Counseling, vocational training, certification, and employment promotion for people with disabilities and chronic illnesses.

Duration:	06/06/2023 – 06/12/2023
Partners:	«DIMITRA» Educational Consulting S.A.
Project Website:	pkm.esamea.gr
Authority:	National Confederation of Persons with Disabilities (N.C.P.D.)
Program:	Integrated service for combating discrimination and promoting the social inclusion of persons with disabilities, persons with chronic illnesses, and their families residing in the Region of Central Macedonia.

Description

Training of 170 individuals with disabilities and chronic illnesses, aged 30 to 64, who are unemployed and officially certified with a disability or chronic condition rated at 50% or higher. Each program included — through face-to-face training — the provision of 15 hours of group counseling services, 122 hours of theoretical vocational training on the subject “E-commerce System Management Assistant”, 122 hours of practical training, and certification of professional qualifications.

The programs took place in the Regional Units of Thessaloniki, Imathia, Pella, Pieria, and Serres.

The Educational Organization “DIMITRA” E.S. S.A. was the implementing body of the Action “Integrated service to combat discrimination and promote the social inclusion of people with disabilities, people with chronic illnesses, and their families living in the Region of Central Macedonia” for all the programs of Sub-project 4 “Counseling, vocational training, certification, and employment promotion,” in all regional units. This was carried out within the framework of counseling, theoretical and practical training, as well as certification of specialized professional knowledge.

The project activities, organized into Work Packages, include:

W.P.1: Group counseling (15 hourly sessions)

As part of W.P.1, group counseling services are provided with a total duration of fifteen hours per group. The group counseling process is divided into three stages, each consisting of five sessions.

The first stage takes place before the beginning of the training program and focuses on welcoming the participants and assessing their needs.

The second stage occurs upon completion of the vocational training and involves a personal and professional evaluation.

The third stage follows the completion of the practical training and is dedicated to the development and elaboration of a detailed individualized action plan.

W.P.2: Theoretical Training

Within the framework of W.P.2, theoretical training is provided on the subject “E-Commerce System Management Officer,” with a total duration of 122 hours. The aim is to acquire new knowledge, skills, and competencies that enhance the beneficiaries’ employability, improve employment conditions, and support their professional mobility.

W.P.3: Practical Training

The subject of W.P.3 is the practical training component of the training programs, which was implemented both at the Provider’s facilities and in facilities within the regional units where the programs took place. The training followed the case study method and had a total duration of one hundred and twenty-two (122) hours. Techniques were employed in accordance with the institutional framework for recommended methods/techniques in adult education.

W.P.4: Supportive actions for the implementation of vocational training

As part of W.P.4, due to the specific characteristics of the group of beneficiaries, the following are included:

• Provision of interpretation services in the theoretical training and practical internship sessions where deaf or hard-of-hearing individuals participated.
• Use of Braille printers for printing educational material and all necessary documents in Braille format.
• Use of computer handling tools in the theoretical training and practical internship sessions where individuals with mobility impairments participated.
• Training of instructors on disability-related issues and on individualized approaches and support provision based on the different needs of each category of disability among the beneficiaries.

W.P.5: Certification of Professional Qualifications

The certification of specialized professional skills was organized based on the certification schemes of companies (Person Certification Bodies), whose purpose is to provide certifications of knowledge and skills in Greece and abroad. These certifications are recognized by both the international and Greek labor markets and are accredited according to the ISO/IEC 17024 Standard.