[Occupational rehabilitation of long-term unemployed severely handicapped patients within the scope of an...

The Federal Employment Institute's statistics of Sept. 1990 clearly show that severely disabled persons are more frequently hit by long-term unemployment than non-disabled unemployed. Unemployment of more than two years' duration at the time had been the case for some 30.8% of the severely disabled, compared to a share of 13.7% for non-disabled. This empirical fact has in recent years been increasingly dealt with in pertinent German-language literature, the discussion clearly emphasizing the demand that programmes aimed at the vocational qualification of unemployed disabled persons be provided, along with accompanying measures. This discussion had also give rise to the purposes of the present study, that is, to outline such a qualification programme within the purview of the Dortmund labour exchange, including participants' opinions of the measure. Over a period of 12 days, some 21 participants had therefore been invited for standardized questionnaire interviewing, with 8 of the 45 questions posed referring to personal biographies. The interview findings are represented in percent ranks, further statistical analysis, e.g. chi2-testing, was refrained from in view of the small number of interviewes. The study on the one hand shows that only few participants had achieved formal vocational qualification through programme participation, and on the other, that return to gainful activity is perceived as a major support in individual life planning. The psychosocial strains described by the programme participants yield important insights in view of the current debate about post-placement follow-along.