Introduction

A group of young people with disabilities demand actions in terms of employment and accessibility from the general director of inclusion of the Junta de Andalucía.According to the INE in 2019, the unemployment rate of young people with disabilities is higher than that of other young people without disabilities in Spain, reaching up to 58%.

A group of young people with disabilities demand actions in terms of employment and accessibility from the general director of inclusion of the Junta de Andalucía.According to the INE in 2019, the unemployment rate of young people with disabilities is higher than that of other young people without disabilities in Spain, reaching up to 58%.

The presentation of the proposals that improve initiatives promoted by the government in terms of employment and accessibility for people with disabilities, has been the objective of this event held in Seville, April 13th 2021 by the Provincial Federation of Associations of People with Physical and Organic Disabilities of Seville (COCEMFE Seville), through the Erasmus + program co-financed by the European Union.

It was a meeting in which a group of young people with different disabilities has raised their voice to fight for equal opportunities, and has been heard by the general director of People with Disabilities and Inclusion of the Ministry of Equality, Social Policies and Conciliation of the Junta de Andalucía, Marcial Gómez Balsera.

“Employment, accessibility and participation of young people with disabilities” is the title of this conference, framed within the project Empowering youth without limits (Empowering young people without limits). A dialogue meeting, based on the development of policies that would improve employment conditions, accessibility and participation in public life for young people with disabilities.

The young people have intervened one by one exposing their concerns and experiences in different areas, such as their difficulties when accessing a job and training, as well as solutions.

Likewise, they have expressed the barriers they find in their profiles, such as the low level of formal education and professional qualification, family overprotection, lack of information on disability, fear of losing benefits, low motivation, low socioeconomic status, lack of access to resources in rural areas, lack of universal accessibility, discrimination against women or the absence of the personal assistant profile. They have also pointed out the obstacles present in the educational, labor and social environment, such as the lack of adapted educational resources in training, the lack of provision of training courses for employment, insufficient counselling, the lack of knowledge of most of the technical staff of the public administrations in regarding on disability, the lack of agility in processing subsidies, or the shortage of scholarships. Regarding the needs in companies, they have highlighted information and awareness, involvement, knowledge of laws, control of Special Employment Centers or incentives.

In addition, they have made 14 recommendations such as: improving educational resources; the budget allocation, adaptation and accessibility of training; information, awareness and counselling ; increased staffing in labor inspection; the streamlining of all procedures; awareness campaigns; information to companies; improvement of programs; the creation of collective agreements; attention to associations; the adaptation and accessibility of resources and means; specific plans for women; contemplating the persona profile assistant; and include the profile of the mediating agent.

On behalf the General Director of inclusion of the Junta de Andalucía, he highlighted some related issues discussed. Among them, “there are only 13 beneficiaries of the provision of personal assistance in Andalusia” and that, in effect, a decree that regulates it in the autonomous community has already been processed. He also pointed out that the General Directorate “works hand in hand with the Andalusian Institute for Women”, has addressed the financing of the entities’ programs and the promotion of relations with them, among others.
The president of the NGO, COCEMFE Sevilla, Juan José Lara Ortiz, has informed the participants that the Federation has four employment units dedicated to people at Risk of Social Exclusion, Sensory disabilities, the unemployed People in general, and Physical and Organic disabilities; highlighting the importance of these resources and encouraging the use of resources as support. The president of the Sevilla Nautical Club, Alicia Caballero Julia, was also present.

To end the day, the young people got on board a boat navigating the Guadalquivir River, and had a lunch at the Club’s facilities.

The activity has had great support and collaboration from the Club Náutico de Sevilla, which has provided part of its facilities, services, staff and the boat for the nautical activity. This, together with the presence of the political authority of the Junta de Andalucía and the participation of young people, have made the development of the initiative possible, for which COCEMFE Sevilla expresses its gratitude.