Guide to 'Mainstreaming Disability Based on the Social Economy Model'

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This guide, drafted in cooperation with the European Disability Forum(EDF), is one of several initiatives undertaken by the Disability Working Group of the European Standing Conference of Co-operatives Mutual Societies, Associations and Foundations (CEP-CMAF) aimed at raising awareness and promoting the integration of people with disabilities and disability issues in society as a whole and in Social Economy enterprises and organisations in particular.

This guide, drafted in cooperation with the European Disability Forum (EDF), is one of several initiatives undertaken by the Disability Working Group of the European Standing Conference of Co-operatives Mutual Societies, Associations and Foundations (CEP-CMAF) aimed at raising awareness and promoting the integration of people with disabilities and disability issues in society as a whole and in Social Economy enterprises and organisations in particular.

The guide is published within the framework of the 2007 European Year of Equal Opportunities for All (EYEO) in order to take full advantage of the opportunities that the Year offers to raise awareness and give visibility to these issues.

Is it possible for any organisation to take into consideration and integrate people with disabilities and disability issues into their structures and activities? The answer is YES.  And by doing so, they can enormously contribute to the full integration of people of disability without changing their objectives or
areas of work.
 
This is the key message that we wanted to transmit through this Guide  We hope that the practical guidelines outlined give you ideas on how to do so.  There are many ways to integrate people with disabilities and disability issues into the structures and activities of an organisation.  Although some are more specific and difficult to implement, others can be set up quite easily with minimal cost and effort.  
 
If it is not possible to implement the most complex changes or at least not immediately, do not hesitate to phase in these changes; you can start testing little changes and then move forward.
 
Complementing these guidelines, the case study examples clearly illustrate how several Social Economy enterprises and organisations are already promoting this approach, in many cases in partnership with other stakeholders  They are developing and/or supporting initiatives in the areas covered in the publication – employment, education and training, goods and services, health care, leisure activities, financial services and funding and housing – as well as in other areas, for example in promoting mainstreaming of disability issues in policies or empowering people with disabilities.
 
Case studies from the Tourism sector include the ENAT initiative.  
 

Contents

I. Foreword

II. Introduction

III. Practical guidelines and examples

3.1. Employment

3.2. Education and training

3.3. Goods and services

3.4. Health care

3.5. Leisure activities

3.6. Financial services and funding

3.7. Housing

3.8. Horizontal issues

IV. Conclusions

REFERENCE DOCUMENTS