Abstract
In Kenya, employment rates for persons with disabilities are very low and those with psychosocial disabilities have even more dismal rates of employment. This situation has negative impact on the individual’s recovery, quality of life, mental and physical health. The systemic exclusion of persons with psychosocial disabilities in work and employment disproportionately affects women. The aim of this study is to test the feasibility of disability inclusion training to improve work and employment opportunities for women with psychosocial disabilities in Tana River County, Kenya. The study will adopt a mixed methods research design using action research approach. A sample of women with psychosocial disabilities will be trained using a researcher designed disability inclusion training manual, while employers and other stakeholders will be trained on inclusive employment. Trainings will be tailored to suit different employers and for different types of psychosocial disabilities. Interactive learning and linking sessions involving the two groups and process evaluations will be conducted at different time points to measure the impact of the intervention. Findings from this pilot study will inform future research on work and employability programs for rural women with psychosocial disabilities. The study protocol was approved by Maseno University Ethics Review Committee (MUERC/00851/20). Findings from this study will be disseminated through conference presentations and scientific publications in peer reviewed journals.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 323 |
| Pages (from-to) | 1-11 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Pan African medical journal |
| Volume | 38 |
| Early online date | 1 Apr 2021 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2021 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2021, African Field Epidemiology Network. All rights reserved.
Copyright:
Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
Funding
This project is supported by Voice Empowerment grant #507997. Voice is an initiative of and financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands as part of their overall policy framework ‘Dialogue and Dissent´ (future Power of Voices) and is executed by a consortium between Oxfam Novib and Hivos. The grant will support the implementation costs of the project. Voice did not participate in writing or submission of this protocol. The authors are grateful to the women, employers and stakeholders for their inputs during the conceptualization and development of the project proposal. This project is supported by Voice Empowerment grant #507997. Voice is an initiative of and financed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands as part of their overall policy framework ?Dialogue and Dissent? (future Power of Voices) and is executed by a consortium between Oxfam Novib and Hivos. The grant will support the implementation costs of the project. Voice did not participate in writing or submission of this protocol. The authors are grateful to the women, employers and stakeholders for their inputs during the conceptualization and development of the project proposal.
Keywords
- Employment support work
- Inclusive employment
- Kenya
- Psychosocial disability
- Women
