After 22 months of COVID-19, in Portugal, it is noticable that the pandemic has had a tremendous negative impact on health, economy and society, in local communities, and at a national level, causing significant political and social disruption. People with disabilities are among the most affected. In this context, measures are being taken at different intervention levels in order to reduce social and economic inequalities which have widened during the Coronavirus pandemic.
At a national level, the National Strategy for the Inclusion of People with Disabilities for the period 2021-2025 was approved through the Resolution of the Council of Ministers no. 119/2021 of 31 August. This strategy is intended to consolidate the progress achieved so far and to look to the future, always bearing in mind the strengthening of the commitment to the inclusion of people with disabilities, assumed by the Government as one of the priorities of its governmental action and as a corollary of a society that strives to be fairer, more caring, that respects diversity and sees it as a factor of wealth and progress.
At a regional level, it is worth to mention two initiatives promoted at the Centre Region. Firstly, in June 2021, the Aveiro University opened an adapted course for people with disabilities, “Multidisciplinary Studies Individual Programme”. This is a unique course in Portugal that will allow the integration of people with cognitive difficulties in higher education, improving their employability and civic participation. Secondly, in July 2021, the municipality of Figueira da Foz created a network with partners from the third sector in order to integrate people with disabilities in the labour market. Basically, the network aims to ensure full access to employment for people with long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory disabilities, promoting new solutions in a complementary logic to traditional answers.
In the second half of 2021, the pandemic situation has significantly improved due to the speeding up of the vaccination process. In this favorable context, the pace of LEAD project activities has naturally increased, although face-to-face support has continued to be difficult to manage.
Therefore, the LEAD team in Portugal are satisfied with the results achieved. We can report that on the 30th of September 2021, 122 young Portuguese adults with disabilities looking for a job were registered as beneficiaries on the LEAD project and got involved in the employment programme. Of these, 42 are involved in the Supported Employment programme and 13 already employed.
Also, our colleagues from Portugal have continued to organise experience exchanges between young adults with disabilities looking for a job and potential employers. Consequently, between April and September 2021, four such meetings took place in Moita and Barreiro. These events facilitated interactions, and built natural relationships between employers and potential employees, increasing employment opportunities for young adults with disabilities. Seven employers and 15 young people attended these meetings.
The Consultis team considers that the activity of spreading information about the Supported Employment methodology, its advantages, and implications is particularly relevant within the scope of the LEAD project. It is envisaged to promote this methodology in Portugal, through various activities, with the aim of ensuring its implementation by other entities.
In this context, both Portuguese Centres – The Integrated Centre of Resources in Supported Employment, and The Centre of Supported Employment Services – deliver consultancy and diseminate information to employers and human resources specialists to raise awareness on general issues concerning disability at the workplace. This is a particularly successful activity. Up to the 30th of September 2021, 78 organisations / companies from different regions of Portugal (from the Porto metropolitan area to the Centre and South Regions) benefited from consultancy services, provided by Consultis specialists in this way. In parallel, 22 employers and human resources specialists had the opportunity to attend two training sessions organised by the Consultis team in September 2021 in order to prepare them to include young adults with disabilities in their teams, as employees.
At the same time, the process of expanding the National Network of Supported Employment Services Providers has continued. This Network was created in February 2019 in order to facilitate the implementation of Supported Employment methodology throughout the country and to ensure the exchange of information between professionals in the field. According to our colleagues from Consultis, so far 33 organisations from different regions of Portugal have joined the National Network.
The Portuguese LEAD team has been informing the representatives of public authorities and the members of the civil society about the role of the National Network of Supported Employment Services Providers: raising the level of community awareness on Supported Employment services and demonstrating that young adults with disabilities are able and are willing to work. Until the 30th of September 2021, 120 representatives of public authorities and 3,974 members of the civil society (young adults with disabilities, members of their families, employers, representatives of non-governmental organisations, VET and CVET centres representatives) were informed about the opportunities offered by the LEAD project, and the action of the National Network of Supported Employment Services Providers. Our colleagues also worked with the municipalities from the Braga and Viana do Castelo districts, in order to raise awareness and articulate the issues of disability.
