Clearing: assistance for young people with special needs in their transition from school to working life

Host Country : Austria

Place and date : Vienna , 7. - 8.6.2004

Peer countries : Estonia - France - Greece - Italy - Lithuania - Norway

For many young people with special needs, leaving school brings a danger that the continuity in their support might be broken. After leaving compulsory school, some move to various institutions and measures, and a considerable number stay at home with their families without any perspectives for support or employment. A comprehensive safety net or support system for the after-school phase of disabled schoolchildren did not exist until now.

'Clearing' has developed a new service that acts directly at the interface between school and employment. In the final or penultimate school year, Clearing facilities have the task of determining - together with those affected - the most suitable individual package of measures for integration into employment. This service includes in particular: drawing up a profile containing interests and suitability; carrying out a strengths/weaknesses analysis; establishing or outlining any possible needs regarding extra training; revealing employment perspectives on the basis of the interests and suitability profile, and building on that; the drawing up of a career/development plan.

The idea is not to take existing problems away from young people and their parents, but that they should be offered the support necessary to solve issues which arise, as independently as possible, according to the principle of "helping people to help themselves". An essential factor for success is the active inclusion of the young people, their parents and teachers. The needs, possibilities and interests of the young people form the basis of the actions of the Clearing offices.

Clearing also has an essential co-ordinating function in the existing distribution of responsibilities for support, which is not always transparent for those affected. The co-operation partners are the provincial education authority, the Public Employment Service, class teachers, parents, facilities for people with disabilities and the Federal Social Welfare Office, with the latter playing a managing role. In 2002, 1,450 young people successfully completed the Clearing process. Having provided suitable apprenticeships, employment contracts, Public Employment Service measures or further school education for many young people with disabilities, the Clearing measures are to be further extended.

Source: Joint Inclusion Report 2003 of the European Commission

Agenda - | en |

Peer Review manager

Mr Flip Maas ( European Centre )

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Clearing: assistance for young people with special needs in their transition from school to working life

Host Country : Austria

Place and date : Vienna , 7. - 8.6.2004

Peer countries : Estonia - France - Greece - Italy - Lithuania - Norway

Peer Review manager

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