Under the Government's mainstreaming policy a range of schemes and grants are provided by FÁS to assist people with disabilities, including graduates, to promote their employment prospects in the open labour market.
In this regard the recently launched FÁS Work Placement Programme is open to all unemployed people, including graduates with disabilities. The programme provides the opportunity to obtain 6 months work experience while on placement with a company. While on the work placement participants retain their social welfare status and entitlements.
FÁS provides funding for two programmes that have been developed by the Association for Higher Education Access and Delivery and are aimed at graduates with a disability. The Association is an independent non-profit organisation that has worked over the last 20 years to promote full access and participation for graduates.
The first programme, the Willing Able Mentoring Programme, aims to bring graduates and employers together and promote accessibility to the labour market for graduates with a disability. This programme is designed as a mentored work placement programme by providing a support system to management, staff and graduates to promote the inclusion of people with a disability in the workplace. The current proposals also include disability related support to employers participating in the FÁS Work Placement Programme.
The second programme, Get Ahead: Get Ready for Work Programme 2010, builds life long career skills for graduates with a disability, enabling them to deal with a labour market that demands mobility. It also promotes disability awareness among professionals, informing careers advisers on disability issues to allow them to offer a more inclusive service.