GROUP DISCUSSION We need a new funding

system for Supported Employment Services in

EuropeFernando Bellver + Regina Richardson, EUSE + AESE + EMPLEA Foundation

Rationale based on international treaties:

UNCRPD, ILO, UE, EUSE, CEA, Constitution of States

Facts & Practice

Answers of 11 countries to the Questionnaire on the funding system of

Supported Employment (SE)

How are SE services funded?

By Regional/Local

programmes29%

By National Government programmes

48%

By Donations or Charity

funds23%

What scenarios do we find?

By Regional/Local

programmes29%

By National Government programmes

48%

By Donations or Charity

funds23%

7%

21%

72%Public

EmploymentService (PES):

RegionalAdministration

Body:

Local CityCouncil:

How can a person obtain the support she/he needs to gain

open employment?

51%

30%

15%

4%

•Through a privatecommunity-based service:

•Through the PublicEmployment Service:

•Through other publicbody:

•Through a shelteredemployment centre:

For how long can a person be in receipt of SE

services?•There is no

regulation on this

(32%)

•Time limited (6-18 months)

36%

•Any length of time

according to the client

needs (32%)

How do private organisations

maintain their SE services?•By charging

the services to the clients

9%

•Application to private

competitive call for tenders

12%

•Through the personal

budget of the clients12%

•Through donations and fund raising

activities 29%

•Application to public

competitive call for tenders

38%

How often does a private SE service

have to apply for public funds?

80%

13%7%

•Every year •Every 3 years •Other

Appraisal of public funds allocated for SE services

•Are uncertain

and insufficient

47%

•Are sufficient,

secure and stable10%•Much less

than those allocated for

sheltered employment

43%

Satisfaction with the legal framework for Supported

Employment

•Yes (12%)

•No, can be improved

(88%)

Funding system - Things to avoid

• Competitive call for tenders system• To look for funding every year• To consider SE as a temporary

programme• Time limited support services• Bureaucratic workload• Funding system insufficient and

uncertain• To require the service providers a

permanent growing to get funding

Proposal for a new funding system

• To fund the support services through a Supported Employment Labour Contract (SELC)

• Any employer should use this legal tool when he/she decides to hire a worker with disability + support needs

• Any worker with support needs is entitled to be hired by any employer in the open labour market

• The SELC has specific terms, requirements and advantages for employers and the other actors

Key elements of the SELC

• Regulated by the State• Target group – PWD + support needs (3

levels)• Public Employment Service is involved• Any employer may sign this kind of contract• The employer pays the invoice of support

services• The employer deducts this invoice from

his/her Social Security invoice monthly• The employer may have other incentives

SELabour

Contract

Ministry ofLabour

Social Security

Ministry ofSocial Welfare

Pays invoiceof labour support

monthly

PES monitorsSELC terms

1) 350 €2) 250 €3) 150 €

Pays invoiceof social support

ServiceProvider

2 Agreements

Funded throughemployer

Employer

Ministry ofSocial Welfare

Payment byemployment

outcomes

Employer

1 Agreement

Hires his/her ownJob Coach

ServiceProvider

Pays invoiceof labour support

services

Social Securityincentives or pays

this staff

Deducts thisinvoice from

his SocialSecurityinvoice

Practical Case

Foundation inBarcelona

A month

8 1) 350 € = 2,80012 2) 250 € = 3,000 30 3) 150 € = 4,500

10,300 €

5 Job Coaches

50 pwd hiredIn companies

SELC

State’s invoice for 50 people w d

Integrated Employment SELC (1- €350, 2- €250, 3- €150)

Day CentresSheltered Workshops1 pax = €964/month

10,300 € / month

48,200 € / month

Advantages of the SELC

• It is a steady funding system, simple and generalised for every person who needs it

• It involves the employer as the main actor of labour inclusion

• It involves the PES to promote real and integrated employment

• It allows service providers to maintain services and employment without having to apply for funds all the time

• It is much cheaper for the State than maintaining dependent pensioners inactive citizens

• It is a fair system because any person can be supported whenever he/she needs it

• The money follows the person• It proves that a State improves

its policies according to the UNCRPD

Advantages of the SELC

Conclusions

• Supported Employment is not well funded in the vast majority of countries

• Practitioners are not satisfied with the legal framework of Supported Employment

• The SELC can be a positive discrimination legal tool to generalise integrated employment

• It should be adopted by the States to meet the mandate of UNCRPD

THANKS A LOT FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION

Fernando Bellverfernando@euse.org