The project for Increasing the Employability of People with Operation (DISABLED) aims to increase the employability and accessibility of the disabled people to the employment market by improving their working capacities, motivation, productivity, job searching and social skills. Activities for establishment of a vocational rehabilitation center that will allow for simulation training and increase the occupational, social and self-management skills and the capacity of trainers has been carried out. In addition, training needs analysis for the disabled and for their families, employers and related civil society organizations were conducted with survey research management and training modules were transferred to online media.

The technical assistance contract was signed on October 2015 and is completed on July 2017. Operation Beneficiary is Department of Occupational Therapy of Hacettepe University.

-Training of trainers was conducted with the participation of 30 academic staff in Hacettepe University Occupational Therapy Department.

- 4 groups of “training of trainers” program was conducted with the participation of 171 people including İŞKUR job and vocational counsellors, occupational therapists working in different universities/hospitals.

-The Need Analysis of People with Disabilities composing of the desk review of the relevant Turkish legislative framework and the field study where 1.469 semi-structured interviews were conducted in 7 geographical regions.

-32 HU OTD staff attended twelve different training programs during the period between 6th June 2016 and 23rd June 2017 which enhanced their knowledge and skill in the area of vocational rehabilitation for people with disabilities: cognitive behavioural therapy, communication skills, auditory processing, vocational rehabilitation, self-awareness and body awareness, model of human occupation, model of creative ability, schema therapy and bio-feedback techniques, driving rehabilitation and somatic experience.

-10 HU OTD staff has also attended two training programs abroad to learn and observe different techniques in vocational rehabilitation, specifically brain-tree training and person environment occupation model.

-As a result of the trainings focusing on people with disabilities, some participants were employed after the training program and some took steps to start their own businesses. 9 people with disabilities entered into labour market and 3 people with disabilities returned to their own jobs.

-The above-mentioned training modules were converted into online training version, uploaded onto the project website and have been utilized by people with disabilities who want to improve their employability and will be utilized in the future as well, to create a sustainable learning atmosphere for people with disability, who want to be employed.

-Ten training programs were conducted for people with disabilities. Six of these programs were conducted in the pilot provinces and four of them were conducted in Ankara. A total of 167 participants with different disabilities attended these ten groups.

-22 HU OTD attended four different study visits in different countries to establish a wider professional network in those countries, as well as to provide a new vision and knowledge transfer in the area of vocational rehabilitation services.

-The Hacettepe University Vocational Rehabilitation Centre was established to increase the social and self-management skills and working capacity of the people with disabilities.

-10 HU OTD staff the first joint congress of “the Council of Occupational Therapists for European Countries” and “the European Network of Occupational Therapy in Higher Education” held in the Galway, Ireland.

-Various meetings on communication, awareness raising and visibility activities were held: Opening Meeting of the Operation with 286 participants, Informational Meeting with 265 participants, Stories of Success with 480 participants, International Symposium with 165 participants, International Closing Congress with 441 participants.

3 lots (Lot 1: Occupational Therapy equipment, Lot 2: Occupational Therapy Building office equipment, Lot 3: Occupational Therapy Building Electronic Equipment) were included in the procurement contracts which started on 18.01.2016. All equipment was delivered and opened for use in the Vocational Training Center as a result of the operation.