Status of Support for Employment and Career Development of Persons with Disabilities ( 2/2 )
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2. Organizations of vocational rehabilitation and the current situation of career development
(1) Facilities for career development
The career development for persons with disabilities includes;
- Vocational training for the severely disabled who have difficulty attending ordinary public career development schools, being developed in career development schools dedicated for persons with severe disabilities, with consideration given to character and degrees of disabilities.
- Vocational training at ordinary public career development schools which facilities and equipment are made barrier-free.
- Vocational training on commission, making full use of private education organizations, social welfare organizations and vocational training organizations.
1) Vocational training in career development schools for persons with disabilities
(Availability of training)
- There are 19 career development schools for persons with disabilities nationwide, with 145 training subjects, and the number of new trainees set at 2,180.
- There are 118 subjects for persons with disabilities, with the number of new trainees set at 1,790, and the 27 subjects for persons with intellectual disabilities with the number of new trainees set at 390.
(Training subjects)
- The training subjects for persons with physical disabilities focus on office work, and also include printing and bookbinding, mechanical work and drawing, apparel, and design.
- The training subjects persons with intellectual disabilities are general practical affairs, work practice, manufacturing and personnel management, with a majority of subjects on learning job practices needed for careers.
(Vocational training for employee with disabilities)
- This program has been budgeted since 1990. During 2001 91 courses were provided with a total of 3,493 hours. The average per course was 38 hours, with 439 participants.
2) Vocational training at ordinary career development schools
- 363 persons entered ordinary career development schools in 2001.
- Many of those entering ordinary career development schools have received vocational training in ordinary courses, together with people with no disability. But, there is a trend that training subjects dedicated to persons with disabilities are provided in the ordinary career development schools.
3) Vocational training on commission
(Vocational training under special commission)
- This vocational training is offered by career development schools for persons with disabilities and municipal schools of the same category. Under this plan, vocational training is commissioned to business owners or their corporations, schools judicial persons operating vocational high schools and schools in the “miscellaneous” category, social welfare organizations which comply with the standard of education and training set up by the Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare.
- In 2003, 14 facilities scheduled 26 subjects for 292 participants.
- This vocational training program is designed to fulfill the needs of training that cannot be covered by the career development schools for persons with disabilities.
(Vocational training under commission)
- This plan was started in 1998, as part of the urgent employment development program, with contracted projects from career development schools for persons with disabilities.
- These projects are awarded to private education and training organizations such as vocational high schools, providing three months of group training.
- There will be 445 participants in the program (maximum of 700), with focus on OA-related subjects. Most of participants in the program are people with disabilities.
4) Vocational training for the persons with mental disabilities
In 1992, core schools were selected from ordinary career development schools in the prefectures across the country, to provide vocational training for persons with mental disabilities together with ordinary trainees for the same subject.
- There were 75 persons with disabilities participating in the courses provided in the ordinary career development schools nationwide.
- A new plan was initiated in 2002 in career development schools for persons with disabilities. Under this plan after receiving introductory training based upon SST and group meetings, persons with mental disabilities share the same courses with persons with disabilities of other categories or undergo training on the subjects of job categories developed for persons with mental disabilities.
- In the private sector, there are two facilities offering training to persons with mental disabilities, on the new subjects of hotel, cleaning and environment development, cooking and catering, and production-related practical affairs.
(2) Public employment security office
The public employment security office undertakes job-application registration (up to care after employment) of persons with disabilities desiring employment. In its service activities to assure the stable job, this office gauges the vocational capability and characteristics of applicants with disabilities and implements meticulous career counseling and guidance through casework while referring to such capability and characteristics.
1) Referral of jobs, supply of employment information, occupational guidance (records as of FY 2001)
- No. of referral cases 133,953
(Physical: 100,760, intellectual: 22,497, mental: 10,226, others: 470)
- No. of employments: 27,072
(Physical: 18,299, intellectual: 7,069, mental: 1,629, others: 75)
2) Guidance for persons with disabilities to stay in the same workplace
To help the employees with disabilities adapt to the job site, the office staff visits the employer directly to have a direct interview with each of persons with disabilities and to provide advice and guidance for work commitment.
