What factors condition the financial viability of sheltered employment centres? Empirical evidence

Nowadays, employment is a challenge for people but more for disabled ones. Prior literature shows that, at a European level, there are different ways for people with disabilities to find a job, such as a quota system, sheltered workshops, supported employment, etc. In Spain, sheltered employment centres are prototypes of sheltered workshops aimed at integrating more people with disabilities into the workplace. This research project aims to give visibility to these firms and to gain an understanding of their economic and financial situation. Using the whole sample of sheltered employment centres in Spain, and their financial data from 2004 to 2016, we show which variables explain their viability. Additionally, in light of the imminent worldwide crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic situation, we want to test the impact of the last economic crisis on the profitability of sheltered employment centres. The main contribution of this study is that the size of these companies, age, financial risk and sales growth, are determining factors for their profitability. And, the economic and financial crisis has conditioned the viability of sheltered employment centres as many firms on the market registered a decrease in their profitability in the years following the crisis but survived. This study helps to shed light on the economic and financial situation of this kind of firms as well as their social visibility.

Metal exposure of workers during recycling of electronic waste: a cross-sectional study in sheltered workshops in Germany

Objectives In Germany, the initial step of electronic waste (e-waste) recycling frequently takes place in sheltered workshops for physically and mentally handicapped workers (Werkstätten für behinderte Menschen (WfbM), in german language). E-waste recycling involves a potential risk of exposure to toxic metals. Therefore, we assessed the occupational exposure of recycling workers to toxic metals to identify potential health risks and insufficient protective measures. Methods We used a combined air- and bio-monitoring approach to determine exposure of recycling workers to toxic metals. Air and urine samples were collected in five sheltered workshops in Germany and were analysed for their content of aluminium, antimony, arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, mercury and nickel. Results were compared to German and international occupational limit values and to metal exposures of workers in conventional e-waste recycling firms. Results Exposure of recycling workers in five German sheltered workshops to the studied metals and their compounds was below German and international occupational limit values across all facilities studied considering both air and urine samples. Workers in the present study were not exposed to higher amounts of toxic metals than workers in conventional e-waste recycling firms. Conclusion This is the first study on toxic metal exposure of recycling workers in sheltered workshops. The results of this study revealed a low occupational exposure of e-waste recycling workers to toxic metals in this type of enterprises. Current work methods and safety measures provide the workers with adequate protection.

Neumann, Alfred M.

Alfred M. Neumann (1910–2002) dedicated his life to uplifting humanity. He was recognized for pioneering the concept of sheltered workshops for the rehabilitation of social and emotionally mentally handicapped individuals.

Performance Evaluation of Sheltered Workshops. Does Legal Status Matter?

Social enterprise pursues both social and economic goals and is recognized as a formula for achieving sustainable development. Sheltered workshops (SWs) are a manifestation of this phenomenon, their main objective being the labor market integration of disabled people. In this paper, the efficiency of SWs has been studied taking into account the operational and the core social aspects, as well as their distinct nature, namely for-profit or non-profit status. Additionally, we have analyzed the relationship between the social efficiency and the economic returns of these entities. To do this, a semiparametric methodology, combining different data envelopment analysis (DEA) models with truncated regression estimation has been used. It is the non-profit and top-performing SWs that achieve the best social and economic efficiency. For-profit and low-performing SWs show further reductions in social efficiency as a result of the economic crisis and uncertainty in subsidy-related public policies. Their extensive social proactiveness and high economic strength in the crisis period positively influenced their social and economic efficiency. We have also proven that it is the most profitable SWs that have the greatest social efficiency. We consider that our results constitute a useful complement to other evaluation models for social enterprise.

