Hiroshi Ayuha
Chairman, SELP (National Social Employment Center Council)

１.Institutionalization of Support for Persons with Disabilities Who Wish to Work by Using Employment Assessment Methods

In the Report by the Social Security Council Sub-committee for Persons with Disabilities entitled the “Review of the Amended Act on the Services and Support for Persons with Disabilities Three Years after Its Implementation” (June 13, 2022), it is stated that a new service called the Support Program for Employment Choices (tentative name) should be established.  This service shall provide persons with disabilities with the necessary support to enable individuals to make choices that match their abilities and aptitudes, as well as to choose by themselves between regular employment or employment-oriented welfare service facilities, through the preparation and provision of documents relative to the information gathered by using employment assessment methods and also through the exchange of opinions with concerned organizations.

It is said that the employment assessment conducted with the Support Program for Employment Choices does not simply evaluate the abilities for work and the aptitudes of the target persons, but with their cooperation it also clarifies their needs and strengths, occupational challenges, and the kinds of support and accommodations necessary for the employment.  However, at this moment I think there are many issues to address.

Hereunder are the recommendations and expectations of SELP, based on the potential issues faced by the Support Program for Employment Choices.

２. Recommendations for the Support Program for Employment Choices

(1) Decision on the Provision of the Support Program for Employment Choices:

At the Sub-committee for Persons with Disabilities (131st session on June 3, 2022), the flow of using employment-oriented welfare services for persons with disabilities after the establishment of the Support Program for Employment Choices was introduced.  It was suggested that careful assessment shall be done for the use of the services.

At the Sub-committee for Persons with Disabilities (126th session on April 8, 2020), we, in SELP, expressed our opinion that the Support Program for Employment Choices should be a function embedded in the provision, so that, with a single decision on the provision, persons with disabilities can use the employment-oriented welfare services, which is simpler rather than establishing it as one independent program.

(2) Establishment of a One-stop Consultation System:

In addition, as pointed out by the Study Group on the Strengthened Link between Employment Measures and Welfare Measures for Persons with Disabilities, in the future, assessment based on a common framework of welfare and employment that goes beyond welfare services for persons with disabilities will be needed.

SELP has also expressed our opinions on the “development of employment assessment common to welfare and employment” and the “creation of a help desk common to welfare and employment.”  Furthermore, since “living” and “working” are inseparable, we are proposing the establishment of a one-stop consultation system that coordinates all aspects of life, including employment.

３. Expectations of the Support Program for Employment Choices

It has been pointed out by some, such as the Study Group on the Strengthened Link between Employment and Welfare Measures for Persons with Disabilities, that there may be persons with disabilities who are capable of working as regular employees even in places of welfare employment.  We hope that the establishment of the Support Program for Employment Choices will be the first step toward a society in which persons with disabilities can choose their own employment that provides them with respectability and support.