The Youth with Disabilities Forum announces a competition for the position of Counselor for the support of persons with disabilities in employment within the project “Job Fit: Economic Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities”, which is implemented with the support of the American Agency for International Development (USAID).

About the Youth with Disabilities Forum:

The Youth with Disabilities Forum (YDF) is a civil society organization that deals with improving the quality of life and the position of people with disabilities in society. As an association of citizens, YDF was founded in Belgrade in 2005 and has successfully implemented over 80 projects so far. YDF is a leading organization in the field of employment of persons with disabilities in Serbia. We implement the employment program for persons with disabilities and continuously provide support services for persons with disabilities who are looking for work, and we have cooperated with about 100 companies, small and medium-sized enterprises.

About the project ,,Job Fit: Economic empowerment of people with disabilities“:

The “Job Fit” project is financed by the American Agency for International Development (USAID), and is implemented by the Youth with Disabilities Forum until July 31, 2026. Other partners in the project are Caritas of Serbia, Ana and Vlade Divac Foundation, Smart Kolektiv and the Center for Independent Living of Persons with Disabilities. The project is implemented in 6 local governments in Serbia: Belgrade, Subotica, Novi Sad, Zrenjanin, Valjevo and Niš.

The overall goal of the program is to enable the economic empowerment of persons with disabilities in Serbia on an equal basis with others, including equal access to employment that is freely chosen on the labor market and a work environment that is open, inclusive and accessible to persons with disabilities.

The main activities of the project are:

1) Improving the employability of persons with disabilities through psychosocial support, career guidance, work practice and training for the labor market,

2) Encouraging entrepreneurship among people with disabilities so that they have access to capital, markets, technical assistance and networks on an equal basis with others,

3) Promoting an enabling environment that corresponds to inclusive economic development for people with disabilities: cooperation with employers, improvement of national and local policies and support of the general public.

Job description:

The counselor for supporting people with disabilities in employment will provide an innovative service of psychosocial support and career guidance.

The goal is to provide additional support to people with disabilities in the job search process:

• getting to know one’s own capacities and potentials for inclusion in the labor market

• support when choosing appropriate professional goals

• developing social/soft skills

Before the start of the engagement, the Counselor will undergo intensive training led by experienced lecturers, where they will learn about the methodology and ways of working with people with disabilities and master the skills of profiling candidates for the labor market.

The TRAINING will be held through four thematic units in the following terms:

I 15.5.-18.5.2023.

II 29.5.-1.6.2023.

III 19.6.-22.6.2023.

IV 26.6.-27.6.2023.

The training will be held in Belgrade, except for the second module (May 29-June 1, 2023), which will be held outside Belgrade (the organizer covers all training costs, transportation costs and hotel accommodation on a full board basis, work materials and refreshments).

During the provision of the service, supervisory support will be provided.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Individual advisory work with service users

• Counseling and providing support in choosing appropriate professional goals and inclusion in the social and work environment

• Organizing and conducting soft skills workshops (time management, workplace behavior, behavior in conflict situations…)

• Motivating and empowering people with disabilities to actively seek employment
  Preparation of individual report and individual employment plan

• Individual monitoring of users in accordance with the employment plan and planned support measures (professional practice, professional training, self-employment program…)

• Providing support in recognizing individual needs for adjusting the workplace and work tasks

• Support for users of the registration service on the portal for employment of persons with disabilities www.zaposljavanje.fmi.rs
• Establishing contact and communication with professional training providers

• Establishing contact and communication with employers in the process of hiring persons with disabilities and/or organizing work practices

• Mapping of local stakeholders from the public, private and civil sectors and exchange and cooperation in order to improve the employability and employment of persons with disabilities

• Communication with the HR expert on the project and the project teaM
• Communication with PR of the project in order to promote it

• Communication with service supervisors

• Writing reports and maintaining the necessary project documentation

• Reporting of deviations, relevant changes and/or problems in the implementation of the service

• Participation in team meetings and events within the project, as needed

Location: Belgrade

Duration of engagement:
The advisor will be engaged full-time under an employment contract for a period of three years.

The planned start of the engagement is August 1, 2023, with a duration until July 31, 2026.

Qualifications:

• University degree in psychology, pedagogy, andragogy, social work, special education or related sciences.

• Relevant work experience of at least two years.

• Experience working with sensitive categories will be considered an advantage.

• Work experience in working with people with disabilities will be considered an advantage.

• Excellent communication skills.

• High level of work ethic and integrity.

• Motivation and proactivity.
  Application:

Interested candidates can apply for the position by sending a resume (which contains two references) and a motivational letter to the e-mail address activitymanager@fmi.rs, with the indication “Counselor for supporting persons with disabilities in employment”.

The application deadline is 4/24/2023.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and interviewed.