Using evidence in shaping disability policy in Romania: the case of sheltered workshops

Background: The importance of using evidence to inform the policymaking process has been well established in the literature and practice. In Western countries evidence-based policy (EBP) is already accepted and implemented in many policy areas, including disability policy. In Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) the interest in EBP (evidence-based policy) is new and limited, hampered in many aspects by the regional specificity of the public administration and welfare services reform.Aims and objectives: The present article aims to explore the development of evidence-based disability employment policy in Romania, in a specific area of work integration: sheltered workshops.Methods: The article draws on the findings of extensive research on sheltered workshops that included multiple research methods, such as public policy analysis, social documents analysis, and secondary data analysis of quantitative and qualitative data.Findings: A number of issues concerning the implementation of evidence-based disability policy in Romania have been identified. Some of these issues are related to the administrative and policy capacity of the government. Others are linked to the limitation of the advocacy capacity of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) active in the disability area, or to the weak presence of the academic/research community in the disability policy forum.Discussion and conclusions: There is a limited knowledge of how evidence-based disability policy is developed in CEE countries. This article will emphasise the role of the sheltered workshops in shaping the policy solutions in the area of work integration for persons with disabilities. The article will contribute to better understanding of the disability policy reform, looking closely at how the evidence is built and used within the disability policy process.<br />Key messages<br /><ul><li>The paper explores pathways of evidence use to support decisions on disability policy in Romania.</li><br /><li>The disability reform in Romania is influenced by Welfare State and Public Administration reform, EU integration process, EU Disability Action Plans (DAPs) and the signing of the UN Convention of Persons with Disabilities.</li><br /><li>The social economy framework has influenced the employment opportunities for persons with disabilities. The sheltered workshops have become an important actor in promoting work integration for people with disability. Also the sheltered workshops have an important role in modernising evidence-based disability employment policy</li><br /><li>The lack of statistical data and relevant knowledge about what works, and the impact on the integration of people with disabilities, is impeding the development of both disability rights and disability services, and has determined the adoption of policy decisions that have profoundly affected work integration in this area.</li></ul>

Übergangsprozesse aus Werkstätten für Menschen mit Behinderungen auf den allgemeinen Arbeitsmarkt

Zusammenfassung Werkstätten für Menschen mit Behinderungen (WfbM) sind im Zuge der Reformen durch die UN-Behindertenrechtskonvention (UN-BRK) und das Bundesteilhabegesetz (BTHG) zunehmend dazu aufgefordert, den Übergang ihrer Beschäftigten in Arbeitsverhältnisse auf dem allgemeinen Arbeitsmarkt zu fördern. Viele Werkstätten in Deutschland kooperieren bei dieser Aufgabe mit ­Integrationsfachdiensten (IFD). Dieser Artikel stellt die Ergebnisse einer qualitativen Studie zur Zusammenarbeit zwischen WfbM und IFD bei der Übergangsgestaltung dar. Durch Expert*inneninterviews mit Mitarbeitenden aus beiden Einrichtungen konnten der prototypische Übergangsprozess dargestellt und Einflussfaktoren herausgearbeitet werden. Dabei wurde ein Zusammenwirken von Faktoren aus drei Einflussbereichen identifiziert: Zum einen wirken sich Aspekte der Organisationsstruktur, wie beispielsweise Zielkonflikte und Kommunikationsstrukturen auf die Übergangsgestaltung aus. Zweitens haben die Interaktionen zwischen den verschiedenen Beteiligten und die Beziehungsgestaltung zu den Beschäftigten einen Einfluss. Drittens konnten Einflussfaktoren in der Organisationsumwelt identifiziert werden, beispielsweise sozialpolitische und gesetzgeberische Förderbedingungen und die Einstellungsbereitschaft von Arbeitgebern. Abstract: Transitions from Sheltered Workshops to the Open Labour Market Since the reforms of the UN-CRPD and the ‘Bundesteilhabegesetz’ demand the establishment of an inclusive labour market, sheltered workshops for people with disabilities in Germany are increasingly confronted with the request to actively support their employees’ transitions to the open labour market. To fulfill this requirement, many sheltered workshops cooperate with integrational services, which are specialized in creating regular employment for people with disabilities. This article presents the findings of a qualitative study on the subject of cooperation between sheltered workshops and integrational services in order to promote their employees’ transitions to the open labour market. Through expert interviews with professionals of both institutions, the prototypical transition process was reconstructed. Additionally, three interacting areas of influence were identified: Firstly, aspects of the organizational structure influence transition processes, e. g. conflicting aims or communication structures. Secondly, interactions between the involved persons and the relationship between clients and professionals have an impact. Environmental factors, like sociopolitical and legislative conditions and the willingness of employers to employ former workshop employees could be identified as a third influencing area.