Project Hermes
Project Hermes is a joint venture collaboration between The Obra Social e Cultural Sílvia Cardoso and its trans-european partners from Spain, Italy and Ceuta directed to the aid and rehabilitation of people with disabilities by promoting their employment and formation. The Social European Fund sponsors this project we will also be working closely with The Association Paços 2000.
We regard employment as a key factor in rehabilitation. We know from experience that any person carrying a disability once submitted to a proper rehabilitation process can perform his or her job as well as any other citizen.
Unfortunately employing people with disabilities does not only depend on their real professional skills and abilities. Society's attitude towards people with disabilities can sometimes compromise this process. There is no real knowledge of what people with disabilities can really do once they accomplish a full rehabilitation process. Many times these people are seen as a burden or at least not as cost effective as other workers in today's competitive markets. This kind of prejudice must be fought, and society's view of the disabled person must change.
Thus, in order to promote employment of people with disabilities we must also change mentalities and actively promote employment for disabled people. This process cannot be achieved without the collaboration of:
- The disabled person herself
- The family
- The community
- The business community, including employers, firms and sector and professional associations
We see this process as a collaboration and a learning process for all the agents involved.
To promote awareness regarding the employment of people with disabilities Project Hermes seeks to:
- Help families support the disabled person promoting his or her autonomy in order to obtain a complete integration.
- Work with local employers in order to make them aware of the needs and skills of the persons with disabilities.
- Actively promote the creation of job opportunities for people with physical, sensorial or mental disabilities
To achieve these goals project Hermes as put toghether a 12 members team whose main activity will be to:
- Organise a deep field research on the needs and expectations of people with disabilities.
- Promote awareness of the needs of people with disabilities and their role in society.
- Promote a spirit of goodwill in the local community and economic agents.
- Produce a compreensive research on the labour market in order to find out or adapt work posts for the persons with disabilities thus creating a network support using our local structures and resources to employ people with disabilities.
We hope this effort will allow us to change mentalities and help disabled people in their fight for a full integration and rehabilitation.
With the help of all of those involved in this process - institutional partners, local community, families, teachers and health care providers - we believe we can indeed contribute to a more just and human society where all, regardless of their disabilities, will be treated as equal with the same opportunities.
If you have any doubts or would like to make any suggestions please be welcome to contact us.
Field Research
Field Research and Investigation of disabilities in Paços de Ferreira
Among the several initiatives developed by Project Hermes in order to support the persons with didabilities in her struggle towards rehabilitation and participation in active life, we have conducted a systematic research and investigation of the number and nature of disabilities in Paços de Ferreira.
In this field work, managed by psychologists, sociologists and social workers, we have tried not only to access the exact number of disabled persons in Paços de Ferreira, but also the nature of those disabilities and its demographics.
By doing this, not only are we building a comprehensive database for further study and analysis, but we are also be establishing a close contact with the populations studied, the handicapped person and his or her family. The knowledge of the social and demographic reality of disabilities in Paços de Ferreira will be a valuable complement to the following work of research and identification of job opportunities for people with disabilities.
FSE |
Ministerio do
Trabalho e da
Solidariedade |
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Last Update At: 29-10-1998
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