This website has been developed with assistance from the EU Leonardo De Vinci Education and Culture fund.

The main purpose of the site is to assist those organisations and individuals who provide help and support to enable people with disadvantages to live more fulfilled lives by gaining full participation in the workforce and obtaining social inclusion through employment.

The European Union of Supported Employment promotes the following definition of Supported Employment:

“Providing support to people with disabilities or other disadvantaged groups
 to secure and maintain paid employment in the open labour market”

Principles of Supported Employment:
That the primary aim of human services is to promote individual rights, human dignity and create opportunities for integrated social and economic inclusion.

All individuals can achieve social and economic inclusion through employment opportunities.

All individuals have the right to make self-determined decisions and choices about their employment.

Many individuals need varying degrees of support to enable them to fulfil their employment aspirations and meet the employer’s needs.

All individuals should be entitled to the same pay and conditions, and have access to the same learning and career development opportunities, as their non-disadvantaged co-workers.

• Find jobs that suit their aspirations and abilities
• Successfully learn the skills and routines of the jobs they obtain
• Develop career paths in line with personal aspirations and abilities
  

Who is the site for?
Supported Employment is now recognised worldwide as a profession, which requires a unique use of skills and strategies. This site aims to bring together professionals, service users, carers, parents and teachers working on Supported Employment. It is aimed at:

• those wishing to exchange ideas and good practice in Supported Employment
• those wishing to find out more about Supported Employment
• those wishing to undertake training and qualifications in Supported Employment
• those wishing to provide staff training and support in Supported Employment

Two awards have been developed, (see diagram below)

A Certificate in Supported Employment aimed at providing learning opportunities and a recognised qualification for people who have fairly recently started working in organisations who provide Supported Employment services or are seeking to establish such services.  

A Diploma in Supported Employment, aimed at developing the knowledge and skills of individuals who already work in Supported Employment agencies or have a senior role in developing Supported Employment.

Learning support materials and other guidance is provided in Polish, Czech, Estonian, Hungarian and English.

Candidates on the programmes will be:

• in need of access to a computer with internet links
• allocated a secure personal learning account with a pin number and password
• allocated a personal tutor to communicate in their home language
• have access online to a range of learning and support materials
• be able to submit online assignments and evidence for course assessment and receive feedback and assessment decisions from their tutors
• have access to course chat rooms and forums which will enable them to network with other candidates undertaking the programmes across all the countries participating

• the values and principles underpinning Supported Employment including self determination
• helping individuals to identify their interests, aspirations and needs together with their strengths, skills, abilities and potential 5through the process of Vocational Profiling
• assisting individuals at realistic Action Plans which will help them achieve their aims, hopes and aspirations
• job finding processes and techniques together with appropriate job matching
• designing appropriate learning and support packages including on and off the job training where appropriate and involving person centred planning approaches
• implementing Action Plans through providing support and working with employers where appropriate as well as the community.
• Providing ongoing support to employees and employers through effective monitoring and evaluation processes
• Evaluating your own performance and effectiveness and developing your own knowledge and skills in supporting individuals with disabilities or disadvantages
  

Please Note:
Only a limited number of places are available on each programme in each country (Czech Republic, Poland, Estonia, Hungary)

If you are unable to secure a place on this pilot project, we will advise you on how to access the programme at a later date. Email us at enquiries@normanmackie.com  

Award Structure Overview: