Işıkhan, the Minister of Labor and Social Security, popped by the ‘Meeting with Disabled Civil Society Organizations’ event hosted by the Turkish Employment Agency (İŞKUR). The program, where the Engelsiz İŞKUR Platform and the Disabled Employment Reform Package were introduced, emphasized the importance of disabled employment. During the event, students from the MEV Rainbow Special Education School put on a musical performance. Minister Işıkhan handed out flowers to the students and teachers, spreading some joy around.
“WORKING TURKEY IS A STRONG TURKEY” Işıkhan talked about their efforts for disabled citizens, saying, “We allocate a special quota under the Labor Force Adaptation Program for 10,000 disabled citizens nationwide. This way, our disabled citizens will have the opportunity to engage in part-time work in public institutions. Additionally, they will gain skills through important training programs to support their transition to the private sector. We are moving forward with an employment vision worthy of the ‘Turkey Century.’ We believe that a working Turkey is a strong Turkey. I hope that the Engelsiz İŞKUR Platform and the Disabled Employment Reform Package, implemented today under the instructions and vision of our esteemed President, will bring blessings.”
“INDIVIDUALS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS WILL BE BROUGHT INTO THE WORKFORCE” Minister Işıkhan mentioned the Supported Employment Project, which aims to integrate individuals with special needs such as autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome, and cerebral palsy into the workforce for the first time. He highlighted three main areas of support in the Supported Employment Model, stating, “We provide wage support to employers who hire these individuals. This way, we will help ease the economic burden that employers may face during the process of hiring disabled individuals. Secondly, we will provide job coaching support. A specialist will assist the individual from the recruitment process to orientation, task fit, and daily work routines, aiming to support them technically and socially. These job coaches will not only assist the individual but also provide guidance to the employer and colleagues within this ecosystem, contributing to a multidimensional execution of the process. Thirdly, we will provide workplace adjustment support up to 25% of the total disabled grant amount in the project to enhance the employability of disabled individuals. We know that physical or ergonomic adjustments can directly affect individuals’ continuity and productivity at work. Therefore, we will provide financial and technical support for necessary adaptations in workplaces.”
“PUBLIC SECTOR DISABLED EMPLOYMENT REACHED 134% OF LEGAL OBLIGATION” Işıkhan noted that programs aimed at increasing women’s and youth’s participation in the workforce have started to bear fruit. He said, “Today, we can clearly see the strong reflection of our disabled employment policies in the field. Disabled employment in the public sector has reached 134% of the legal obligation, including surplus employees under the quota; in the private sector, it has reached 103%. This indicates that our policies are strongly implemented in the field. Our targets set for 2025 are also a reflection of this vision. This year, we aim to employ 500,000 women, 500,000 youth, 45,000 disabled individuals, and 275,000 university graduates.”
