By Grete Wangen, Senior Advisor, AFI/HIOA The Role of Interdisciplinary Professions in Work Inclusion/Supported Employment, or: Do we need Professions in Work Inclusion? By Grete Wangen, Senior Advisor, AFI/HIOA

In my brief search for sources… Could not find literature specifically on the role of the professions in Work Inclusion Extensive literature on the role of occupational therapists in Return to Work Articles on interdisciplinary collaboration in child care, mental health, old age etc., not on work specifically Work Inclusion/Supported Employment: Literature focus on skills, knowledge, abilities, competencies, and other characteristics rather than on the role of the professions as such Grete Wangen, March 2017

Some will argue that… The best employment specialists are the «half studied robbers», not the trained professionals Those without the predispositions formed through the education system Those with the best abilities to engage and establish relationships with employers and job seekers Those with knowlegde about working life Grete Wangen, March 2017

From the literature Harvey et al., (2013): «Understanding the Competencies needed to Customize Jobs. A Competency Model for Customized Employment» Positive and open approach to life were rated as the most important KSAO (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other characteristics), closely followed by: Customized job development CE components process Respecting and relating to others Grete Wangen, March 2017

More from the literature Tilson and Simonsen (2013): «The Personnel Factor» Four distinct attributes for professionals working with youth in transition from school to work 1. Principled optimism Genuine belief in the capabilities of the job seekers and a responsibility to empower them 2. Strong cultural competence The values, norms and traditions that affect how individuals of a particular group perceive, think, interact, behave, and make judgments about their world Having awareness of the context in which the youth lives and acts The selection was 20 employment specialists working with transition for youth. 11 had a BSc, 6 a Msc degree. They looked into what competencies that have been identified in various institutions, ie Ass for persons in SE (APSE) and Training Resource Network (TRN). They summarised these as the «mechanics» of the work, and wanted to see if there are other attributes beyond the mechanics that are important to get successful employment specialists and ultimately more people in jobs. Grete Wangen, March 2017

The Personnel Factor, contd. 3. Business oriented professionalism Understanding what motivates businesses and having a commitment to high personal standards for professional behaviour that mirrors effective business practices Knowing employers’ needs and how to offer solid customer service 4. Networking savvy The ability to connect with people and resources to create and access opportunities Grete Wangen, March 2017

Knowledge and skills in Work Inclusion/Supported Employment The work place is the main arena for learning and development Support people to quickly access work Facilitate for mastery in a work context Recognising that motivation is influenced by contextual factors, and is not an individual trait Knowledge about what influence and inspire employers to recruit Knowledge on how to support both the employer, co- workers and the employee – a working relationship Knowledge and skills on how to facilitate natural supports in the work place Grete Wangen, March 2017

Why interdisciplinary professions in work inclusion? People do not belong to a «sector», they are «whole» persons We meet different professions in different areas of life The transitions from one life area to the next could be more seamless if the disciplines have knowledge about work inclusion Work takes up the biggest part of adult life – should therefore be on the agenda from early on in life Grete Wangen, March 2017

Training for professionals Better to learn than to unlearn Work Inclusion early in crossdisciplinary Bachelor programs Compulsory, not optional A strong focus on how to work with employers Attributes can be learned, are not trait characteristics Learning by doing Reflection in action Grete Wangen, March 2017

Do we need Interdisciplinary Professions in Work Inclusion/Supported Employment? If yes; How do we develop an educational system that provides for a knowledge base early in the BSc programs? What should be generic knowledge, what should be specialised skills development? How do we ensure that research on Supported Employment/Place then Train is fed into education? How do we facilitate for the best skills training in academic institutions? Grete Wangen, March 2017