On 21 and 22 April 2010, BAG WfbM is going to receive the visit of a delegation from the Government of Thailand. The Unit for the Integration for Persons with Disabilities in the Ministry of Social Development and Human Security is about to develop concepts to improve the integration of persons with disabilities in society. [more]

The European Commission presented its new economic and social strategy Europe 2020 in March. It aims to end the economic crisis and to prepare the European economy for the challenges of the next decade. The strategy contains three key elements and seven initiatives that are to be realised in the member states of the European Union. [more]

Prizewinners, prime information place, up-to-date trends, products, ideas and developments, services and rehabilitation – these terms best sum up the Workshop Fair 2010. Workshop representatives from all over Germany as well as from neighbouring countries took this opportunity to exchange information. Not to mention all the visitors, who simply wanted to buy nice products. [more]

“Workshops for adapted work are and remain indispensable for the participation of persons with dis-abilities in working life! They provide vocational training and employment for more than 280,000 persons, for whom the general labour market does not offer this possibility”, said Christine Hader-thauer, the Bavarian Social Minister, in her speech at the Opening Ceremony of the Workshop Fair Werkstätten:Messe 2010. [more]

The French association "Union nationale des associations de parents, de personnes handicapées mentales et de leurs amis” (UNAPEI) is a parents’ union, that has been working for more than fifty years to improve the life conditions for mentally disabled persons in France. An important goal of the work international work of BAG WfbM is to cooperate in the field of the integration assistance at the European level. [more]

The European Commission has filed an action to the European Court of Justice against Germany. The points of contention are German regulations that impede blind, deaf and persons with other disabilities of having a legitimate claim to receive social security benefits when working in Germany but residing abroad. [more]

The Federal Association of Workshops for Adapted Work (BAG WfbM) and the European Association of Service Providers for Persons with Disabilities (EASPD) invited Members of the European Parliament on 26th January to exchange information on the participation of disabled persons in working life. [more]

Once more, we are glad to invite you to visit our annual Workshop:Fair in Nuremberg, taking place from 11th until 14th of March 2010. Workshops for adapted work present their products and services and invite to exchange information and expert knowledge. In 2009, 15,000 visitors came to see the wide range of products and services presented by 223 exhibitors. Figures that the hosts NürnbergMesse and BAG WfbM expect to reach again this year. [more]

Together with the European Association of Service Providers for Persons with Disabilities (EASPD), the Federal Association of Workshops for Adapted Work (BAG WfbM) organizes an event in the European Parliament in Brussels. The event is titled “Employment for Persons with Disabilities – Key for Social Inclusion and Personal Development” and will take place on 26th of January 2010. Two Members of the European Parliament, who are also Members of the Parliamentary Committee on Employment and Social Affairs, will host it: Jean Lambert and Jutta Steinruck. [more]

Workshops for adapted work in Germany are usual market participants. Although labour productivity is much lower than in profit-oriented companies, the main aim of these rehabilitation institutions is not the maximization of profits. [more]

“280,000 workshop employees experience their fully individual and personal human dignity and participation in working life in workshops for adapted work”, said Günter Mosen, Chairman of the Federal Association of Workshops for Adapted Work, in Berlin. “The time has come that vocational training certifications become reality, even though the current duration of the vocational training is definitely too short.” [more]

How are the rehabilitation systems in the Member States of the European Union organized? The answer to this question shall be given by an European project, in which BAG WfbM is involved. The name of the project is “Quality Work Settings for all”. [more]

The German Federal Labour Agency reported 3,346,459 unemployed people in September 2009. 166,314 were people with severe disabilities. For comparison: In August 2009, there were 125,054 per-sons more registered as jobless. This means a decline of the unemployment figures of 1.03 percent. The number of unemployed persons with disablities fell by 1,566. [more]

Switzerland will be guest of honour of the Workshop:Fair 2010 in Nuremberg. Preparations for this event have already begun. The Federal association of workshops for adapted work, the association of workshops for adapted work of the Federal state of Hessen and the Swiss association INSOS met in Basle on 10th and 11th September to discuss the details. [more]

The end of this year marks the begin of a project in which BAG WfbM is involved. The project aims to compare rehabilitation systems that exist in different Member States of the European Union. The project is part of the BAG WfbM’s commitment within the framework of its commitment in the Interest Group on Adapted Employment monitored by the European Association of Service Providers for Persons with Disabilities (EASPD). [more]