Di 09.05.2017 Uhr

Zero Project Conference 2017:Employment, Work and Vocational Education and Training. Moderator: Thomas H. BUTCHER

Moderator: Thomas H. BUTCHER Essl Foundation - United States, Mukhtar AL SHIBANI GAATES – Global Alliance on Accessible Technologies and Environments Saudi Arabia, Inmaculada PLACENCIA PORRERO - European Commission – DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion Belgium, Natalia AMELINA - UNESCO IITE Russia, Christopher LEE AMAC – Accessibility Solutions & Research Center - United States

14.30 15.45 M6 Successful rehabilitation strategies: Taking care of your workforce
Practices and policies in this session focus on rehabilitation after work-related accidents, injuries or severe illnesses – working towards ensuring the employability of these people, with their former or with new employers.
Chair Hans-Horst KONKOLEWSKY ISSA – International Social Security Association Switzerland
Paz GARCIA Mutual de Seguridad C.Ch.C Chile
Ann HOY Accessibility Directorate of Ontario Canada
Mohammed Azman BIN AZIZ MOHAMMED Social Security Organisation Malaysia Malaysia
Ana MOHEDANO ESCOBAR Ibero-American Social Security Organization Spain

14.30 15.45 M1 International Policymaker Forum on advancing inclusive vocational training and employment
Policymakers from international parliaments, governments and international organisations on their approach and experience on how to effectively promote inclusive vocational training and employment.
Chair Stefan TRÖMEL International Labour Organization Switzerland
Daniela BAS UN DESA/DSPD/SCRPD United States
HRH Mired Ra’ad Zeid AL-HUSSEIN Higher Council for Affairs of Persons with Disabilities (HCD) Jordan
Shuaib CHALKLEN African Disability Forum South Africa
Marek PLURA European Parliament Poland
Ita MIRIANASHVILI Council of Europe France
Joseph JONES The Harkin Institute for Public Policy and Citizen Engagement United States

14.30 15.45 M3 Comprehensive employment models from Subsaharan Africa
Broadly based solutions supporting people to find employment, comprehensively, involving many different stakeholders and mostly using step-by-step appproaches. These steps often include education and vocational training, mentoring, internships or job placement as well as cooperation with employers and other stakeholder groups, often supported by government policies like financial support or quota.
Chair Johanna MANG Light for the world Austria
Co-Chair Yetnebersh NIGUSSIE Light for the world Ethiopia
Marna de BRUYN Living Link South Africa
Thomas BEZUIDENHOUT Cape Mental Health South Africa
Robert RANSOM ECDD – Ethiopian Center for Disability and Development Ethiopia

16.00 17.15 M3 Employment strategies especially for the blind and visually impaired
Projects and activities in this area are tailored for the needs of blind or visually impaired people.
Chair Klaus HOECKNER Hilfsgemeinschaft der Blinden und Sehschwachen Österreichs Austria
Johannes Antonius WELLING International Council For Education Of People With Visual Impairment Netherlands
Florence ORBAN Royal London Society for Blind People United Kingdom
Le VAN-NGA Nhat Hong Center for The Blind & Visually Impaired Vietnam

16.00 17.15 M1 European Policymaker Forum on advancing inclusive vocational training and employment
Policymakers from European parliaments, governments and international organisations on their approach and experience on how to effectively promote inclusive vocational training and employment.
Co-Chair Silvia BALMAS EFC- European Foundation Centre Belgium
Co-Chair Ingrid HEINDORF WFC – World Future Council Switzerland
Martin CONWAY Seanad Eirann Ireland
Franz-Joseph HUAINIGG Austrian Parliament Austria
Helene JARMER Austrian Parliament Austria


15.15 17.30 M1 Closing Keynote of the Day
Graeme WHIPPY Channel 4 Television United Kingdom

18.45 19.45 M1 Tech Show: Showcasing technologies that make a conference more accessible
The Tech Show brings selected technology providers on stage, most of them als exhibiting their products and services, and supporting the Zero Project Conference with assistive technologies and ICT for all participants.


Thursday, February 23, 2017
9.30 9.45 M1 Keynote Speech
per Video Judy HEUMANN International Disability Advisor United States
Patrick ROMZEK Cisco United States

9.45 10.00 M1 Keynote Speech
The importance of tri-sector collaborations – best practices from a wide scope in the US and Israel
Shira RUDERMAN Ruderman Family Foundation Israel/United States

10.00 10.50 M1

Creating Change: Success factors for initiating employment models


It is a universally acknowledged fact that most innovations fail. Experts in this panel discuss their ap- proach in de ning, creating, supporting and steering projects that successfully create employment with a focus on countries with low and medium development.
Moderator Michael FEMBEK Essl Foundation Austria
Leah MAXSON USAID – United States Agency for International Development – Democracy, Human Rights and Development Center United States
Charlotte MCCLAIN-NHLAPO World Bank Group United States
Gaetane BLEHER Handicap International France

11.00 12.15 M2 Inclusive business strategies of multinational companies
The focus here lies on multi-national businesses that follow an inclusive strategy within their company.
Chair Suzanne COLBERT Australian Network on Disability Australia
Samir GADGIL Wipro Infotech India
Hector MINTO Microsoft Inc. UK United Kingdom
Nadine VOGEL Springboard Advisors United States
Beate GAL-SZEKER IBM Hungary Hungary

11.00 12.15 M1 Transition models that start in secondary school and high school
Solutions in this area involve projects and activities supporting people with disability in secondary or high-school, preparing students much better for the transition to work and employment in the open labour market.
Chair Katherine GUERNSEY International Disability Rights Attorney United States
Desmond HENRY WALK Ireland
Lauren LINDSTROM University of Oregon United States
Karen ROYSTON Georgia Committee for the Employment of Persons with Disabilities, Inc. United States

11.00 12.15 M3 Matchmaking platforms: How to connect job seekers and employers successfully
Projects, partnerships and services that act as matchmakers between job seekers and employers, mostly using technology platforms, but also going beyond by entering into direct dialogue with employers, transforming the community employment system, providing comprehensive advice regarding resources, assisting individually and removing workplace barriers.
Chair Luk ZELDERLOO EASPD – European Association of Service Providers for Persons with Disabilities Belgium
Maria Jose CABEZUDO Fundación Saraki Paraguay
Don GALLANT CACL – Canadian Association for Community Living Canada
Helen GREEN Department of Social Services Australia
Mehmet KIZILTAS Engelsizkariyer Turkey

11.00 12.15 M6 Bad Practices: the challenges of realizing rights’-based employment
An open conversation to explore values, policies and practices. How do charitable and medical models of disability interact with employment of disabled people? What are the ways we can make sure we are supporting rights’-based employment and how do we go forward?
Chair Peter FREMLIN Independent Consultant Switzerland
Marcia RIOUX Disability Rights Promotion International Canada
Doha YAHFOUFI Occupational therapist & Disability and inclusion consultant Lebanon
Undere DEGLON Disability Workshop Development Enterprise South Africa South Africa

13.30 14.45 M2 Against all odds: Successful models of scaling up innovations
Scaling up promising practices is a challenge well-known for many people who work on themes as different as early childhood intervention, accessibility or employment. In this session, successful ways to scale up are presented.
Moderator Michael FEMBEK Essl Foundation Austria
Tara DONEHY Genio Trust Ireland
Jean JUDES Beit Issie Shapiro Israel

13.30 14.45 M1 Engaging with employer associations and company networks
Practices in this area feature company networks that engage in e.g. forming synergies, exchanging experiences or setting minimum standards related to employing people with disabilities, or generally inclusive and accessible corporate strategies.
Chair Susan SCOTT-PARKER BDI – Business Disability International United Kingdom
Jane LU Standard Chartered Bank Limited Taiwan
Ramez MAHER Helm Egypt
Fernando RIAÑO ILUNION Spain
Lourdes MARQUEZ DE LA CALLEA Fundación ONCE Spain

13.30 14.45 M3 Microfinancing to kickstart self-employment of persons with disabilities
Solutions in this area focus on projects and activities that offer microfinancing to people with disability, allowing self employment with small credit financing, mostly for women.
Chair Josh GOLDSTEIN Microfinance Advisor United States
Vashkar BHATTACHARJEE YPSA – Young Power in Social Action Bangladesh
Retta Getachew DIMISSE ECDD – Ethiopian Center for Disability and Development Ethiopia
John ALEX Equitas Holdings Limited India
Mohammad Salim MASTOOR Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development Afghanistan

13.30 14.45 M2 Focusing on skills and abilities of special people
Practices in this area focus on the skills, but also needs of a clearly defined group of job seekers with disabilities such as autism or epilepsy.
Chair Colin ALLEN IDA – International Disability Alliance Finland
Shirley KENNY Avnei Derech Mechina Israel
Elisabeth PLESS LEA – Institut für Epilepsie IfE gemeinnützige GmbH Austria
Tashi WIDMER Deaf Can! Coffee Jamaica
Selver YOLSEVER Down Syndrome Association Turkey
Jolien SMIS Konekt vzw – Lets Co! Belgium

15.00 15.15 M1 Keynote Speech
Helga STEVENS MEP, Member of the European Parliament Belgium

15.15 16.15 M1 Taking successful models across borders
Discovering Hands and Specialisterne are employment models that put the abilities and structuring the workprocesses in the middle of their employment models, and have succeeded in growing them internationally. In this session, both models present and discuss their internationalisation strategies: What works, but also: what does not work?
Moderator Michael FEMBEK Essl Foundation Austria
Frank HOFFMANN Discovering Hands Germany Germany
Marisa MÜHLBÖCK Discovering Hands Austria Germany
Thorkil SONNE Specialisterne Foundation Denmark
Elisabeth KRÖN Specialisterne Austria Denmark
Ana BOTERO CAF Corporación Andina de Fomento Colombia

15.00 16.15 M2 Promising reforms in technical and vocational education and training
Essential in ensuring the country’s competitiveness in the global labour market and ensuring decent work for all, this session presents recent reforms that the governments of Bangladesh, Chile and Egypt have undertaken, with the help of partners, to design and implement inclusive skills development policies.
Co-chair Yetnebersh NIGUSSIE Light For The World Ethiopia
Co-chair Sandor SCHOT Light For The World Netherlands
Kishore SINGH ILO Bangladesh Bangladesh
Minister Alejandra KRAUSS VALLE Ministry of Labour and Social Protection Chile
Abeer SHAKWEER Ministry of Communications and Information Technology of Egypt (MCIT) Egypt
Dina HATHOUT Misr Elkheir Foundation Egypt

15.00 16.15 M3 Economic empowerment: Supporting entrepreneurship, self-employment and start-ups
Solutions furthering entrepreneurship and self-employment of persons with disabilities are often based on training, advice and support for business development, access to financial services or even contracts to buy products and services (public procurement). This approach may also include cooperation with supportive companies, microfinancing or special skills training.
Chair Rana KOTAN Sabancı Foundation Turkey
Yogendra GIRI Karuna Foundation Netherlands
Mohammad Monjurul HABIB CDD – Centre for Disability and Development Bangladesh
Minister Santiago LEON MIPRO – Ministry of Industry and Productivity Ecuador
Sabina LOBATO Fundacion ONCE Spain
Dinesh RANA CBM – India India

15.00 16.15 M6 Comprehensive employment models from the Middle East and Northern Africa
Broadly based solutions supporting people to find employment, involving many different stakeholders and mostly using step-by-step appproaches. These steps often include education and vocational training, labour intermediation, mentoring, internships or job placement, support during the labour integration, as well as cooperation with employers and other stakeholder groups, often backed by government policies like financial support or quota.
Chair Mukhtar AL SHIBANI GAATES – Global Alliance on Accessible Technologies and Environments Saudi Arabia
Heidi ALASKARY Human Resource Development Fund (HRDF) Saudi Arabia
Madeleine AZMY SETI Centre for Training and Studies on Disability Egypt
Silvana LAKKIS LPHU – Lebanese Physical Handicapped Union / DPI Arab region Lebanon
Mervat TASHKANDI Ministry of Labour Saudi Arabia

