The objective of the study was to explore social integration of people with intellectual disabilities (ID) in the workplace and to identify the characteristics of positive workplace culture for them. An in-depth qualitative case study was conducted at two worksites to explore the process of social integration. Sources of information included company documents, on site observations, and interviews that were conducted for the following purposes: 1. to describe employees with IDs’ perceptions and needs of social integration and their experiences of social relationships in work settings; 2. to explore co-workers’ perceptions of and relationships with employees with ID; and 3. to identify what characteristics of workplace culture contributed to or detracted from social integration for people with ID. One workplace was an educational organization where four workers with ID were employed, the other a restaurant franchise where one worker with ID was employed. The participants with ID from both worksites believed people with and without disabilities should work together and felt they were included in their workplaces. The co-workers interviewed had positive opinions of fellow employees with ID. Several characteristics of workplace culture had an impact on social integration for employees with ID, including a job structure that promotes social interactions, work pace within the work setting, group or individual employment, culture of acceptance within the work setting, and a supportive managerial approach. The results of the current study have provided strategies to enhance social integration for employees with ID, and highlighted a number of potentially beneficial workplace conditions that merit additional study. Service providers can act as advocates to help create a work environment that emphasizes acceptance and respect for workers in this population. / Thesis (Master, Rehabilitation Science) -- Queen's University, 2008-02-01 15:55:38.935 / South Eastern Ontario Community-University Research Alliance in Intellectual Disabilities

Internationally Educated Nurses (IENs) have been proposed as one solution to dealing with the nursing shortage in Canada. In addition to helping sustain the profession, IENs are reflective of the diverse patient populations in Canada. Investments will ensure healthy workplaces for and retention of IENs. There has been a growing interest about IENs’ experiences with migration and navigating through the regulatory process, but research on their post-transition experience is lacking. Workplace integration for IENs is not well understood and the role of the employer has received limited focus. Guided by critical social theory, an instrumental qualitative case study approach was used to examine a single organization, St. Michael’s Hospital, Toronto, with a history of supporting IENs. A purposeful sample of twenty-eight participants included diverse IENs who were post-transition, and stakeholders from various vantage points. Four forms of data collection were used: semi-structured interviews; socio-demographic survey; review of documents and focus groups. Thematic analysis was carried out to form a within subcase analysis first, followed by an across subcase analysis. The major themes are: (a) when “integrated”, an IEN is (i) being a “Canadian nurse with international experience”; (ii) progressing on the leadership journey; and (iii) persevering in overcoming challenges; (b) organizational factors that influence workplace integration of IEN are (i) workforce diversity; (ii) leadership commitment to equity; (iii) policies promoting equity principles; (iv) engagement with the broader community; and (v) avoiding common pitfalls. This research offers a definition and conceptual framework where workplace integration of IENs is a “two-way” process within an inclusive and valuing context, producing changes both at the IEN as well as organizational levels.

Sweden has a long tradition of refugee immigration to the country and with labor skillshortage that exists in the construction sector, larger construction company in Swedeninitiated to start recruitment and education program to integrate high skilled immigrantengineers into their company.The purpose of this study aims to investigate how immigrants’ engineers experienceintegration in the construction sector by examining two different construction companies'programs in Sweden.The study was conducted using a qualitative method. The literature used has highlightedconfirmation issue areas. Subsequently, interviews have been conducted in a semi-structuredway with immigrant engineers working within the companies to investigate how integrationhas taken place from their point of view, in what was good and what is perceived less good.The analysis and discussion of the results have been used to ascertain how the immigrantsexperienced the time during the program. A general conclusion is from the perspective of theimmigrants that the opportunities are enormous with the program created by the company tointegrate immigrant engineers into the construction industry. / Sverige har en lång tradition med relativt omfattande flyktinginvandring och år 2016 invandrade det in mest i landet, omkring 163 000 människor. Många av de flyktingar som invandrat till Sverige under denna period har en hög utbildningsnivå. Med den arbetskraftsoch kompetensbrist som existerar i byggsektorn idag i förhållande till den stora massa byggnader och andra projekt som uppförs så resultera det i att stora byggföretag i Sverige initierade för att starta rekrytering eller utbildningsprogram med anledning till att integrera nyanlända/utrikesfödda med kompetens- och erfarenhet inom byggsektorn. Tidigare forskning indikerar att svårigheter uppstår vid integration, kommunikation, kulturella skillnader och validering. Med anledning till utmaningarna inom området som uppstår, erhåller man förståelse och förbättringar med integration av nyanlända/utrikesfödda ingenjörer i byggsektorn genom denna studie. Detta är någonting som alla byggföretag kan ta del av för en bättre integration. Undersökningen syftar till att utreda hur nyanlända/utrikesfödda ingenjörer upplever att de integreras in i byggsektorn genom att undersöka två olika byggföretags program i Sverige där målet med programmen är att integrera dem i sina verksamheter. Genom att undersöka tidigare studier inom integrationen utav högutbildade ingenjörer från länder likt Sverige för att sedan undersöka hur nyanlända/utrikesfödda upplever att de erhållit stöd för att integreras i den svenska byggsektorn. Undersökningen har utförts med kvalitativ metod. Litteraturen som används har belyst styrkande problemområden. Därefter har intervjuerna utförts på semistrukturerade vis med nyanlända/utrikesfödda ingenjörer som arbetar inom företagen för att undersöka hur de upplever integrationen skett från deras synvinkel, de som varit bra och det som upplevs mindre bra. Analysen och diskussionen av resultatet har använts för att konstatera hur de nyanlända/utrikesfödda upplevt tiden under programmet samt även då de blivit anställda inom företagen gällande att integreras. En generell slutsats är att från de nyanländas/utrikesfödda perspektiv är möjligheterna enorma med program skapade av företag till att integrera ingenjörerna i byggsektorn. Eftersom den utbildning man erbjuds under programmen gällande svenska språket, värderingar och normer på arbetsplatsen resulterar i att man erbjuds en anställning inom sitt kunskapsområde. Genom att delta i programmen ökar kontaktnätet för de nyanlända/utrikesfödda som är till fördel för att söka jobb eller bli rekryterad i framtiden. Vidare möts det individer från olika kulturer på arbetsplatsen som resulterar i att man utvecklar förståelse kring kulturella skillnader och att det bidrar för de nyanlända/utrikesfödda att enklare integreras båda på arbetsplatsen och i samhället.