The inclusion under the European view

1. The inclusion under the European view Stefano Schena, October 2005

2. THE EUROPEAN UNION EU members and when they joined: 1952 Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands 1973 Denmark, Ireland, United Kingdom 1981 Greece 1986 Portugal, Spain 1995 Austria, Finland, Sweden 2004 Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia Stefano Schena, 24th October 2005

3. THE EUROPEAN PLATFORM FOR REHABILITATION A transnational network in rehabilitation • The European Platform for Rehabilitation (EPR) is a network of leading European providers of rehabilitation services to people with disabilities and others who are disadvantaged. • These services include: • vocational training and reintegration in the open labour market, • medical rehabilitation; • social care. Stefano Schena, 24th October 2005

4. E.P.R. ACTIVITIES Services to the members Public Affairs Professional development Research & Innovation • Training Programmes • Accreditation • Influence policy • Gather information • EU funding • EU policies • Public relations • Strategic workshop • General seminar Stefano Schena, 24th October 2005

5. EPR Full members EPR Associate members Pulmonary Association Heli, Finland RehabCare, Ireland AVRE, Norway NTDI, Ireland Astangu, Estonia Rehab UK, United Kingdom Stichting Revalidatie Limburg, the Netherlands Institute for Rehabilitation, Slovenia SRH Learnlife AG, Germany The Cedar Foundation, Northern Ireland Josefs Gesellschaft, Germany Heliomare, the Netherlands Opera Don Calabria, Italy Pluryn Werkenrode, the Netherlands CRM, France Promi, Spain CRPG, Portugal The Theotokos Foundation, Greece Fundosa Grupo, Spain Stefano Schena, 24th October 2005

6. THE CONCEPT OF SOCIAL INCLUSION IN THE EUROPEAN UNION • There is NO an EU definition of the term 'social inclusion”- it was found to be too difficult to come to a consensus on a brief definition. • Some of the assessment will be based on personal experience and is qualitative rather than quantative. • Positive approach Stefano Schena, 24th October 2005

7. THE CONCEPT OF SOCIAL INCLUSION IN THE EUROPEAN UNION • Priority for the European Union • Promotion of social cohesion and eradication of social exclusion • National action plans for social inclusion Stefano Schena, 24th October 2005

8. THE CONCEPT OF SOCIAL INCLUSION IN THE EUROPEAN UNION Key concepts: • Participation • Equal opportunities • Mainstreaming Stefano Schena, 24th October 2005

9. THE CONCEPT OF SOCIAL INCLUSION IN THE EUROPEAN LEGAL DOCUMENTS Council conclusions of 1st and 2nd of December 2003 on the follow up of the European Year of People with Disabilities and the promotion of Equal Opportunities for People with Disabilities Commission of The European Communities COM(2003) 650 FINAL: Equal opportunities for people with disabilities: a European action plan EUROPEAN COMMISSION Employment strategy and European Social Fund policy development and co-ordination Brussels, 1/07/2005 EMPL/A/AK D(2005) Disability mainstreaming in the European Employment Strategy Stefano Schena, 24th October 2005

10. Council conclusions of 1st and 2nd of December 2003 on the follow up of the European Year of People with Disabilities and the promotion of Equal Opportunities for People with Disabilities Key concepts: “equal treatment in employment and occupation” “improvement of the quality of life and independence of people with disabilities” “access to comprehensive information, quality services and other organised care actions for all people with disabilities and their families” “quality life within the family” Stefano Schena, 24th October 2005

11. Commission of The European Communities COM(2003) 650 FINAL: Equal opportunities for people with disabilities: a European action plan Key concepts: “inclusion of pwd in an enlarged EU economy and society as a whole” “Equal treatment in Employment and Occupation Directive (2000/78/EC)” “reinforcing mainstreaming” “accessibility for all” “adequate participation of all stakeholders: Member States, social partners, civil society, etc.” Stefano Schena, 24th October 2005

12. EUROPEAN COMMISSION Employment strategy and European Social Fund policy development and co-ordination Brussels, 1/07/2005 EMPL/A/AK D(2005) Disability mainstreaming in the European Employment Strategy Key concepts: “labour market participation” “approach of mainstreaming” “The needs of disadvantaged people need to be taken into account in the design of all policies and measures, and that action for disadvantaged people is not limited to those policies and measures which are specifically addressing their needs” Stefano Schena, 24th October 2005

13. Social Inclusion Examples of good practices Successful mainstreaming of disability issues in relevant Community policies and existing processes - An example from a service providers HOMELINK project: PROMOTE DEVELOPMENT OF HUMAN CAPITAL AND LIFELONG LEARNING - Making distance learning useful for people with disabilities, by Training & Development Institute-NTDI (Dublin, Ireland). The aim of the project is to provide development opportunities to people who are home bound by bringing training and development to them. This is done through a combination of home visits, peer counselling, use of multimedia and open learning technology. Stefano Schena, 24th October 2005

14. Social Inclusion Examples of good practices Successful participation in the society and improvement of the quality of life - an example from the social sector: FREE TIME AGENCY: In Italy, the don Calabria Centre in Verona developed a service called “Free time agency - time for leisure, time for all” . The service, carried on with the support of the Publics and private institutions and with the association of the territory, aims to give an answer to need of some leisure time and fun activities of the people with disabilities. The purpose of the project is based on the idea that the time of a disable adult person should not be an “empty” time and the spare time should not only be spent in “special and different places”, but should be integrated in the normal leisure activities offered by the local community. Stefano Schena, 24th October 2005

15. Social Inclusion Examples of good practices The European Social Fund mainstream programmes and the Community initiative - some examples from members states: EQUAL, as the main financial tools through which the Community translates into action its aims as regards employment of people with disabilities, finance a wide range of actions for the integration of disabled people into the labour market and test innovative approaches on specific aspects of the integration into the labour market. In the framework of EQUAL's thematic activities, a number of good practices in this field which have already been developed by Member States in this area. The involvement of the Social Partners in all effort to improve the integration of disabled people into the labour market is equally important. Their recent initiatives at national level in this field include i.a. the sharing of best practices in Austria, recommendations for government policy in the UK and the establishment of a percentage target of disabled employees in the public sector in Denmark. Stefano Schena, 24th October 2005

16. Social Inclusion Examples of good practices The co-operation among public and private health and rehabilitation bodies, training organisations and enterprises' associations in a Development Partnerships (DPs) under the EQUAL programme: Access Ability in Dublin is an EQUAL DP that aims to maximise employment opportunities for disabled people by addressing the structural, attitudinal and policy issues which currently prevent employers from recognising the abilities of individuals. It has created a comprehensive package of services for employers that enables them to take on a person with a disability without any attendant concerns or administrative inconveniences by providing a complete package of training and consultancy services. In Germany, the joint initiative "JOB – Jobs ohne Barrieren" ("jobs without barriers") has been launched. The German Government, employers, trade unions, disability associations and organizations, institutions responsible for rehabilitation and other institutions and authorities at the regional and national level cooperate to promote the training and employment of people with disabilities. Stefano Schena, 24th October 2005

17. Thank you for your attention!