International Crisis - Global Opportunity:

diversity, inclusion and best practice in European rehabilitation

Dr. Alan Bruce

Universal Learning Systems, Dublin, Ireland

IARP: DM/CM Conference

Scottsdale, Arizona

12 February 2011

Objectives

To explore the labor market situation and experience of people with disabilities in Europe

Identify core issues in European labor market participation for people with disabilities

Outline barriers to accessing employment from EU and Irish perspectives

Outline best practice and opportunities for international partnership

Themes

GlobalizationEurope IrelandEmployment and disability in a time of crisis International best practice

Antonio Gramsci

The old world is dying.

The new world struggles to be born.

Now is the time of monsters.

Dynamics of globalization

Seismic shift in human relationships Impact of ICTCompetitive pressuresNew forms of work organization Instant, multidimensional communicationsQuality standards

Impact on Work

Patterns of constant changePermanent migration mobilityOutsourcing Flexible structures and modalitiesEnd of job normsKnowledge economyStructural inequalities

Impact on Culture

End of old certaintiesNo return to ‘normal’Multilingualism as standardPolymorphic mediaUncertainty Lifelong learningDiversity

Global trends

Demographic changes: ageing and life expectancyWomen and labor market participation ImmigrationCultural and religious differenceConflict and stress Urbanization

Global imperatives

Radical re-structuring of global economy Interconnected information and communicationDifferential access to resourcesEcological degradationDecline of rural life

Conclusion….

An assumption of stable work patterns and linear economic development is no longer possible

Globalization: the threats

Persistence and increase in inequalityPermanent hopelessness of excludedEmbedded violence Internal underclassExternal invisibility

Globalization: opportunities

Time warp of nation state Integration and participationLearning without bordersGlobal commodification and dissemination of

knowledge ‘Collective effort not collective answers’ (Therborn)

Slavoj Zizek

Both private and public are being redefined by systemic crisis. We we live in a permanent economic state of emergency.

Implications

The emergence of a true global economy dictates a new role in international activities to promote the well being of persons with disabilities through access to jobs, better technology and social supports...

Source: NIDRR Long Range Plan 1999-2004

Europe

European vistas

Historical legaciesColonial ghosts (Fanon and French psychiatry)Scandinavian social democracyCatholic social teachingConditional rightsBackdrops of exterminism Identities in transition

European Union: rationale

Prevent return to war post 1945Greater integrationNew and innovative spaceRole of labor marketSocial EuropeCreative EuropeDirections: federation – free trade area – what?

European Union: structures

Member States: 27Population: 450 m.European ParliamentEuropean CommissionCouncil of MinistersDirectorates General and spheres of competence Innovative learning initiativesBest practice

EU Disability frameworks

Government - Citizen

rights, entitlements, services, standardsDisability Rights

medicalization, independent livingEquality - Diversity

empowerment, quality, linkage

EU strategy against social exclusion (Treaty of Nice 1998)

InnovationCoordination and integrationPartnershipEnd user participationService quality initiatives

Why ‘exclusion’?

Combating active and passive discriminationMoral inequityPreventing longer term instabilitySocial solidarity - fraternitéAll have the right to participate

EU Strategy: Lisbon Declaration

Leading innovative and dynamic global economy by 2010

Thematic pillars:

Innovation

Adaptability

Lifelong learning

Equal Opportunities

EU ChallengesRacism Immigration InequalityUnbalanced accessExpansionDemographic changes - ageingRehabilitation and disabilityEconomic and financial crisis post 2008

IrelandLegacies of historyColonialismEmigrationSocio-economic underdevelopmentPolitical turmoil Impact of the ChurchesCharity and voluntarismBust to boom – and back again….

Ireland: structures

The divided islandNorthern IrelandRepublic of IrelandDemocracy and governanceSocial welfare systemsEconomic strategiesEducation and learning Intercultural identities – the impact of immigration

Disability in Ireland

Structural Change Independent LivingLegislation: Disability Act 2005

Equality Act 2002 and the Nine GroundsProfessional CompetenceMainstreamingStandardsEmployment Outcomes

Rehabilitation education in Ireland

Fragmented European stanceLack of common conceptual frame or terminologyDiverse educational structuresTraditions of charity and dependenceLack of systematic researchWeak policyPersistent stigma

Irish responses

NUI Maynooth - training of trainers UCD - intellectual disabilities and Disability Studies NUI Cork - Disability Support Service and Allied Health

Studies Tipperary Institute - disability/community development Queen’s University Belfast - Occupational Psychology NUI Galway - Human Rights Center and Equality and

Diversity programs NDA

Irish US linkage

University of Illinois (Urbana) - MS (1997-2000) University of Illinois (Chicago) - Intellectual Disabilities Johns Hopkins - NCI Dublin University of Wisconsin Stout - professional development University of Memphis - Tipperary Institute (2007) Virginia Commonwealth - supported employment Cornell - post conflict

Employment and barriers – shared perspectives

Both U.S. and Ireland have had successful models of rehabilitation

Common language Historical connections Interlinked cultures

Common needs

Consumer-Driven ChangeAssessment-Based Decision MakingDisability Management Social and Cultural AwarenessResearch Orientation Program Evaluation

Labor market barriers

LiteracyNumeracyHealth problemsFamily issuesHousingTransportLow staff qualifications

Failure to work

The OECD study shows that different policy approaches in different countries had little or no effect on outcomes. The most striking commonality was that there was no outflow from disability programs to jobs.

OECD 2003

Diversity and employment

Permanent labor market feature Impact of legislationHRM best practiceCascades learning organizationallyAdaptable creativity

Towards best practice

Professional identitySocial inclusionRightsMutual benefitNot optional in a globalized world

Shaping standards Creanova Project (2008 - 2011) Innovation and creativity in learning Partners: ES, FI, IE, IT, FR, UK, DE, EE Discovering Vision

Mikkeli projectFinland in context

Immigration and changeAgeing and care

EDEN European Distance and E-learning network

Focus on new learning Annual conference: Dublin June 2011 Learning and

Sustainability Classroom of the Future Conference: Athens October 2011 Linkage to USDLA and Sloan

U-EmployPartners: RO; IE; BG; HU; FI

Placement trainingIARP linkage

Future directions

Consumer advocacyStudent and peer exchangesCollaborative researchKnowledge disseminationSystems change

Agenda for engagement

Student and staff exchangesShared policy developmentBest practiceCommon standards developmentLinkage to emancipatory research modelsUniversal design models

What’s in it for me?

Professional identitySocial inclusion focus and linkage Increased international business opportunitiesMutual benefitNot optional in a globalized world

What’s in it for IARP?

Real international focusShared expertise Increased member benefitStrategic inputs on policy

Professional competence – global resources

ILOGladnetUNOECDEuropean FoundationRehabilitation InternationalDeveloping countries’ networks - CBR, China

Transforming futures - together

Learning from differenceCreative dynamismAccepting global responsibilityAsserting vision

Thank you

Dr. Alan Bruce

Universal Learning Systems

34 Charleville Road

DUBLIN 7

Ireland

abruce@ulsystems.com