Changing the hiring policies of companies towards young people with disabilities

Through networking and training strategies the LPHU has succeeded in creating decent work for people with disabilities in Lebanon and Palestine. LPHU has signed cooperation agreements with 97 companies which include inclusion in their employment policies and are converting their buildings to be accessible.

Problems Targeted

According to LPHU, the unemployment rate among people with disabilities is 83 per cent in Lebanon and 70 per cent in Palestine.

Solution, Innovation and Impact

LPHU has succeeded in promoting decent work for people with disabilities in Lebanon and Palestine by using networking and training strategies, thereby transforming private companies from being dismissive and reluctant to being active and supportive. LPHU signed cooperation protocols with 97 companies that have begun to add inclusion standards to their employment policies, as well as to modify their buildings to become fully accessible. In addition, LPHU achieved the following: 
 ·  Built systematic partnerships with economic committees and syndicates of company owners to add binding inclusion standards to ensure continuity. 
 ·  Launched a dialogue on economic inclusion and established the first regional plan of action in collaboration with more than 100 partners from the private and public sector. 
 ·  Issued training materials on inclusive employment systems and the media. 
 ·  Conducted vocational training for almost 1,000 people with disabilities since 2012. More 
than 200 of them found employment in the open labour market. 
Examples of employment include administrative assistant, receptionist, human resources assistant, secretary, call centre officer, archive officer, data entry officer, and restaurant chef.

Funding, Outlook and Transferability

The project has a total cost of EUR 250,000 per year and is funded by the European Union and the Christian Aid UK organization.

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