The Problems And Strategies Of Disabled People's Employment Service In Sheltered Workshops From The Perspective Of Normalization Theory

Employment of disabled people has been the focus and difficulty for governments all over the world for a long time. On the objective view, the disabled have special employment environmental requirements to different degrees. However,on the subjective view, they also suffer secular prejudices that have taken shape for a long time inevitably. The result is that they couldn't find a job, even if they have the desire and ability to work. Sheltered workshops, as a form of protective and transitional employment,provide a safe resting place for disabled people. But in the process of development,sheltered workshops have encountered many practical problems. Meanwhile, the existence of sheltered workshops has also been questioned with the rise of social thoughts that the disabled should return back to the society living and working like normal people.This study, based on the work service and experience in Z Street's sheltered workshop,Wuhan, according to the theory of Bengt Nilles normalization principle, taking current service and future development of sheltered workshops as analytic frame,reveals the real problems of employment service in sheltered workshops and discuss strategies for the future development.In this study, the conclusions are following: the disabled trainees have low incomes and lack labor security. Besides, the working systems are unreasonable, the job is too single and boring, the working time is not fixed, and the disabled trainees' leisure rights can not be guaranteed. Moreover, they not only lack vocational training and planning, but also have less autonomy and power to make decision. Their normal social interaction and rehabilitation training have not been given due attention as well. Therefore, sheltered workshops should improve employment service systems and processes, strengthen sheltered employment counseling and training, and introduce professional social jobs in the future. In addition, sheltered workshops should improve staff service awareness and build a employment resource system for the disabled trainees getting back to society. Atthe same time, it is necessary to appeal to formulate related policies and establish service supervision and evaluation mechanisms.