Apdk

Innovation to inclusion

Bridging the gap of unemployment among persons with disability 

The challenge

According to ILO, the unemployment rate of persons with disability is 7.6% compared to 6% of person without disabilities (ILP,2022). People with Disabilities (PWDs) particularly those with hearing impairments and intellectual limitations lack access to waged employment or when employed, bear the entire burden of the cost of disability. In the same way, public and private institutions particularly businesses and technical training institutions often lack appropriate, programs and technology to support market-oriented skills to enhance access to meaningful waged employment and socio-economic empowerment of persons with disabilities(UNCRPD Article 27).

Solution

APDK implemented the Innovation to inclusion (i2i) project which was a 3-year mulita-country initiative funded by DFID and implemented both in Kenya and Bangladesh. The project was engaged through a triple nexus working with Government, Private sector and persons with Disability and their respective DPOs. In Kenya, APDK in collaborated with CBM and other consortium members (Andy, Leonard Cheshire, World Bank, ILO and Plan International) in implementing the program.

Soft skills training for men and women with disabilities

The key objective of the training was to Improve Knowledge and Enhance Life Skills and Employability Skills of 1000 men and women with disabilities to increase their meaningful inclusion in waged employment in the Private Sector.  The training adopted blended approach training where both virtual and face to face training took place.The beneficiaries reported that the course content was relevant, informative and increases employability skills. One of the beneficiaries reported that the training changed her perception on waged employment.   A total of  1,053 beneficiaries were equipped in soft skills  against the set target of 1,000 men and women with disabilities. The beneficiaries trained included 100 Deaf participants of the pilot scheme. 

Inclusive employment opportunities

The project aimed at engaging the private companies to champion them into having disability inclusive policies and practices including adhering to safeguarding principles in the three major cities in Kenya namely; Nairobi, Kisumu and Mombasa. 

The project equipped Sixty four (64) private companies in Nairobi, Kisumu and Mombasa on disability inclusive policies and practices including adhering to safeguarding principles. This included 32 companies supported on accessibility and gender assessments on inclusiveness to gender and disability with the supported companies developing short and long term work plans shared for implementation. Senior company managers embraced the work plans as blue print for roll out as a priority to support inclusion of persons with disabilities. 

Empowered 0rganzations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs)

The project work closely with OPDs in the project regions of Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu to strengthen disability inclusion through working with local and national disability advocacy actors to ensure disabilities issues form part of the broad policy discourses with joint OPDs forums to share experiences, lessons learnt and emerging issues. Policy briefs, inclusive information and communication materials among other materials were developed to enhance awareness among communities and cross stakeholders. 

 

Digital literacy skills training

Innovation to Inclusion (i2i) is testing a digital and technology-based employment pathway for people with disabilities.  The project posits that increasing the skills of people with disabilities will enhance their employability. Technological solutions for skills-building can enable effective inclusion of people with disabilities within the private employment sector as well as efficient paths APDK identified 2,483 project beneficiaries out of which 1,746 were registered in the NCPWD career portal.  119 persons with hearing impairment underwent the soft skills training which was conducted face to face together with other beneficiaries with physical disabilities.

Hub career support for program beneficiaries

Persons with disabilities face challenges in accessing appropriate equipment to support their journey of work.  CBM and APDK established three e-Hubs in Mombasa, Kisumu and Nairobi which are equipped with 20 accessible computers, internet and three printers.  The hubs are manned by APDK staff who have been trained to assist program beneficiaries to register on the NCPWD career portal and complete their profiles that will assist them to apply for jobs, internships and apprenticeship opportunities. Developed a career portal where persons with disabilities can seek employment, upload their resume and learn digital skills fuzu.com

Sensitizing the transport industry

The Pilot project in partnership with NTSA sensitized the 27 public transport sector operators in Nairobi on safety of persons with Disabilities.  Safety messages were developed and disseminated to the sector for awareness creation scale up the model.

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