First Partnership Meeting, Stockholm, 15th – 18th February 2006

Opening of the meeting by Nicoletta Zoannos and Adolf Ratzka. Photo: Miles Goldstick.

Program

Thursday 16th of February 2006                

Sound recordings of the partner presentations, 2006-02-16 (MP3 format)

 9:30    Opening of the two-day seminar
             Adolf Ratzka, director, Independent Living Institute, Sweden
             Nicoletta Zoannos, project coordinator, Independent Living Institute, Sweden
Kalle Könkkölä, chairperson, Threshold Association, Finland

 9:45   Presentation of the participants and their organizations

Day 1:  The labor market situation of disabled people
Chair: Kalle Könkkölä

10.15   The labour market and disabled people: presentations by our partners
           Bulgaria, Greece, Spain and Ireland

11:00   Break

11:15   Labour market policies, strategies and statistics for people with disabilities: A cross-national comparison                   
Presentation with time for questions and answers
Anders Bergeskog, researcher, The Swedish Riksdag Research Service
Direct link to his November 2001 report: www.ifau.se/upload/pdf/se/2001/wp01-13.pdf (PDF, 2.6 MB, 335 pp., English)
Conclusions of the report.

12.15   The labour market and disabled people: presentations by our partners
Latvia, Poland, Germany, Finland and Sweden

13.00   Lunch at the meeting venue

1. Discussion:  Evaluation of various labor market instruments for disabled people (e.g.  sheltered workshops, subsidized wages, reduced employers’ social insurance fees, quota systems, affirmative action, anti-discrimination legislation) Criteria: impact on employment statistics, prejudices, career opportunities, equal opportunities,

Introduction: Nicoletta Zoannos

15:15  Discussion: The role of trainee- and internships
Key issues: inclusive vs. selective approach, when are opportunities really equal?
Introduction: Adolf Ratzka

16:00   Break

16:30   Financial and administrative information
Hubert Bernard, financial/national coordinator, CIL Bad Kreuznach, Germany
Nicoletta Zoannos

17:00   End of Day 1

19:30   Dinner at the hotel

Friday 17th of February 2006

10:00 Day 2:  Methods and Tools
Chair: Kapka Panayotova, Founder of CIL Sofia

Discussion: The aim of the project in operational terms
Definitions of “state agencies”, “accessible” traineeships
Introduction: Adolf Ratzka

Discussion: How to build networks for our project
national networks, our international network and its uses
Introduction: Nicoletta Zoannos      
          
11:30 Break

12:00          Discussion: How to use the political process for our aims
         Introduction
Introduction: Kalle Könkkölä

Discussion: How to use the media for our aims
Introduction: Kapka Panayotova

13:30 Lunch at the meeting venue

14:45 Discussion: Interactive log and newsletter
Introduction: Nicoletta Zoannos

15:15  Discussion:  Online form for government agencies, catalogue of training opportunities
Introduction: Adolf Ratzka

15:45          Break

16:00 Exchange with members of the Stockholm disability community
Informal meeting with invited guests from STIL, other organizations and other projects
        
Summary of the partner countries’ employment situation
Nicoletta Zoannos

Outline of project aims and methodology                
 Adolf Ratzka

Questions and answers, discussion                      
Chair: Kalle Könkkölä

18.00          Closure with buffet-style dinner at the meeting venu