OpportunityTitle: USAID/Armenia Labor Market Integration of People with Disabilities
Description: Application deadline is extended to July 29, 2011. Q&amp;A is posted on 6/14/2011. The goal of the USAID Labor Market Integration of People with Disabilities project, also known as &#239;&#191;&#189;Disability and Work (DAW)&#239;&#191;&#189; is to promote equal employment opportunities and access to employment as a basic human right for people with disabilities. The project will ensure that no decisions concerning disabled people are made without their active participation. This Program places great emphasis on supporting the Government of Armenia (GOA) to develop an effective model for provision of employment services to PWDs. It relies on using a social model of disability, identifying problems of persons with disabilities that are outside of the individual person or their social context. These barriers are subsequently targeted and removed. Historically, the Government of Armenia has used an individual (medical) model for supporting PWDs, placing undue emphasis on the disability itself and viewing that disability as a social constraint. Consequently, barriers persons with disabilities face are the result of society neglecting their needs, rather than exploring other constraints. Disability can thus be seen as a human difference and consequently is subject to non-discrimination activities and regulations. This has led to a paradigm shift from a charity-based to a rights-based disability policy. It is the duty of the government to provide appropriate structures which enable individuals with disabilities to fully participate in all areas of public life, including employment.To achieve this goal, the DAW program will provide technical assistance, services to beneficiaries and institutional capacity building with three main components: 1) Creation and /or further development of a coherent set of services related to vocational skills assessment, professional skills development, and professional rehabilitation of persons with disabilities;(2) Provision of recommendations and assistance to GOA in implementing relevant policy/administrative changes or reforms where necessary.(3) Increase public awareness on access and employment rights of PWDs.
GrantorContactEmailDescription: Armen Yeghiazarian, Acquisition Specialist
GrantorContactText: Armen Yeghiazarian &lt;br/&gt;Acquisition Specialist &lt;br/&gt;Phone 202-216-6381 X4466