrer • An employment center

3. Measures taken to overcome obstacles MEASURES • One-month training by an expert and regular meetings to exchange between professionals • One agent follows the entire course of a beneficiary • Workshop for research alternative financing to sustain the platform OBSTACLES: • Professionals have few personalized coaching skills • There is usually no continuum between training and employment in supporting job search • What sustainability of the platform in a context of crisis in Mali?

4. The most significant changes • a multi-stakeholder and multi-sector approach co-hosted by private and public services for training and employment in Mali such as the National Employment Agency and APEJ. • A local dynamic range by an association of people with disabilities • An innovative and structured approach to support people with disabilities in their careers plan • A multi service aera for the promotion of people with disabilities’ professional plan • A both individual and collective approach to empower beneficiaries After their schooling in a special school for hearing impaired, Abdoulaye and Malick did not have the opportunity to continue their studies (here in Mali, There is no specialized school over third grade). Thanks to partnerships of the project, they could benefit from a six-months training in tiling. They were supervised by a foreman supported by the PIPROPH agent. After his Master in Laws, Youssouf stayed a long time without work. Thanks to the platform, he found a six- months internship. He also had the opportunity to partici- pate in a training to become an inclusion agent. With this double experience, he was recruited by NGO ACTED in 2012. To facilitate its work, ACTED has supported the adaptation of a motorcycle. Thus, he moves smoothly and manages to execute the same activities as all other field wor-kers. He is also well integrated into the team.

5. How to duplicate or develop these practices? • Involving the state early in the project process • Enrolling in a comprehensive employment state policy • Building a strong participation of local, regional and national stakeholders is a success factors • Implement building capacities for all stakeholders on inclusion and employment support • Empowering benediciairies by a individual and collective approach • Establishing regular consultation meetings of stakeholders • Develop partnerships with business companies (big or short ones)

6. Summary of Key Points • The platform has a comprehensive approach of multi services and multi stakeholders • This individual and collective approach facilitate employment support and can concretise career plan • Like all the platform experimentation in Africa, it is unfortunately difficult to sustain, especially in the current context of Mali