Includ-ed, red europea de educación inclusiva

The event “Without barriers to working life - good practices and challenges in the transition from higher education institution to working life” was held on Tuesday 2th February 2014 at JAMK University of Applied Sciences Jyväskylä. During the event experts and speakers told about different kinds supporting employment, crossing barriers to working life and customizing working conditions.

Mrs. Nina Nevala, Professor in The University of Jyväskylä and The Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH), told that Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is coordinating a national Programme (years 2013 – 2015), which has produced a concept for allowing people with partial work ability. In 2011 almost 260,500 people were on a disability pension in Finland, and in 2012 about 92.000 disabled and chronically ill job-seekers. As a result of a survey, made for disabled people's organizations, just over a third of their members have an excellent or good work ability, a little less than half are willing and able to work. As summarizing the review: there is moderate evidence that a targeted adjustment of working conditions (like professional advice and guidance, training, working time arrangements, etc.) will support disabled people to remain in working life and reduce the cost. Information about barrier-free workplace website, http://www.ttl.fi/esteetontyoelama., also material in English.

The theme of Education policy officer Ms. Sari Kokko, Finnish Federation of the Visually Impaired (FFVI) was Highly educated, visually impaired in working life. She had statistics about the Finnish Register of Visual Impairment (maintained by FFVI, subject to the National Institute for Health and Welfare). It has information about educational situation among registered visually impaired, 15 – 64 years old persons in Finland according to National Cencus compaired with the whole population. The percentage of visually impaired people with secondary education qualification has for many years been about 40 – 46 %. By year 2010 it jumped to 55 per cent, which is more than among whole 15 to 64-year-population (42%). The proportion of visually Impaired with higher education has started to decline and has returned to the year 1988 level, when the proportion was 5%. The difference between groups is now 25 percentage points. At the same time, of those visually impaired who had higher education qualification, 70 % had full or in part time work in 2010, of those have secondary education qualification 51%, and of basic education qualification24 %. She said that young, 15 – 16 old students with poor eyesight are often underachiever at school. They want to be like others, so at school they keep their necessary devices in their backpacks. For many visually impaired training opportunities in higher education are more extensive than in vocational education. 15 to 16 year visually impaired students need encouragement, because upper secondary school is challenging. Closest friends and relatives are important, but also guidance counselors should recognize those students potential. It’s very is a very worrying trend, that visually impaired’s educational level and employment possibilities are lower than other population has and still declining. The higher the education, the better the chance to get employment. On the website of Finnish Federation of the Visually Impaired is a professional database. The Bank shows how visually impaired people are working in a wide range of occupations. The Database is especially for young people choosing their professional career and many others (in Finnish, http://www.nkl.fi/fi/etusivu/palvelut_nakovammaisille/tyo/ammattitietopa...).

Mrs. Kirsi Elg, Specialist, Employment Service Centre, Jyväskylä, Central Finland Employment and Economic Development Office (TE services). She told about last organizational change in TE services, which have been divided into three sectors, according to expertise and skills customers have and support available. Finnish Act on Public Employment and Business Service entered into force on 1.1.2013. This reform meant that people with partial work ability and disability pension could register and get services all TE services as job seekers. Available are all TE services (like recruitment, job search training , career coaching, work and training trials, labor market training, studies supported by unemployment benefit, wage subsidy, job coaching, Subsidy for arranging working conditions). One new service is Job coaching, which can be used at the beginning of the employment relationship, to support to adapt to the workplace. Work tryout is used, if someone has been long time out of the labor market. Subsidy for arranging working conditions has been increased. The employer can get subsidy for arranging working conditions or re-organization tasks, because of some person's disability or long-term illness. These arrangements can be new tools or furniture, workplace modifications or assistance from another employee. Subsidy for arranging working conditions may receive up to 4.000 € per person. It’s requested by the Employment and Economic Development Office in whose jurisdiction the workplace is located. In assessing the need for support TE Office takes into account injury or illness as a result of injury, and the employer's financial position. Mrs. Elg told, however, that Subsidy for arranging working conditions is still little known and used form of support.

The theme of Mr. Veijo Turpeinen was Dyslexia - coping strategies with studying. It’s typical to have both reading and writing difficulties, but this do not mean inability to read or write. Those difficulties are reflected in reading and listening comprehension and productive writing. Data processing in learning situations is laborious and binds a great deal of student’s resources, which is reflected in the volatility of performance. Students may compensate for their dyslexia in other learning subjects and have strengths in mathematics or in visual expression, etc. Dyslexia can cause self-esteem problems, underachievement and lack of trying. This may appear on the student's activities as dismiss, hastiness or slowness, negligence and conduct disorders. These students need genuine and honest feedback, it’s important to get more subsequent experiences of success. They should get to tell what they perceives learning as a factor to slow or even an obstacle to learning. Examples of assistive devices include voice recorder, camera, mobile phone, communicator, audio system, DVD, GPS device, PC, training programs, audio books, scanning pen, reading scanner, color transparencies, and rulers with colors.

In this event was used Learning Café, as a method for conversation and know-how creation. First we divided into smaller groups and heard examples of various support forms in employment and education form of assistance. Finally we brought up ideas and issues that were raised, as well finished the event.