3) Development of workplaces for employment (records as of years from 1998 to 2002)
In order that persons with disabilities get jobs even in this severe unemployment situation, the office actively secures jobs for persons with disabilities and explore for jobs of the king suitable to each of persons with disabilities seeking employment.
- Job-offer development promoters: 141
- Offices undertaking development of job-offer: 266,865
- No. of job offers developed: 76,097 No. of actual job offers: 121,116
4) Training service for adaptation to workplace
For persons with disabilities applying for employment, the office provides the service of training for adaptation to workplace in a prospective workplace to help persons with disabilities to adapt to the work environment and to execute the work appropriate to the capacity and characteristics of persons with disabilities concerned.
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* Training for adaptation to the workplace:
Period - six months (one year or less for the high degree of disability) -
Provision of the training costs of monthly \24,100 to the employer
Provision of the training allowance of \140,970 to the trainee -
Short-term training for adaptation to the workplace:
Period - two weeks or less (four weeks for the high degree of disability) -
Provision of the training costs of daily \960 to the employer
Provision of the training allowance of daily \4,810 to the trainee
5) Job guidance service for the persons with mental disabilities
The office staff visits medical institutions, health care centers, mental health welfare centers and provides persons with mental disabilities with high job willingness with practical knowledge and methods related to the job application activities. This service is intended to enhance the realistic awareness and techniques on the job and to help persons with disabilities to be engaged properly in job application activities.
(3) District institute of vocational rehabilitation for persons with disabilities
One vocational center for persons with disabilities is established in each prefecture, which, in
close tie-up with the public employment security office, undertakes professional and comprehensive
vocational rehabilitation from employment counseling to aftercare. The district institute of
vocational rehabilitation for persons with disabilities offers the following services in addition to
professional vocational evaluation and guidance:
(Services for persons with disabilities)
1) Vocation evaluation: Evaluation of the vocational capability of persons with disabilities and development of the vocational rehabilitation plan
After understanding of the desire for employment, evaluation is made on the vocational capability. On the basis of evaluation results, the support plan appropriate to individual situations (vocational rehabilitation plan) will be developed, which includes details of support and methods necessary for adaptation to the workplace, etc.
2) Vocational guidance: Employment counseling and provision of workplace information for employment of persons with disabilities
Counseling and advice services are provided to ensure smooth implementation of the activities to get the job, to allow appropriate job selection, and to ensure continual and stable working in the workplace.
3) Support program for work preparation: Provision of the work-training course for persons with intellectual disabilities, self-support course for persons with mental disabilities, and other courses to help persons with disabilities to be highly prepared for the work.
Training is provided to master the workplace rules to enable employment and vocational life, as well as basic labor practices and interpersonal skills, such as the work execution capability, adequate work attitude, etc. by means of the work exercise, visit to the workplace and lectures on the work, and commute guidance.
4) Lectures on the work: Implementation of lectures on OA to master the knowledge and skills necessary for the work
Lectures are provided for persons with physical disabilities (people suffering from restricted
sight, brain paralysis, etc.) so that they can master the operation skills of OA equipment (PC
operation, word processor, basic spread-sheet operation, etc.).
(Services both for persons with disabilities and the employer)
1) Support by the job coach: A job coach is dispatched to the workplace before and after employment, providing meticulous personal support.
To enable persons with disabilities to adapt to the workplace, the job coach visits the workplace
to provide direct and professional support to persons with disabilities. Concurrently, the coach
proposes improvement of the job content and environment as required as well as the advice to help
understanding and consideration to the person in charge of the enterprise and to associate
employees. The coach also performs follow-up if necessary after end of support service.
