Supporting Environment Between School And The Labour Market For Young People With Disabilities: Case Study Of Papilot, Slovenia

Children and adolescents with special needs are people who have certain types and levels of deficits and disabilities, which cause them to not have equal opportunities for development and advancement as others do. With the aim of ensuring the right to equality and the prohibition of discrimination, the countries perform various activities and offer additional assistance for their successful integration in education and work. In this paper, we will show how this area is regulated in Slovenia and on the example of the selected institution (Papilot). The project "The transition of young people to the labour market" supports greater social inclusion of young people with special needs in the labour market through an intermediate supporting environment between the school and the labour market. Because young people with special needs are already more stigmatized due to their status, they consequently integrate less successfully in society. It is therefore important that we include them in such a social environment, which, in addition to knowledge and skills, also gives them a sense of acceptance in society. Such approaches are also important for a wider society, as it is possible to change stereotypical images and employers' views regarding the possibility of working with people with special needs and help to facilitate the employability of these people. With its active operation, the Institute Papilot is established both in Slovenia and abroad, especially in SE Europe. An important element in the Slovenian market is occupational and vocational rehabilitation, lifelong career guidance and the inclusion of young people in the labour market. The participation of wider society, especially primary and secondary schools is a prerequisite for the success of efforts to shift to a higher level of education and employment for young people with disabilities.