16.30 17.45 M1 Give it a try – the power of internships and summer jobs for creating jobs
Projects and activities in this area such as e.g. internships or summer camps have a definite period of time, allowing people with disability and employers to get to know each other without the commitments of working contracts.
Chair Galia GRANOT Ruderman Family Foundation United States
Peter FURLONG KARE Ireland
Erin RIEHLE Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Centre United States
Susie RUTKOWSKI Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Centre United States
Laura STOKELY Community Living Sarnia Canada

16.30 17.45 M2 Handicraft training that “works”
Projects and activities in this area focus on handicraft training provided to people with disability. This solution is often combined with self employment or microfinancing.
Chair Joana KINBERGER Diakonie – Brot für die Welt Austria
Ola Abu ALGHAIB Leonard Cheshire Disability United Kingdom
Sangita PANT EPSA – Entire Power in Social Action Nepal
Ishita SANYAL Jhankar India
Tracy VAUGHAN GOUGH Sightsavers United Kingdom

16.30 17.45 M3 The DisAbility Talent Program – connecting high-potentials with disabilities with companies
Austrian Top-Companies are on the search for talents with the DisAbility Talent Program! Students with disabilities get support to present themselves as high-potentials. The companies are eager to show, that they are the best employers for this talent group.
Chair Michael AUMANN Disability Performance Austria Austria
Heidemarie EGGER Disability Performance Austria Austria
Cornelia DOPPLER Caritas Vienna Austria

18.45 19.15 M1 Opening and Keynote Speechs of the Award Ceremony
Richard BERNSTEIN Justice of the Supreme Court in Michigan United States
Martin ESSL Essl Foundation Austria
Alexandra WANDEL World Future Council Germany

19.15 20.15 M1 Award Ceremony for all Innovative Practices and Policies 2017

Friday, February 24, 2017

9.30 10.00 M1 Friday Opening
Bart WEETJENS The Wellbeing Project Belgium
Amelie SAUPE Zero Project Japan
Shinji SUDO People Design Institute Japan

10.00 10.45 M1 How to integrate persons with intellectual disabilities and learning difficulties
Persons with intellectual disabilities and learning difficulties face specific barriers to find decent workplaces. This discussion highlights existing pathways towards full inclusion in the labour force.
Moderator Thomas BUTCHER Zero Project United States
James CROWE EASPD – European Association of Service Providers for Persons with Disabilities United Kingdom
Walburga FROEHLICH atempo GmbH Austria
Germain WEBER Universität Wien, Fakultät für Psychologie Austria
Jyrki PINOMAA Aspa Foundation Finland

11.00 12.15 M2 Comprehensive employment models from South America
Broadly based solutions supporting people to find employment, involving many different stakeholders and mostly using step-by-step appproaches. These steps often include education and vocational training, labour intermediation, mentoring, internships or job placement, support during the labour integration, as well as cooperation with employers and other stakeholder groups, often backed by government policies like financial support or quota.
Chair Leah MAXSON USAID – United States Agency for International Development – Democracy, Human Rights and Development Center United States
Carola RUBIA DURAN Fundacion Descubreme Chile
H.E Wilson Marcelo PASTOR MORRIS Permanent Mission of Ecuador to the UN Vienna Ecuador
Monica HONORES MIMP – Ministry of Women and Vulnerable Populations Peru

11.00 12.15 M1 Comprehensive employment models from South and Southeast Asia
Broadly based solutions supporting people to find employment, comprehensively, involving many different stakeholders and mostly using step-by-step appproaches. These steps often include education and vocational training, mentoring, internships or job placement as well as cooperation with employers and other stakeholder groups, often supported by government policies like financial support or quota.
Chair Meera SHENOY Youth4Jobs Foundation India
Radhika AGARWAL v-shesh – opportunity to ambition India
Gopal GARG Youth4Jobs Foundation India
Cees VAN BREUGEL Woord en Daad Netherlands

