In early March, BAG WfbM has been appointed board member of the European Association of Service Providers for Persons with Disabilities (EASPD) at a meeting in Barcelona. Ralf Hagemeier, deputy chairman of BAG WfbM, will perform this task.

The admission into the board of EASPD reflects BAG WfbM’s commitment to European policy. For some time, there were talks about a closer strategic cooperation between BAG WfbM and EASPD. EASPD advocates the interests of disabled persons and more specifically of service providers in the context of European Union institutions. EASPD represents about 8.000 of them throughout Europe. Its president, Franz Wolfmayr, is also member of the executive board of the Austrian organisation “Chance B”.

Within EASPD, BAG WfbM is in charge of an interest group on occupational services. Furthermore, BAG WfbM has filed an application for an EU-funded project together with eight other EASPD members. The aim of the project is to compare different rehabilitation facilities throughout Europe similar to workshops for adapted work and to establish significant criteria for description and comparison. The decision on the project grant is expected during summer 2009. In case of a positive decision, the project will start in August 2009 and end in July 2011.