Career guidance and counseling for young people with disabilities in Moldova and Romania has become a clearer and more feasible process, due to the training of professionals in this field and to the preparation of the school and family environment. During 2021, 637 people from both banks of the Prut River—students, teachers, professionals and parents—were trained in the fields of career guidance and the transition from school to work of young people with disabilities.
Seventy-six specialists from the Employment Agencies in Romania and Moldova participated in trainings on intermediation and mediation of access to the labor market for people with disabilities.
“We should continue to work to establish a dialogue between people with disabilities and employers. We must encourage people with disabilities, for them to realize that they can work, and we must motivate employers to hire people with disabilities. Lately, we are noticing that people with disabilities are eager to get employed, they are more available and more open to be employed than people who do not have a disability.”
Two hundred and twelve teachers, school psychologists, and specialists from the Psychopedagogical Assistance Services learned more about their role in career guidance and counseling, but also in achieving a more efficient transition from school to work for people with disabilities.
“In the educational and social inclusion of children with disabilities, the collaboration between teachers, parents, and psychologists is very important. Each child requires an individual approach, and if we all work in the same direction, things will change.”
One hundred and forty-four students, future social workers, psychologists, and psycho-pedagogues discussed the legal provisions in the field of counseling and career guidance of people with disabilities, aspects of professional self-determination, organization and operation of career guidance services. They particularly appreciated the examples of social inclusion or labor of people with disabilities.
“We hear about such examples, we learn theory, but when you see a concrete person who is employed and leads a full life in the community… these stories inspire us.”
“To accomplish the inclusion of people with disabilities is a difficult process, but there are possibilities for that. We hope to be able to change something for the better and help people with disabilities find a place in society. ”
Sixty-four professionals—teachers, institution managers, were trained as trainers in career counseling and guidance; subsequently, they will train future teachers from career counseling and guidance services, inclusive education services, and school psychologists.
“We want to promote the culture of inclusion in Moldova. It is important for people with disabilities to be included in an educational institution.”
“Every person with a disability has abilities – we focus on what the person can do, not what they can’t.”
77 specialists from the counseling and career guidance services of the National Agency for Employment participated in a Training of Trainers in career guidance for people with disabilities.
“We should not forget that people with disabilities Can and Want to work and we need to make an effort to help them get a job. People with disabilities have the right to an active life, to a job with facilities”.
64 parents of people with disabilities have learned how they can promote counseling and career guidance for people with disabilities. The parents appreciated that they met and were able to talk, exchange experiences, and learn new things from each other. They understood that they could increase their children’s chances of social inclusion.
“We, parents, have so far worked on our own. As long as we try to solve some problems on our own, we will not be heard. It would be better to gather more parents and to become a force. Then things will change – in the legislation, in terms of attitudes, and in terms of social inclusion. “
“I understand that it is POSSIBLE! Our children can be employed in the future, they only need to be properly guided. The most important thing is for them not to be isolated! ”
The trainings were organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Research of the Republic of Moldova, Republican Center for Psychopedagogical Assistance and State Pedagogical University “Ion Creangă”. The activities are organized within the Project “Cross-border partnership for inclusive career guidance” (2SOFT / 1.1 / 145), implemented by Keystone Moldova in partnership with “Close to You” Romania Foundation, financed by European Union through the Joint Operational Program Romania–Republic of Moldova 2014-2020, through the European Neighborhood Instrument (ENI).
For more information about the Project, please see: https://www.keystonemoldova.md/en/projects/cross-border-parternship-inclusive-career-guidance/
