<p>ÖREBRO UNIVERSITY Department of behaviour, social and legal science Social works C-essay 41-60 p Autumn term 2006 Title: Obstacle to employment on the labour market. Grown-up people with mentally retardation. Authors: Hansen Mikael & Sjöberg Marita Instructor of study: Antonson Sivert ABSTRACT The purpose of this paper is to try tofind out how persons with mentally retardation, working in the municipally daily activities develop and participate in everyday life. We especially want to find explanations for why there are so few among the retarded persons who are taking part in the regularly labour market. What will the instructor within the municipally activities achieve with his/her work? In what way will a retarded person have a possibility to participate in society and to take part in daily activities? Trough observations and semi structured interviews havr information and experience been collected. The analysis model has been constituted by legal rules and the concept of participation. Our results show that an instructor within the municipally activities wants a retarded person to develop towards an independent life. To grow towards an independent life the person should use their ability to self-determination. To help the retarded person the instructor, staff and relatives work together. The mentally retardation person should have the opportunity for involvement and growth in a relaxing environment. You grow and feel involved when doing things together. The social companionship is an important part of the daily activities. However we, as inquirers can not see that the instructors work with the goal that retarded persons are prepared for a place in the regularly labour market. The conclusion of this work is that the step from daily activities to a work in the open labour market is long. It seams to be far from life inside the daily activities to a working life outside. There is no bridge for people within the daily activities out on regular labour market. Supported employment might be an alternative for retarded individuals to attain a position within the regularly working market. Language: Swedish Key words: work, working life, mentally retardation, daily activities, LSS (Swedish law), participation</p>

ÖREBRO UNIVERSITY Department of behaviour, social and legal science Social works C-essay 41-60 p Autumn term 2006 Title: Obstacle to employment on the labour market. Grown-up people with mentally retardation. Authors: Hansen Mikael &amp; Sjöberg Marita Instructor of study: Antonson Sivert ABSTRACT The purpose of this paper is to try tofind out how persons with mentally retardation, working in the municipally daily activities develop and participate in everyday life. We especially want to find explanations for why there are so few among the retarded persons who are taking part in the regularly labour market. What will the instructor within the municipally activities achieve with his/her work? In what way will a retarded person have a possibility to participate in society and to take part in daily activities? Trough observations and semi structured interviews havr information and experience been collected. The analysis model has been constituted by legal rules and the concept of participation. Our results show that an instructor within the municipally activities wants a retarded person to develop towards an independent life. To grow towards an independent life the person should use their ability to self-determination. To help the retarded person the instructor, staff and relatives work together. The mentally retardation person should have the opportunity for involvement and growth in a relaxing environment. You grow and feel involved when doing things together. The social companionship is an important part of the daily activities. However we, as inquirers can not see that the instructors work with the goal that retarded persons are prepared for a place in the regularly labour market. The conclusion of this work is that the step from daily activities to a work in the open labour market is long. It seams to be far from life inside the daily activities to a working life outside. There is no bridge for people within the daily activities out on regular labour market. Supported employment might be an alternative for retarded individuals to attain a position within the regularly working market. Language: Swedish Key words: work, working life, mentally retardation, daily activities, LSS (Swedish law), participation

Our aim of this study was to investigate barriers and opportunities for people with mental disorders getting in to the labor market. This from experiences by people whose daily job contains work rehabilitation for this group in particular. On the basis of five qualitative interviews the results showed that prejudices towards people with mental disorders are a barrier for them to get a wage labor. Furthermore the results showed that low self-esteem within the target group and also high educational demands becomes a barrier to a wage labor. The results also showed that to focus on the healthy aspects may serve as an opportunity for people with mental disorders to get in to the labor market and be able to have a paid job. Another opportunity for this particular group consists of getting a subsidized employment. An increased knowledge among employers about the difficulties and strengths people with mental disorders may have to execute a job, can also serve as an opportunity for them to get an employment. / Vi har haft som syfte att undersöka hinder och möjligheter för personer som har ett psykiskt funktionshinder att få tillträde på den reguljära arbetsmarkanden. Detta utifrån upplevelser hos personer vars arbetsroll har inslag av arbetlivssinriktad rehabilitering för vår undersökta målgrupp.  Studien grundade sig på fem stycken kvalitativa intervjuer och resultaten visade på att fördomar som finns mot personer med ett psykiskt funktionshinder kan utgöra ett hinder för dem att få ett lönearbete. Vidare kunde även hinder kopplas till låg självkänsla hos målgruppen samt ökade krav till högre utbildning för att kunna få ett lönearbete. Resultaten visade även på att ha fokus på det friska i sig kan utgöra en möjlighet till lönearbete för personer med ett psykiskt funktionshinder. En annan möjlighet för den här målgruppen utgjordes av att få en anställning med lönebidrag.  En ökad kunskap bland arbetsgivare om vilka svårigheter samt styrkor personer med ett psykiskt funktionshinder kan ha i förhållande till att utföra ett arbete, kan också utgöra en möjlighet för dessa personer att få en anställning.