Disabled graduates – a new potential on the labor market or a new social problem

Abstract

In this paper we deal with the unfinished process of empowerment of a category of young people, at risk of marginalization ‒ namely young people with disabilities. Using data gathered during recent research (2012‒2013) we present the fate of disabled graduates as an example of unsatisfactory integration, despite the many changes that took place within the society and its institutions. The example of Poland might be useful in countries, that are in the process of building its institutional order and are preparing strategies for including disabled groups into the mainstream of society.

Following the fall of communism in Poland, comprehensive changes took place in the political, economic and social order. During twenty-three years the system, institutions and models of social functioning changed radically. There has been an unprecedented growth of educational aspirations within the society. Popularization of higher education also took place in groups of people who previously had very limited access to universities. Thanks to positive changes the number of disabled students participating in higher education increased dynamically. At the same time one observed an increase of people with severe disabilities among disabled students.

However, this positive trend in the increase in the number of disabled students and graduates is not reflected in the labor market policies. Obtaining a university degree is not accompanied by adequate service in the form of counselling and career information or employment in the open labor market. As a result, many disabled graduates remain outside the labor market or operate on its outskirts. The problem with finding a job, especially in times of economic crisis, touches a large number of educated young people, including those without any disabilities. However, one has to note that opening up of education for people with disabilities is combined with increased investments funded in large part by public funds (including PFRON). The factors that prevent full and complete integration of this group with the rest of the society include existing obstructions on the side of service institutions (such as the persistence of stereotypes within social services, which push the disabled into areas of simple and low-paid work) and on the side of employers (who prefer to pay fines for not employing disabled workers rather than employ them).