Vocational rehabilitation of the mentally ill in office and computer services

Cedefop — European Centre For The Development Of Vocational Training

Description

Theories, methods and evaluation outcome of training programmes: Results of the Cedefop Research Meeting, Berlin, June 1989
Vocational training

Sujets

• Mental disorder
• Vocational education

Informations

• Publié par: CEDEFOP-EUROPEAN-CENTRE-FOR-THE-DEVELOPMENT-OF-VOCATIONAL-TRAINING
• Nombre de lectures: 13
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

Extrait

c Vocational rehabilitation of
s the mentally ill in office and
o computer services
o_ Theories, methods and
O evaluation outcome of
& training programmes
û
LU
Ü European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training Hh* Vocational rehabilitation of the mentally ill in office and com-
C puter services
φ Results of the CEDEFOP Research Meeting
Berlin, June 1989 ε
υ Compiled by Erwin Seyfried and Tina Bertzeletou o
O First edition, Berlin 1990
Q. Published by:
O
CEDEFOP — European Centre for the Development of
1 ^ Vocational Training
U J Jean Monnet House, Bundesallee 22, D-1000 Berlin 15
Q Tel. [phone]; Telex 184 163 eucen d; Fax [phone]
™ The Centre was established by Regulation (EEC) No 337/75
^J of the Council of the European Communities This publication is also available in the following language:
DE ISBN 92-826-1701-7
Cataloguing data can be found at the end of this publication
Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 1990
ISBN 92-826-1702-5
Catalogue number: HX-59-90-556-EN-C
Reproduction is authorized, except for commercial purposes, provided the source is acknowledged.
Printed in Belgium -HI-
CONTENTS
1. Preface
Tina Bertzeletou, CEDEFOP 1
2. Introduction 5
An Introduction to Computer Training for the Mentally 111
Erwin Seyfried 7
3. Theoretical and methodological aspects 19
3.1. Theoretical aspects of vocation rehabilitation
Erwin Seyf ried , 21
3.2. Methodological aspects of research into vocational
rehabilitation
Jacques Zeelen 33
3.3. A brief Introduction to critical systems Theory and
Practice
Gerald Midgley 45
4. Contributions on specific projects 51
4.1. The Speedwell Information Technology Project
Computer training for long-term psychiatric patients
in the United Kingdom
Angela B. Summerfield & Marijke van Beesten 53
4.2. Vocational Training in the Use of New Technologies
for People with Disabilities
Gerald Midgley & Michael Floyd 77 -IV-
4.3. "Where minds are deep, experience endures" (Nietzsche)
- Evaluation of the "New Office Technologies"
training course
Walter Kopp 115
4.4. Goals, methods and findings of evaluative research on
the Lebenswelten project "Vocational Training
in Office Work"
Erwin Seyf ried 123
4.5. Report of the "Vocational Training in Office Work"
Project of the Lebenswelten association, Berlin
Peter Stadler 137
5. The authors 15PREFACE
For some years now, CEDEFOP has been dealing with the
implications of the widespread use of new technologies, which
have transformed radically existing occupations, giving birth
to new qualifications and eliminating others in a very short
time. The Centre has analysed the effect new technologies
have on training in the production and services sectors and
have examined their consequences in the small and medium
enterprises.
As far as the role of new technologies for the professional
integration of different social groups is concerned, CEDEFOP
has dealt particularly with their impact on the employment of
women.
In the belief that a physical or mental handicap does not
necessarily constitute a professional incapacity and that the
mentally ill can take advantage of the employment
opportunities the new technologies offer, CEDEFOP organized a
two-day seminar together with the "Psychologisches Institut"
of the Freie Universität Berlin and the "Lebenswelten e.V"
on the training and employment of the mentally impaired and
ill in and with the aid new technologies in the office.
This seminar gave the Centre the occasion to participate in a
joint reflection on a multidisciplinary approach to the
vocational rehabilitation of this specific group in the
office and computer services, [t is rather common place
though to stress that the experts tend to be less preoccupied
with the ( re-) integration of this group in the field of new
technologies than with the group of the physically
handicapped. The discussions in the seminar were based on the experience
of some on-going or completed projects in the Federal
Republic of Germany, UK, Netherlands and Switzerland.
As the reader will note, the seminar was divided into a
theoretical and a practical part, a short presentation of
each is contained in Erwin Seyfried's introduction.
From the discussions it became apparent that new technologies
imply an improvement in the working status of disabled
people. However the mentally ill can draw benefit only if a
number of preconditions are met. Training in new technologies
implies a rather good vocational training based on a solid
schooling. However, very often disabled persons have not
enjoyed either of them. A specific training programme to
cover insufficient knowledge is thus required before training
in computers can start.
In addition, the curricula are not articulated according to
the needs of the mentally ill and the selection of hard- and
software for them is limited.
By their nature, new technologies promote apprenticeship
though "training on the job" . This method seems to be
particularly important to the mentally ill.
Nevertheless, it must be applied selectively depending on the
trainees' situation as regards supporting stress and direct
contact during work.
In any case, there is evidence that training in a
business-like environment helps the participants to adapt
themselves progressively to the demands of a real workplace.
Expertise in new technologies should be matched with
Individual psychological support for the trainees, otherwise the project risks becoming highly inefficient. Appropriate
sensibilisation of the staff to the needs of the mentally ill
should take place before the start-up phase of the project.
During the seminar, the importance of the work for the mental
balance of the disabled was often stressed. Work and the
appropriate training have a constructive effect if clearly
defined.
The significant message, however, was the importance of the
human factor in all the projects referred to. Training was
viewed beyond the acquisition of mere computer
qualifications, depending heavily on interpersonal relations.
The human aspects turned out to be of decisive importance for
the successful involvement of the disabled and the running of
the projects.
Concerning this last point, it should be stressed that the
successful outcome of such projects is subject to a variety
of factors ranging from the economic environment, the
infrastructure and available facilities in the area they are
located, to the previous training, the relational experience
and the degree of impairment of the disabled involved. The
projects should not be evaluated with the same economic
criteria applying to the non-handicapped or even to the
physically disabled; the success of such projects should be
measured on the terms of their psychological value, their
effect on personality development and a restructuring which
will enable an at-least partial occupation, thus allowing the
disabled to approach their non-handicapped fellow beings.
Despite its short duration, many experiences and different
methodological approaches were discussed during the seminar.
The interested reader may refer to each one separately if
he/she wishes, or to all the contributions reported on. For
my part, I wish to thank all the researchers involved and the co-organizors in particular and to express my hope that in a
new research meeting the place of women and their particular
problems will be treated in greater detail.
Tina Bertzeletou Enrique Retuerto
Project Coordinator Deputy Director