11.00 12.15 M3 Peer education models: Persons with disabilities as teachers and trainers
Peer education involves projects where people with disabilities train or teach other people, with or without disabilities, using their special expertise in fields like inclusion or accessibility.
Chair Jamie BOLLING ENIL – European Network of Independent Living Belgium
Tove Linnea BRANDVIK Uloba – Independent Living Norge SA Norway
Mampoi THEKO Ministry of Education and Training Lesotho
Jan WULF-SCHNABEL Stiftung Drachensee Germany

12.30 13.45 M2 Personal leasing instead of hiring: the lean way to engage with employers
Persons with disabilities are employed, at open labour market conditions, at personal leasing companies, who have consulting or service contracts with companies.
Chair Marie RINGLER Ashoka Österreich Austria
Thorsten GRAF alsterarbeit Germany
Peter HERBITSCHEK Chance B Hausmasters GmbH Austria
Laila ONU Pentru Voi Foundation Romania

12.30 13.45 M1 Crafting successfully transitions from sheltered employment settings into the open labour market
In many countries sheltered workshop settings or non-work programmes are a widespread reality. The focus of this session will be on models that advance the transition from sheltered workshops and the integration of people with disabilities into the open labour market.
Chair Klaus LACHWITZ IDA – International Disability Alliance Germany
Lisa CULBERTSON State of Vermont’s Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living United States
Elizabeth SIGHTLER State of Vermont’s Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living United States
Bryan DAGUE University of Vermont – Center on Disability and Community Inclusion United States
Irad EICHLER Shekulo Tov Israel
Andreas JESSE autArk Soziale Dienstleistungs GmbH Austria
Alfred LEITNER Lebenshilfe Salzburg Austria
Cerasela Nicoleta PREDESCU PRO Act Support Hungary

12.30 13.45 M3 Cooperating with universities to open up the labour market
Projects and activities supporting students with disabilities and support them to find jobs after graduation, or cooperating with training courses where University degrees adds credibility and chances to find jobs.
Chair Siri KOCH-LARSEN City of Oslo, Department of Primary Health and Social Affairs Norway
Jana BAUER Universität zu Köln Germany
Antonio MARTINEZ-PUJALTE University Miguel Hernandez Spain
Jan WULF-SCHNABEL Stiftung Drachensee Germany
Joseph JONES The Harkin Institute for Public Policy United States

14.45 16.00 M1 Live show: Training and hiring at work
In this session, several performances show how training, hiring and working really “works” for persons with disabilities.
Chair Susan SCOTT-PARKER BDI – Business Disability International United Kingdom
Michal RIMON Access Israel Israel
Katya BALEN Mainspring Arts United Kingdom
Miranda PRAG Mainspring Arts United Kingdom
Petra PLICKA Graphic Facilitation of the Zero Project Conference 2017 Austria

14.45 16.00 M2 Comprehensive employment models from Central and Eastern Europe
Broadly based solutions supporting people to find employment, comprehensively, involving many different stakeholders and mostly using step-by-step appproaches. These steps often include education and vocational training, mentoring, internships or job placement as well as cooperation with employers and other stakeholder groups, often supported by government policies like financial support or quota.
Chair Silvia APOSTOL IM – Individuell Människohjälp – Swedish Development Partner Moldova
Oksana CHUCHUNKOVA Perspektiva – Regional Society of Disabled People Russia
Hripsime NAZARETYAN Bridge of Hope Armenia
Anahit YERNJAKYAN Save the Children Armenia Armenia

16.00 16.45 M1 Farewell and Lookout to 2017/2018
Co-Chair Ingrid HEINDORF WFC – World Future Council Switzerland
Co-Chair Silvia BALMAS EFC – European Foundation Centre Belgium
Bastienne PALIZ Ecuador For All Ecuador
Robert KASPAR Special Olympics Austria
Kathryn TOWNSEND Barclays Bank United Kingdom
Victor PINEDA Victor Pineda Foundation United States
Claudia WERNECK Escola De Gente Brazil
Eric Guozhong ZHANG UN DESA/DSPD/SCRPD United States
Eliana ROSAS AGUILAR University of London, School of Advanced Studies Peru
Agenda