Support for people with disabilities and chronic illnesses can take many forms, of which mentoring is an important tool for achieving full autonomy and independence. Young people with disabilities and chronic illnesses say that providing guidance, support and opportunities for their personal and professional development is crucial, as there are rarely opportunities to participate in individualised and inclusive mentoring programmes tailored to their needs. As a joint initiative of Jamba organisations in Austria, Bulgaria and Hungary, we implemented the Career4All Train the Trainer Academy project, in which we joined forces, developed the methodology and training materials, provided training for trainers and organised mentoring programmes for young people with disabilities and chronic illnesses in these three countries. The project lasted one year and was funded by the Erasmus+ programme for education, training, youth and sport in Europe.
The selected prospective trainers attended an intensive training of 9 modules over 5 weeks, during which they acquired skills and knowledge in successfully communicating with different types of people with disabilities, the empowerment approach, understanding socialisation, soft skills training, personal branding, negotiation skills, career coaching, support in CV/portfolio writing and the job application process, interview preparation and participation in interviews with mentored people, and successful integration into a new work environment. At the end of the training, a total of 18 mentors were paired with mentored young people with disabilities and chronic illnesses to support them in career guidance, professional development and applying for jobs.
Virginia, a mentor from Austria, says that the training and mentoring experience has added value to her professional experience and has made her more personally appreciative of all she has achieved so far. She also says that she realised that mentoring is a two-way process – while supporting her mentor, she also increased her own confidence to work in the field of psychotherapy for people with different disabilities and needs. Anitawho has been mentored in Hungary, will apply his new skills and experience in his own working environment: “I learned a lot of new and super practical things about how to prepare the HR team of a “not yet diverse company” to attract and select diverse talent.” Once the project is completed, the trainers will be able to provide training for employers on topics such as diversity and inclusion in the corporate sector, successful communication and the integration of people with disabilities in the labour market.
Developing leadership and communication skills through mentoring can have an impact on both the quality of business decision-making and organisational culture, and Yoana from Bulgaria highlighted that the Academy gave her an insight into a different perspective and ways to improve the quality of life in and outside the workplace. “The mentoring programme is an eye-opener and really inspires me to make key changes in my life!”
The experiences shared after the mentoring programme ended show that, in addition to the support and resources provided for personal and professional development, the mentored people highly value the sense of belonging they developed with their mentors, as well as the help they received in breaking down stereotypes and promoting better understanding and acceptance of people with disabilities and chronic illnesses in society. “This mentoring programme gives me the opportunity to learn new things in a friendly and inclusive way. The mentor is acting as a friend and I appreciate the help he is giving me.” – says the Bulgarian mentor Silviya. Dimana , from Austria, agreed and highlighted this new experience and the skills she had developed during the process, including conflict management. Mentored participants, such as the Hungarian participant, also identified face-to-face meetings as important and memorable moments in the process, For Viktor: “My mentor was always there for me. He was very kind but firm in pointing out my mistakes. He would leave it up to me to correct the mistake, and if I did it right, he would praise me a lot. In addition, he always made comments and suggestions. I took his advice, it was very useful. For example, I always emphasize my experience and (so) I can deal with my weaknesses.”
Finally, all the educational material produced by the project
available online
on the Jamba website for anyone who wants to learn more and who would like to start working in this field. The programme was held in English, but the organisers also provided materials in the official languages of the partner countries, so they are available in Bulgarian, Hungarian and German, in addition to English.
