People with disabilities in Turkey are about 8.5 million (TurkStat, 2002 Disability Survey). They are vulnerable to discrimination, stigmatisation and social exclusion. While they are capable of making enormous contributions to society, they often they meet barriers that preclude this. As people with disabilities, 11.10% of men and 13.45% of women in Turkey face serious challenges in the field of employment. High rates of unemployment among people with disabilities impact negatively those disabled, their families, and society as a whole.
The socio-economic participation of people with disabilities in Turkey is impeded by: lack of accessible information; absence of training for public authorities; physical barriers preventing access to and effective use of buildings and services; and absence of mechanisms through which their voices may reach decision makers. Notably, there is an urgent need to develop systems to deliver effective vocational rehabilitation interventions for people with special needs so as to promote their employability.
In this context, Human Dynamics, as a consortium leader, has been engaged to help increase the working capacity, motivation, productivity, job search skills and social skills of people with disabilities so as to increase their employability and facilitate their access to labour market.
Specifically, technical assistance services within this projects aim to: