Direct Employment by Organisations of the Visually Impaired

New Trends in Directs Employment in Russia

by Larisa CHERKESOVA




Introduction

The All-Russia Association of the Blind (VOS) was founded in 1925 on the initiative of visually disabled people themselves. It is a voluntary non-governmental organization that unites 230 000 visually impaired members. There are 74 regional and 932 local organizations, 172 factories and 20 institutions in VOS system.

The aim of the All-Russia association of the Blind (VOS) at the present stage of social and economic development is to render assistance in realization of the state policy in regard to social protection of the visually impaired, ensuring equal opportunities in realization of civil, economic, political and other rights and freedoms.

The main way of reaching this aim is a complex rehabilitation of the visually impaired which lets them restore social status, attain property independence and adapt in the society.




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Rehabilitation of the visually impaired is the leading trend of the VOS activities.

The rehabilitation activities are carried out in accordance with the VOS Statutes, VOS congresses resolutions, UNGA resolution 48/96 of 20.12.93, Federal Law " On Social Protection of the Disabled in the Russian Federation", other legislative acts regulating issues of social and legal protection of the visually impaired. While defining the aims and contents of social and rehabilitation activities VOS bases on its longstanding experience, science progress and international practice.

VOS carries out the activities on improvement of normative basis of rehabilitation together with the state legislative and executive authorities of federal and regional levels.

Rehabilitation of the visually impaired is carried out by organizing events and taking measures aiming at restoring and compensation of lost functions, restoring abilities of the disabled to perform some certain activities.

Rehabilitation of the disabled consists of:

- Medical rehabilitation
- Vocational rehabilitation
- Social rehabilitation

Medical rehabilitation is carrying out of medical and preventive actions in regard to the visually impaired.

Vocational rehabilitation is carrying out vocational training, establishment of special workstations, vocational adaptation and placing in a job.

Social rehabilitation is conducting of psychological correction, social and environment adaptation.

The main stages of rehabilitation activities are:

- Initial rehabilitation connected with suspension of development of negative processes, caused by severe impairment of visual functions.

- Elementary rehabilitation connected with creation of initial grounds of social capability of the disabled in the key spheres of public practice.

- Maximum possible rehabilitation connected with achieving a maximum level of independence by a visually impaired person in main spheres of social life.

Rehabilitation of the visually impaired is conducted according to individual rehabilitation program (IRP) , worked out by the State medical and social expertise service, this program is compulsory for execution.

Rehabilitation includes all age groups and all categories of visually impaired persons: blind, partially sighted, deaf-blind, multihandicapped visually impaired people; employed and unemployed due to health reasons, etc.

VOS in accordance with the Statutes contributes to rehabilitation of pre-school and school age children.

Practical activities on rehabilitation of the visually impaired are carried out by VOS regional organizations, institutions and factories according to VOS Statutes.

The tasks of regional VOS organizations are: rendering assistance to state authorities of the Russian Federation entities in rehabilitation of visually impaired people, guidance of rehabilitation activities in local organizations, control of the activities at the factories located at one and the same administrative territory and VOS institutions.

Regional VOS organizations take part together with state authorities in working out and realization of rehabilitation policy (programs). While making a budget of the Russian Federation entities they do their best to get the adopted programs of rehabilitation of the visually impaired be included.

To realize social support and rehabilitation programs they conduct activities of getting additional finance from other organizations, including charitable (sponsor) contributions.

In modern social and economic conditions the state support and social protection of visually impaired is one of the most important aims. The Federal Law " On Social Protection of the Disabled in the Russian Federation" adopted in 1995, defined the state policy in regard to social protection of disabled in Russia. The aim of this policy is ensuring the disabled equal with other citizens possibilities in realization of civil, economic, political and other rights and freedoms, provided by the Constitution of the Russian Federation and in accordance with accepted principles and regulations of international law and international agreements of Russia.

The present standard program is worked out for execution of Federal Laws "On Social Protection of the Disabled in the Russian Federation", " On Providing Social Services to Elderly and Disabled Citizens", "On Population Employment in the Russian Federation", decrees of the Russian Federation President of 02.10.1995, if 59 " On Federal Complex Program "Social Support of Disabled People" of 12.10.1992 P1157 "On Additional Measures of State Support to the Disabled", resolution of Russian Federation government of 16.01.1995 N 59, " On Federal Complex Program "Social Support of the Disabled" of 07.12.1996 P 1449 " On Measures Ensuring Free Access of the Disabled to Information and Social Infrastructure Objects", of 27.07.1996 N 901.

One of the aims of the standard program is rendering assistance to the most needy visually disabled people. The main measure of social protection for the disabled is a pension. Unfortunately, at present the state does not carry out social protection of disabled people in full volume, since the minimum living standard often exceeds the size of pension. Taking into account that our local and regional organizations register all visually impaired people and have got a database containing their number and individual needs in social support measures, the program is aimed at this approach.

In 2002 VOS regional organizations continued activities on rendering assistance in employment of visually disabled people implementing Federal Laws "On Social Protection of the Disabled in the Russian Federation", "On Population Employment in the Russian Federation", "On Non-Governmental Associations".

Chairpersons of VOS regional organizations, being at the same time members of the coordination councils dealing with issues of the disabled in their regions, are in constant contact with the state and local authorities of Russia in solving employment problems of disabled people. The role of local VOS organizations in employment of visually disabled people through local employment services is becoming greater.

Thus, in the first half of 2002 regional VOS organizations rendered assistance in employment of 1483 visually impaired persons against 2279 persons in the first half of 2001, including 978 in VOS system (in the first half of 2001 – 1582), at state factories – 182 (241 in the first half of 2001), at other factories and in the sphere of individual labor – 238 (in the first half of 2001 – 393), in agriculture – 85.

As of September 1, 2002 20482 visually impaired persons are employed in VOS system. In the first half of 2002 about 1211 persons left VOS system (in the first half of 2001 – 1434), 304 persons of them – elderly visually impaired persons.

In more than 20 entities of the Russian Federation standard acts on a quota system of workstations for visually impaired persons are approved.

Difficulties in solving of employment issues are connected with absence in some regions financing of special programs of social protection of the disabled, as well as non-recurrent investments on preservation of workstations for the visually impaired.

Besides, difficulties in employment of the visually impaired are connected with the fact many of them need work at home, and it is very difficult to find such a job in present conditions.

The rehabilitation centers of the blind are specialized rehabilitation institutions of the All-Russia Association of the Blind. Their main aim is organization of rehabilitation and teaching process directed to working out of compensation adaptability to environment, preparing for independent life and work.

There are two rehabilitation centers which deal with vocational training of visually impaired people– in the town of Volokolamks (the Moscow region) and in the town of Biisk (the Altai region). The centers worked out and implemented the methods of rehabilitation and teaching the visually impaired to handicrafts. Using these methods the visually impaired are taught to orient free in space and master different handicrafts, such as shoe making, joinery, wicker-work, carving, shoes repair, automobile engineering, playing Russian accordion, bookbinding, knitting, makrame, bee-keeping, poultry keeping, fruit and vegetable growing.

Visually impaired persons trained handicraft in the Centers (170-180 persons per year) get an opportunity to earn for their living with their own labor and to feel a full member of the society.

Besides, annually 60 visually impaired persons acquire a profession of masseurs in the medical school in a town of Kislovodsk.

Besides, there is a musical boarding school in a town of Kursk where about 30 visually impaired persons are taught annually to the following vocations: playing musical instruments, chorus direction, singing.




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REHACOMP

The Institute "REHACOMP" was set up in the All-Russia Association of the Blind (VOS) on the basis of the Main Center of computer technologies and Training Institute for VOS leading staff to organize diversified work with visually impaired people.

The aim of the Institute "REHACOMP" is restoration of the personal and professional status of a visually impaired person through modern technologies, the computer being its symbol and basis.

The Institute uses the most modern experience and achievements in the field of computer technologies and social rehabilitation, as well as its own investigations. The results of work are highly evaluated by authoritative Russian and international organizations. For example, the method of vocational rehabilitation using special computerized workstations was awarded with a "Gold Quality Sign "Russian Brand", the Institute was awarded with diplomas and other rewards of numerous exhibitions, competitions, etc.

"REHACOMP" took part in designing of the following:

    1. a completely domestically produced tactile display (Braille line for reading with hands the information from the computer);

    2. the two model of "reading devices" for insonification of texts from papers carriers;

    3. the first in Russia software "Echo", providing insonification of the information from the screen of the computer monitor with the help of Russian speech synthesizer;

    4. elaboration and implementation of five State standards regulating creation and utilization of electronic technical aids of rehabilitation of the visually impaired, creation of computer workstations for the blind.


This work is necessary for blind people leading an active mode of life.




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Trends of Activities of REHACOMP

    - Vocational rehabilitation of the disabled on the basis of information technologies;

    - Social rehabilitation of the disabled;

    - Training of leadership and experts of VOS organizations and institutions;

    - Rehabilitation and training of disabled people capable for managerial activities;

    - Escorting, correction, optimization of the graduates’ activities;

    - Consultation on a wide range of issues;

    - Investigation of social and psychological problems of organizations, factories and VOS rehabilitation structures and elaboration of recommendations on their solution;

    - Elaboration and implementation of state and regional programs on social support of different categories of the disabled;

    - Rehabilitation of the deaf-blind.


Prospects
    - Design of new technical aids for the blind;

    - Establishment of distance learning techniques, testing and consulting;

    - Working out of principally new programs of rehabilitation for the deaf-blind and blind as a result of diabetes;

    - All possible involvement of the All-Russia Association of the Blind in the work on improving norms and methods of rehabilitation, expansion of cooperation with foreign organizations to transfer them their experience and implement their achievements in Russia.


The REHACOMP graduates are provided with the following services:

    independent work with computers (with speech synthesizer, Braille display, image enlargement software);

    - access to the Internet;

    - text scanning, etc.


The graduates or listeners of computer courses are provided with the following psychological assistance: individual consultations on issues of employment, including the issues of psychological adaptation to a new workstation.

A visually impaired person who has learned to use a computer has the following opportunities:

    - Equal opportunities with sighted users.

    - Competitiveness at the workstation.

    - More efficient work.

    - Reading various books, including the periodicals.

    - Studying (increase spiritual and educational level).

    - Search of new spheres of application the potential.

    - Increase possibilities of communication.

    - Computer is the most important and accessible means of getting and processing the information.

    - Computer if the main means of rehabilitation and integration in a society.


Moscow can serve as an example to employment of visually impaired people who graduated from the REHACOMP Institute.

In the period February 1995 to April 2001 REHACOMP Institute by joint efforts with the Moscow employment service established 65 workstations for visually impaired people. Among them workstations for the following professions: operator for the information service, lawyer, economist, lecturer at the University, teacher of informatics and mathematics, mathematician, programmer, manager, editor-in-chief, short-hand expert, composer, poet, sound director, secretary, etc.




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Employment at Factories

To employ visually impaired people in 1925 VOS began to set up its own factories. Now there are 172 VOS factories where special workstations and special conditions for blind workers are created.

The factories are located practically in all large cities of Russia from Kaliningrad in the West to Vladivostok in the East. The factories were rather successful in conditions of planned economy in the former Soviet Union times.

Various articles are produces at VOS factories: wire harnesses, car spare parts, electrical, lightning, electrotechnical devices, knitted and ready-made garments, cardboard articles, corks and plugs, paper items, metal articles, food products, brushes, etc.

However from 1998 in connection with change in legislation VOS factories became limited liability companies, i.e. began to exist on profit gained from their commercial activities. As the state support VOS factories have got small tax benefits, however these benefits do not cover expenses on setting up and retention of workstations for disabled people. An obligatory condition for obtaining benefits is the number of visually impaired workers, which should be not less than 50%.

At present VOS factories have to compete with commercial high-tech production. Substantial expenses at VOS factories connected with setting up of workstations for the disabled, low output rate make non-competitive the majority of VOS products.

As of January 1, 2002 there were 36 500 persons working at VOS factories, 20 000 of them were visually impaired. During 2002 the number of workers decreased by 3400, including 1600 disabled people. Recession in production and sales is observed at 90 VOS factories, where 12 100 disabled workers or 60% are employed. The workers get rather low salaries, from 40 to 100 US dollars, but the sum varies in each region of Russia.

Social protection of disabled people is decreasing and can not be guaranteed by financial results of the factories’ activities.




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