Skills development and enterprise development for young people with disabilities

NEED

According to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), there are approximately four million people with disabilities in South Africa. The study also indicates that only around 19% of disabled persons are employed compared to 35% of non-disabled persons, and 15% of disabled youth aged 15 to 24 are employed compared to 25.5% of non-disabled youth. These low levels of employment for the disabled population highlight their continued marginalisation and lack of independence within society.

According to a recent HSRC study, disabled people with more training are more likely to find employment when compared to those with less or no training.

OVERVIEW

Forest Town School's Skills and Work Experience Programme caters for the needs of 325 children between 3 and 18 years of age, with all types of disabilities ranging from cerebral palsy, epilepsy, partial sightedness, hard of hearing, ADD/ADHD, accidental brain injury, foetal alcohol syndrome, Down syndrome, learning disabilities, or a combination of the above. Children are drawn mainly from high density, low income areas with limited access to both employment opportunities and public transport facilities suitable for people with disabilities.

Depending on the individual's level of disability, Forest Town offers a range of enterprise development skills, accredited training in computer and administration skills, cosmetology, and waitering. Where possible, once students complete their two year training programme, they can operate a small business from home to serve their own communities.

In the final year, students work at various places of employment once a week to enable them to adjust and to get to know what will be required of them in their future employment.

WHAT WE LIKE ABOUT THIS PROJECT

• The Skills and Work Experience Programme focuses on employment skills and rehabilitation
• Training is flexible, accessible and designed to meet individual needs
• All learners have access to the services of professional specialists free of charge. These include a paediatrician, orthopaedic surgeon, neurologist/neurosurgeon, ENT specialist, plastic Surgeon, ophthalmologist and dental Technician.

IMPACT HIGHLIGHTS

This project will be of direct benefit to the 30 learners currently registered, as well as their parents and guardians and other family members. This skills orientated programme gives teenagers aged 16 to 18 the flexibility to develop their potential according to the level of their skills. The curriculum used is multi-disciplinary and includes numeracy, literacy, life skills, basic accounting.

Forest Town School provides mentoring to prospective employers to ensure that their working environment can accommodate the needs of disabled people and that the specific needs of the graduate can be met. An occupational therapist monitors the progress of graduates in their work place to ensure that issues are resolved as they arise.

In addition, Forest Town School employs some of the Skills Programme graduates at their WEP@WORK (Work Experience and Enterprise Development). This includes a small restaurant and beauty parlour on the school premises, both of which are operated by students and graduates.

ORGANISATIONAL CAPACITY

Forest Town School was established in 1948 and was the first school for disabled children in South Africa. Since then the services provided by this school and supported by the Forest Town School Foundation Trust Fund, have gone far beyond just being a school.

Forest Town School is recognised as a leader in the development of treatment techniques for children and youth with disabilities. Their resident occupational therapist has written internationally published journal articles on the effectiveness of Botox treatment and of speech therapy for children and youth with disabilities. Forest Town was the organisation in South Africa to use Botox treatment to reduce drooling in children with disabilities. The organisation also designed the adapted nursery curriculum for children with disabilities which is used at various special schools in Gauteng.

Although Forest Town has sufficient resources to operate, it would benefit from employing more caregivers to help children with severe disabilities to perform basic tasks such as eating and going to the toilet.

RISK PROFILE

Key Strengths

• Concept: This programme has been adapted to meet the special needs of young people with disabilities thus affording them access to accredited skills development training
• Design: The programme is multi-disciplinary and is structured to meet the individual needs of learners
• Control: Social workers and occupational therapists are available to oversee learners and graduates. Forest Town School engages with all stakeholders at all levels through regular meetings – including the provincial department of education, parents and local business
• Sustainability: The programme is designed to prepare students for life after school by equipping them with the necessary skills to find formal employment or to operate a small business from home. Some students and graduates are given the opportunity to manage the resident business which serves as a platform to sharpen their business management skills

Key Risks - Low

• Design: Although the project is well structured internally, there is a risk that the graduates who start their own businesses will be exploited by their family members, or may struggle to find employment outside of incubated job creation initiatives such as the WEP@WORK
• External: As people with disabilities tend to remain dependent on their relatives, graduates that successfully generate an income may be exploited by their family members