Supported employment: Results after eight years applying a Chilean approach

Abstract

In Chile, the legal system establishes equal opportunities and social inclusion for individuals with disabilities. Even with that support, traditional approach to increase job opportunities for people with disabilities, it was not successful so far, because the focus was to keep them in schools and institutions, which are not open to the work environment ending up in a situation with a tremendous lack of integration to real jobs, and therefore to society.

In the year 2004, Arando Esperanza Foundation put in place a program which, has been quite successful measured on two key indicators:

• Percentage of people on the job after a year

• Ratio money spent for each individual ending in a job position

Main characteristics of the model applied are:

• There is a selection process for every position

• Family participates during the whole process

• Training is done by technicians in every subject, therefore is a team which prepare each person

• Training is done before starting the job, not on the job

• Workmates are considered natural supports and are prepared before a person starts on the job

• One of the workmates is trained as mentor. He works right beside the person.

• Follow up is done by a psychologist specialized in work environments.