Most municipalities already employ job coaches to help people with, for example, autism find a job, but the degree and quality of guidance varies greatly from municipality to municipality.
There are no clear quality requirements that a job coach must meet. “This means that now everyone can do this job,” says Elwin Wolters of the OVAL industry club for career organizations. “We also see that some municipalities mainly look at how much guidance costs and not what it produces”.
Lost opportunity
According to Wolters, only one in three municipality uses outside professional coaches. “This means that two out of three municipalities could do better. It really is a missed opportunity.”
Research shows that good driving really pays off. Six out of ten people who are helped to find work through a job coach still have a job after three years.
How does job coaching work?
A job coach examines someone’s chances of working despite their disability, then looks for a job that suits them. The job coach also explicitly checks whether the work environment is suitable for this person.
The job coach then draws up an orientation plan together with the employee and the employer. During the appointment, both the employee and the employer can contact the job coach for questions and advice.
Driving is generally intensive, especially in the initial phase. If the job is successful and employer and employee are used to each other, less intense coaching is usually required.
Not free
The House of Representatives also urges clear quality requirements. “Anyone with a professional disability should be able to work,” says VVD MP Daan de Kort. “Good job coaches help with this and are therefore extremely important. That’s why municipalities have to test quality, which they often don’t do now.”
Career guidance is obviously not free. The CDA and the SP have therefore asked in the past for additional funding for municipalities to be able to hire trainers for people with professional disabilities. A motion was also passed this summer calling on the government to investigate whether social assistance funds can be used for this purpose.
Village
According to Wolters, there is also a lack of knowledge. The trade association OVAL is therefore launching a campaign to raise awareness among municipalities on the value of good work coaches. “Too many talents and opportunities of people with professional disabilities remain untapped,” says Wolters. It’s a shame at a time when employers are desperate for staff, she thinks.
“With better guidance, you can kill two birds with one stone,” continues Wolters. More and more people with work disabilities find jobs and employers get the extra staff they so desperately need.
