Evaluation of the effects of the funding principles "Work Inclusive" - WiArIn - We are In!

Aims

To what extent do measures for the labour market-oriented qualification of participants contribute to an improved participation situation? This is the central question of the research project "Evaluation of the Effects of the Labour Inclusive Funding Principles". The results of this project will be used to review and further develop the professional standards.

Approach

The collection of information at the level of the participants, the socio-spatial level and the labour market level was essentially carried out by means of two central studies focusing on quantitative aspects: a progress study and a retrospective study. Both studies involved participants and their employers.

The target group of the follow-up study were people with significant disabilities who took up a job in the general labour market for the first time between July 2020 and July 2022 and received benefits from the "Arbeit Inklusiv" programme. The follow-up study was implemented as a longitudinal study with two survey dates one year apart. The retrospective study focussed on all persons with significant disabilities who have received benefits from the "Arbeit Inklusiv" programme in the past to establish the employment relationship. A qualitative study to validate and deepen the data collected in this way by employees with significant disabilities and employers completed the surveys.

Course of research

Despite the huge challenges posed by the pandemic, a wide range of measures was used to achieve sufficient case numbers to produce meaningful results. The specific context in which the project was carried out was also constantly reflected upon and taken into account. The large number of cases required for in-depth statistical analyses was achieved thanks to the great commitment of the specialist counsellors from the integration services. In total, more than 600 participants and over 230 companies were able to contribute their views on the impact of the funding principles to the project.

Results