The workshop on “Evaluation of Protected Workplaces in the Focus of Skills” was organized online by the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Services, General Directorate of Services for the Disabled and Elderly, and Manisa Industrial Park Directorate on 19.11.2020.
Deputy General Manager of Disabled and Elderly Services, Mr. Faik YILDIRIM, Head of Social and Economic Participation Department, Mr. Hulusi Armağan YILDIRIM, EYHGM managers and staff, Manisa OIZ Deputy Chairman of the Board Kadir Murat ÇAM, Manisa IP Regional Manager Funda KARABORAN, Manisa IP managers, companies operating within the Manisa IP Mentally Handicapped Protected Workplace (ZEKİ) (Teleset, Standard Profil, Vestel Beyaz Eşya, Bosch, Klimasan, Vestel Elektronik), Manisa Family, Labor and Social Services Provincial Director V. M. Feridun GÜLGEÇ, faculty members of Hacı Bayram Veli University; Associate Professor. Mehmet M.ÖZAYDIN and Prof.Dr. Murat ATAN, University academics, Turkish Confederation of Employers’ Unions, Confederation of Turkish Trade Unions, Confederation of Right Workers’ Unions and other NGO heads participated.
Deputy General Manager Faik YILDIRIM, who made the opening speech of the workshop; Stating that the participation of disabled people in social life as productive individuals is the main goal of the ministry, he explained the employment of the disabled with figures over the years. He emphasized that the incentives given to sheltered workplaces and employers continue to work on increasing the employment of individuals with mental disabilities, and that the suggestions of the participants during the workshop will be beneficial for the change in the regulation on Protected Workplaces.
In his speech, Deputy Chairman of the Board of Manisa Industrial Park Kadir Murat ÇAM thanked all the participants on behalf of the Manisa Industrial Park Board of Directors for participating in the meeting, which was planned to be held face-to-face but had to be held online due to the Pandemic. Extending the Mentally Handicapped Protected Workplace (ZEKİ), which is currently being carried out by MIP, in our country, putting it into practice in other industrial parks, planning the legislative changes that will facilitate the implementation of this structure, and planning the second phase of the ZEKİ Life Center, called “ZEKİ +”. Kadir MURAT ÇAM, who stated that it is of great importance to receive the opinions and suggestions of valuable academicians and experts as a result of the Workshop organized to determine the important criteria for the new project, wished the workshop on “Evaluation of Protected Workplaces in the Focus of Skills” to be productive.
After the information she gave in Funda KARABORAN, Manisa IP Regional Director, about the ZEKİ Life Center, which is Turkey’s first and only project, and the ZEKİ + project, which was awarded a grant by the Zafer Development Agency within the scope of SOGEP, the Presidency III. He thanked the participants for their support to the workshop on “Evaluation of Protected Workplaces in the Focus of Skills” under the coordination of the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Services General Directorate of Services for the Disabled and Elderly, within the scope of the 180-Day Action Plan, to identify the employment problems of the disabled individuals and to develop solutions.
In the presentation, he emphasized that it is very important for the society to raise awareness in the socialization of disabled people and in this context, the dissemination of the Protected Workplace application gains importance for the employment of individuals with mental disabilities, and explained the process of putting the ZEKİ Life Center into practice. Within the framework of the pilot project launched under the name of “ZEKİ+”, we are happy to be entitled to receive grant support within the scope of the Social Development Support Program (SOGEP) for 2020 carried out by the Ministry of Industry and Technology, and with this project, the Ministry, academicians and partners are involved in providing the opportunity for disabled workers to transition to factory environments. stated that the suggestions of the participants would be useful.
Haci Bayram Veli University faculty member Prof. Dr. Murat ATAN and Assoc. Dr. Mehmet Merve ÖZAYDIN, on the other hand, shared the results of the academic and practical studies with the participants by explaining the results of the qualitative and quantitative survey research report carried out in Manisa Industrial Park, Mentally Handicapped Protected Workplace- ZEKİ.
Hulusi Armağan YILDIRIM, Head of the Department of Participation in Social and Economic Life, noted that the revision studies of the Protected Workplaces Regulation are continuing, and that it is important for sector representatives, NGO representatives and academics to convey their opinions and suggestions about the draft regulation. In addition, he stated that they attach great importance to conducting an academic research at the University, which examines the psychosocial changes that occur in the lives of disabled individuals and their families, who are employed by the MIP, and emphasized that the results of this research will include factors that encourage the increase of disabled employment.
University academics and NGO Representatives, who took the floor at the workshop, stated the importance of sheltered workplaces for the active participation of mentally disabled individuals in employment, and that with the skill trainings given to individuals with mental disabilities, transitions from the sheltered workplace model to the open market labor market can be achieved. MIP representatives, on the other hand, emphasized the importance of making legislative changes to ensure the transition from protected workplace to active labor market.
The workshop, which lasted about 4 hours, ended with the opinions and suggestions of the participants.
