12th Conference EUSE Lisbon 2015

2. Work Experience
or Placement?
Angelika Schafft
Øystein Spjelkavik
hosted by:
In association with:

3. What is the purpose of a “work
experience placement” (WEP)?
• Work experience,
• Training in real surroundings,
• Determine job preferences and
performances, strengths and weaknesses,
• Deciding on support measures,
• ... or just placement (“activation”)?

4. Ideal and reality
• Many employers want to hire job seekers
with support needs – but not without a WEP.
• The in Supported Employment: rapid
placement in ordinary (waged) jobs. No, or
short term, WEPs.
• The : People spend a lot of time in
WEP, often with no employment at the end.
Placement is “storage” and maybe a negative
experience.

5. WEP will lead to employment when the
employer has skills and ability to manage
inclusion of pwd (almost) on their own.
Does that mean the Employment Specialist (ES)
has to look for these employers in order to
provide a «good job-match»?

6. What are ideal conditions for
successful integration?
• «Ideal employer»: skilled, able to provide
good inclusion without a lot of support
• «Ideal job seeker»: trained and
motivated, with small support needs
• Yes! In these rare occasions job seekers
will get a job.

7. But: Many job seekers have significant
support needs.
And: Most employers do not have the
skills and ability to manage the inclusion
of these job seekers on their own.
What are the conditions for successful
integration under these circumstances?
How can WEP contribute to integration?

8. What makes WEP a good experience?
• When job seekers can learn, develop skills,
confidence, motivation, get work experience –
and a real chance for employment.
• Remember: Also employers and co-workers
have to learn, develop skills, gain confidence
and motivation.

9. How can the Employment Specialist
provide a good WEP?
• Find a good job match
• Give on-the-job support to job
seeker and employer
• Support the working relationship
job seeker and employer
• Systematic-methodical follow-up

10. «Systematic on-the-job support»
• Explicit agreement (purpose, expectations,
adaptations, duration etc.) at the outset.
• Systematic follow up of job seeker and
employer (check list, visits, proactive, revision
of agreement etc.).
• Job development, career planning.
• Support network with other support agencies.
• Additional examples?

11. Employment Specialist
Support agency
EmployerJob Seeker
The employment specialist is responsible
for the inclusion process
F
O
L
L
O
W
U
P
Working Relationship

12. What is «good job match»?
• ”Good job match” does not mean an
employer who has the skills, ability and
requirements to manage the inclusion
process with a particular job seeker.
• Good job match is of the
competencies, the support methods and
inclusion skills of the Employment Specialist.

13. Sources:
Schafft, A. (2005). Praksislæring i arbeidslivet. Tidsskrift for psykisk helsearbeid. Oslo:
Universitetsforlaget. S. 186–188.
Schafft, A. (2007). Ansettelse av personer med psykiske lidelser i ordinære bedrifter
– ‘Vi må forstå arbeidsgivernes grunner’. Tidsskrift for psykisk helsearbeid 4(3):
254–261.
Schafft, A. og Spjelkavik, Ø. (2014). Arbeidsgiveres erfaringer med inkludering. In:
Frøyland , K. & Ø. Spjelkavik (eds.). 2014. Inkluderingskompetanse. Oslo:
Gyldendal akademisk forlag.
Schafft, A. og Spjelkavik, Ø. (2014). Arbeidsgiverperspektiver på inkludering. Oslo:
Arbeidsforskningsinstituttet.
Spjelkavik, Ø. (2012). Supported Employment in Norway and in the other Nordic
countries. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation.37 (3):163–172.
Spjelkavik, Ø. & Evans, M. (2007). Impressions Of Supported Employment In Europe.
Oslo: Arbeidsforskningsinstituttet.
Spjelkavik, Ø., B. Hagen, K. Härkäpää (2011). Supported Employment i Norden. Oslo:
Arbeidsforskningsinstituttet.