Seventh Framework The People Programme DREAM PROJECT Toward Economic Independence Towards Effective Employment Policies for Persons with Disabilities Betul Yalcin Marie Curie Fellow at University of Leeds School of Sociology and Social Policy

UN-CRPD UN-CRPD- Article 27 “To promote the employment of persons with disabilities in the private sector though appropriate policies and measures which may include affirmative action programs, incentives and other measures “ EU Disability Strategy “ ‘ improve the employment situation of women and men with disabilities through recognition of their right to work including the right to the opportunity to gain a living by work freely chosen or accepted in a labor market and work environment that is open, inclusive and accessible ”

ESR 5: Toward Effective Employment Policies for persons with Disabilities. Objective How the non-discrimination ideals interact with positive action measures to enhance employability of persons with disabilities. Tasks  Examine different policy mechanisms and incentives  Examine implementation  Investigate ‘what works’

Current Situation Person with Disabilities  Employment rate od disabled persons is lower than non disabled counterparts  Employed in low paid, low skilled jobs for shorter period of time  Benefit levels and coverage are reduced.  Higher poverty risk States  Compensation policies are replaced with integration policies  Inactivity rate is still high  Disability related expenditures are increasing  Unjustified failure cannot be monitored Employer  Employer attitudes/prejudice towards persons with disabilities  Concerns about the their business  Concerns about cost of hiring persons with disabilities

ESR- 5 Project Title Active Labor Market Policies for Persons with Disabilities: Perspectives of Employers, Persons with Disabilities and their Colleagues Aim  To examine the activation policies for persons with disabilities in a number of European Countries  The interpretation of activation policies of objects of the policies  The i mplementation of activation policies of objects of the policies  The influence of recent global crisis on interpretation and implementation of activation policies addressing for persons with disabilities

Research Methodology  Research Question In what ways countries differ in terms of activation policies for people with disabilities? In what ways employers, persons with disability and their colleagues differ in their interpretation of active labor market policies? In what ways employers, persons with disabilities and their colleagues differ in their implementation of active labor market policies? How do employers, persons with disabilities and their colleagues interpretation and implementation is influenced by perceived risks created by recent global crisis? What works and how its works in the practice?

Research Methodology Country Selection OECD Disability typology Existence or Absence of Quota System Turkey, UK, Belgium, Ireland, Germany, Netherlands Literature Review  OECD Reports  UNCRPD Reports  Shadow Reports  ANED Reports Quantitative  Questionnaire Survey  100 SME*6 Country*( Employer, Persons with Disabilities and their Colleague) Qualitative In-depth  Semi-Structured Interview  5 SME*6 Country* 3 Interviewee (Employer, Person with Disabilities and Colleague)

Implications Information on `what work` The implementation of activation policies in different disability policy typologies Information on effect of mandatory and non-mandatory employment measures The interpretation of objects of policies Information about the individual responses towards activation policies Information about the social context of activation policies Information on the effect of global crises on perceived risk is influenced by perceived risks created by recent global crises Implications about deterministic nature of activation policies

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION Betul Yalcin