Highlights from the fourth ASEE Breakfast Meeting
Our fourth Breakfast Meeting was a members-only working session on one of ASEE’s most important current projects: the European guidelines on supported employment, being developed for the European Commission as part of the EU strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities.
Where we are
The guidelines are due in September. ASEE’s Interim Managing Director, Laura Jones, and the team presented the draft structure and invited members to say what was missing. The plan is to have a first draft ready by the end of June, leaving time for stakeholder feedback, including from the European Disability Platform.
What members helped us shape
The discussion focused on what the guidelines should cover and how they should read:
- A clear definition, including what supported employment is not, to distinguish it from sheltered employment, volunteering, reasonable accommodation and general employment support services.
- Core values and the five-stage process, with person-centred planning, strength-based approaches and the role of well-trained job coaches.
- Both sides of the equation. Employers and jobseekers should be treated as equal stakeholders.
- A wider audience, including social partners such as trade unions and employer organisations, while keeping the focus on people with disabilities.
- Evidence of impact, including research on the value and return on investment of supported employment.
- Real-life examples: case studies from individuals, employers and families, and from different countries, alongside examples of national legislation.
What happens next
Members are reviewing the draft presentation and sending in their feedback, along with national legislation templates and any relevant research. The ASEE team is also reaching out to members for case studies from across Europe. Upcoming sessions will look at disability employment packages and the Supported Employment Quality Framework.