National networks of Supported Employment service providers

While the supported employment providers share the same challenges, there is often lack of collaboration among them, in the local and regional level, and certainly in the national level. Hence, through the project LEAD we decided to establish a National Network of Supported Employment Providers (LEADNET) in each beneficiary country, in order to increase the quality of employment services delivered and to influence public politics in the area of employment inclusion for people with disabilities, with a focus on Young Adults with a Disability.

LEADNET involves public and private providers of Supported Employment services and is designed to provide its members with a framework for collaboration and common actions at national level of each beneficiary country, in the field of employment inclusion for people with disabilities, following the principles and methodology of Supported Employment.

Through LEAD project we want to:

• promote the supported employment services and the organisations which deliver supported employment services;
• set up online discussion groups (online communities) where LEADNET members and other stakeholders will be able to interact by initiating and/or participating in discussions on topics relevant to employment of young adults with disabilities;
• organise relevant events in order to:
  • raise awareness and knowledge about supported employment services and raise level of awareness amongst members of civil society about supported employment network actions;
  • help shape public policy at local/ regional/ national level and introduction of supported employment as a new type of service recognised by law;
  • increase visibility of network actions amongst representatives of public authorities and raise awareness on necessity of developing national programme in supported employment;