Refugees across Europe face significant challenges in accessing the labour market, including
high unemployment rates and prolonged joblessness compared to native populations, as evidenced
by recent EU and OECD data. The Supported Employment model, successfully implemented in
Portugal, aims to overcome these barriers through tailored support and vocational guidance.
ADAPTREF project aims to introduce the Supported Employment model in Bulgaria and further
develop it in Portugal, adapting it to the specific needs of refugees and immigrants. This
adaptation is crucial, as existing career support systems often lack the necessary expertise to
effectively assist these groups. By transferring knowledge and best practices from Portugal to
Bulgaria and refining them to better support refugees and immigrants, our goal is to establish a
more inclusive and supportive labour market pathway in both countries.
Young individuals with disabilities or impairments face significant challenges in accessing the
labour market, encountering higher unemployment rates and longer job search durations compared
to their peers, despite existing support systems. The LEAD project, co-financed by the EEA
Grants Fund for Youth Employment, aims to address these barriers by enhancing employment
processes for young people aged 15 to 29 with disabilities in Lithuania, Portugal, and Romania.
The project will achieve this by developing and disseminating a best practices model for
Supported Employment, creating training packages for employers, employment specialists, and
family members, and establishing Supported Employment services. Additionally, LEAD will foster
systematic cooperation with non-traditional stakeholders through the creation and activation of
national Supported Employment networks and support groups for families of young people with
disabilities. By implementing these measures, the LEAD project aims to increase access to the
labour market and promote equality of opportunity for young adults with disabilities.