Answered Questions is a monthly resource for the Spanish language Disability Community that fills an information need. Each month, we look through the searches on our blog and through the information requests made by our patrons who speak Spanish and pick a topic that fills the largest need. Each resource mentioned below is associated with this month’s information need. We search the various Spanish language news sources and feeds throughout the month to bring you these articles. With the exception of the NIDRR Projects and Further Investigation, all the linked articles and resources are in Spanish – any that are in English will be clearly marked. This month, in celebration of National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), we focus on Employment. Check out our new “Extra! Extra!” feature that will include extra resources, articles, or NIDRR projects related to each month’s topic. This month, “Extra! Extra!” highlights four NIDRR projects related to employment.
NIDRR Projects:
The Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center (MSKTC) (H133A110004) enhances the relevance of the model systems and disseminates this research effectively to all audiences. The goals of the MSKTC include: (1) enhance the understanding of the quality and relevance of the findings of the Spinal Cord Injury (SCI), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and Burn Injury Model Systems funded by NIDRR; (2) enhance the knowledge of the advances in SCI, TBI, and Burn research across a wide audience; and (3) be the central point for resources of the SCI, TBI, and Burn Model Systems for effective communication and technical assistance. As part of the dissemination of information, the MSKTC has various factsheets related to SCI, Burn Injuries and employment:
Research:
An empowerment model of entrepreneurship for people with disabilities in the United States (published in Psychosocial Intervention) describes the creation of an entrepreneurship program through the Chicago Add Us In (AU i) Initiative, which is sponsored by the Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) at the US Department of Labor (DOL). The entrepreneurship program described in the article helps counteract the barriers that people with disabilities encounter in relation to work, promotes empowerment, and facilitates the financial self-sufficiency of people with disabilities. The program has several key components that include a course on how to write a business plan, technical assistance, mentoring, and assistance from a business incubator, and business grants. The article offers several in-depth case studies that show the process of empowering the consumer and how the entrepreneurship program effects the entrepreneurs with disabilities who have participated. The study and article were led and written by NIDRR Grantee Dr. Fabricio Balcazar. (Spanish)
Technology:
Adapted technology: Allied with people with disabilities and with employment (Hoy digital)
Computer mice that respond to facial movements and large format screens are just two of the technologies available to provide access to employment people with disabilities. This is how the third report, Tecnología y Discapacidad, begins. This report is created by the Adecco Foundation and Agilent Technologies in the support of sustainable and accessible technologies to more people. The report includes interviews with people with disabilities between 23 and 59 years old on how assistive technologies have helped them in their employment.
Rehabilitation:
Employment and vocational rehabilitation experiences of Latinos with disabilities with differing patterns of acculturation. NARIC Accession Number: J59658.
The article describes a study that examined the impact of acculturation patterns on employment and vocational rehabilitation (VR) experiences of Latinos with disabilities. The acculturation patterns include acculturative stress, English language proficiency, educational attainment, and cultural mistrust. These patterns were studied utilizing quantitative and qualitative methods. The study showed that participants with a lower identification with the cultural domain of the US had more struggles related to employment and VR outcomes that those with a higher identification. However, cultural mistrust was apparent regardless of acculturation pattern and may be a barrier to Latinos with disabilities seeking VR services.
Employment:
Access to Public Employment (discapnet)
The Public Administrations have an obligation to reserve no less than 5% of vacancies for people with disabilities, both through outside hires and internal promotions. Each year, over 250,000 people with disabilities in Spain begin to look for work. Sixty percent of them are women between the ages of 26 and 35 and the majority of them have a college degree. To learn more about public employment opportunities visit the Boletines Oficiales.
Human Interest:
‘Give Me A Minute’ To Promote the Hiring of People with Disabilities (epsocial)
The Federation of Organizations for People with Intellectual Disabilities in Madrid (FEAPS Madrid – its acronym in Spanish) and the Repsol Foundation have celebrated “Managing people, managing talent”, during which they presented the awareness campaign “Give Me a Minute.” This awareness campaign is directed at businesses to promote and encourage the hiring of people with intellectual disabilities. The campaign includes nine one-minute videos including videos of three people with intellectual disabilities look for work, three that have found employment, a job coach, and a business owner. To learn more about this initiative, please visit www.dameunminuto.org.
Resources:
- Argentina
- Ministerio de Trabajo, Empleo y Seguridad Social: Phone (011) 4310-5656 y Email direcciondiscapacidad@trabajo.gob.ar
- Bolivia
- Ministerio de Trabajo, Empleo y Seguridad Social: Phone (2) 248-1001 and (2) 248-1118
Further Research:
- REHABDATA:
- PubMed:
- CIRRIE:
Extra! Extra!
The following centers are all funded by NIDRR:
- The Knowledge Translation for Employment Research Center (KTER) (H133A100026) helps researchers transfer their research to appropriate audiences. (En inglés)
- The Rehabilitation Research Training Center on Employment of People with Disabilities (VCU-RRTC) (H133B130011) conducts advanced research, training, technical assistance, and dissemination activities to improve the employment outcomes of people with physical disabilities. (En inglés)
- The Rehabilitation Research and Training Center for Evidence Based Practice in Vocational Rehabilitation (RRTC-EBP VR) (H133B100034) helps to generate knowledge and evidence based vocational rehabilitation (VR) practices which improve the employment rates and quality of employment for persons with disability. (En inglés)
- The Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Psychiatric Disability and Co-Occurring Medical Conditions (RRTC) (H133B100028) promotes the health and wellness of people recovering from serious mental illness. As part of its work, the RRTC offers a series of MP3 format podcasts on health promotion and prevention for people with serious mental illnesses. Included in this series is ‘Manteniendose Saludable Cuando Se Empieza Un Trabajo Nuevo’ for Spanish speakers with psychiatric disabilities who are beginning a new job and want to stay healthy.
