Jusos Bochum invites Project AWIEW to an exchange

Despite numerous measures and political efforts to promote participation in the workforce, people with severe disabilities continue to be underrepresented in the general labor market. In addition, there is often a lack of self-determined professional participation. People with cognitive and learning disabilities in particular often have no choice but to enter so-called workshops for people with disabilities. While participation in work in these t3://page?uid=50608workshops meets the wishes of some people, others are interested in further career prospects. However, they are often unable to obtain information, orient themselves, and make self-determined decisions on their own. With the project "Working – the way I want to!", a team of rehabilitation and social scientists from the Social Research Center is participating in a collaboration with the aim of developing a solution in the form of an AI-supported tool for the self-determined professional orientation of people with disabilities. Project partners are the Franz Sales Haus, Fraunhofer FIT, and Münster University of Applied Sciences.

Lisa Preissner and Daniel Krüger from the Social Research Center and Joline Düring (Franz Sales Haus) presented on the participation situation of people with disabilities and on findings from the accompanying research on the project. Joline Düring presented the participatory development process that Franz Sales Haus developed together with social designers from Münster University of Applied Sciences in a co-design approach and provided insights into the modules of the AI tool, which is being technically implemented by Fraunhofer FIT. The modules are being designed in collaboration with the teams at Franz Sales Haus and Münster University of Applied Sciences. The social research center team is developing comprehensive accompanying materials for the tool and has contributed valuable findings from accompanying research to the project.

As the discussions showed, AI solutions appear to be useful for improving the participation of people with disabilities. However, overall, they are only a drop in the ocean and much remains to be done.