(Service for the employer)
1) Counseling and assistance to the employer in terms of employment of persons with disabilities
Analysis is made on the needs and employment management subjects in terms of various problems related to employment, arrangement, adaptation, and commitment as well as to understanding of the disabilities and persons with disabilities. The support plan is established to provide adequate advance and assistance.
2) Employment management support service
For the employer requiring specific professional support concerning employment management of persons with disabilities, the employment management support service is provided under cooperation from the regional specialists.
(4) Employment and life support center for persons with disabilities
1) Purpose
To establish the network comprising employers, health and welfare, and education agencies in the neighboring regions to help persons with disabilities in the region to achieve self-support in the vocational life and to provide integrated support in terms of their employment and life (“Employment and life support center for persons with disabilities”)
2) Content
The center provides all necessary supports for self-support in the vocational life of persons with disabilities discharged or employed, such as employment of persons with disabilities and associated life-related guidance, advance, and training for work preparation, in close tie-up with employment, welfare, and education agencies.
(Note) Discharged persons with disabilities and employee with disabilities includes graduates from senior course of schools for persons with disabilities.
- Counseling on employment and associated life-related counseling for discharged persons with disabilities
- Support on the job seeking of persons with disabilities, including coordination with the public employment security office and employers
- Work preparation training for persons with disabilities and coordination with the workplace where the exercise is to be made
- Necessary advice for persons with disabilities after employment and advice directed to the employer related to employment management after employment of persons with disabilities
- Follow-up for persons with disabilities graduated from the senior course of schools for persons with disabilities and employed
- Information and its provision for the supporter of employment of persons with disabilities and training for these supporters
(5) Vocational education and guidance in the senior course of schools for persons with disabilities
Since establishment of the Compulsory Schools System for Persons with Disabilities in 1979, the
advancement rate increased rapidly. It has become a common practice for persons with disabilities to
proceed along the new route, such as completion of the senior course to get the job, etc.
As regards employment, the guidance and education of the senior course has a critical role. The
senior course includes the vocational course in addition to the comprehensive course. This is to
meet wide-diversifying advancement needs. In the schools for persons with visual or hearing
disability, the special courses are provided after completion of the regular course, which offers
highly specialized vocational education. The regular course also includes the vocational course for
guidance counseling on employment in increasing schools.
1) Vocational education in the senior course of schools for persons with disabilities
The vocational education of this course provides vocational education systematically and according to the plan through work training within a school, field exercise under cooperation of the regional employers, etc.
2) Courses of the senior course
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Schools for persons with visual impairments:
Comprehensive, Traditional massage, massage, finger pressure, acupuncture, moxacautery, Traditional massage, massage, finger pressure, Physical therapy, Housekeeping, Music, Tuning -
Schools for persons with hearing impairments:
Comprehensive, Machinery, Ceramics, Industrial art, Design, Printing, Material engineering, Housekeeping, Clothing, Barber, Beautician, Laundry, Dental technician, Fine art, Others -
Schools for persons with disabilities: Comprehensive, relating to agriculture
(agriculture, horticulture, forestry, life science, others), relating to industry (machinery, electricity, ceramics, weaving machine, interiors, design, printing, others), relating to commerce, relating to housekeeping (housekeeping, clothing, others), others
3) Vocational education and guidance
The senior course of schools for persons with disabilities is the final stage of academic training, which is also a specific reparatory stage to step into the actual society. The “Individual Transfer Support Plan” has been established to ensure smooth transfer “from children to adults” and “from schools to societies” in close tie-up with agencies concerned while persons with disabilities is still staying in the school.
4) Employment support
Work experiences and field exercises are made repeatedly in close tie-up with the public employment security office, Hallo Work, Employment and life support center, etc. and to find out the place of employment is made. Concurrently, persons with disabilities are helped in learning appropriate for the course that persons with disabilities want.
6) Career development for employment in the welfare vocational aid facilities
Training for employment in welfare and vocation aid facilities varies in the content, method, and level depending on the facilities.
