Based on the above, the fundamental objectives were to ensure social inclusion, access & participation in the labour market for YPwDs aged 15-30 & upgrade youth work by addressing the need for digital transformation. JOBS4ALL aimed to address the necessity of pioneering digital-driven tools using emerging technologies such as Virtual Reality (VR) to improve the employability skills of YPwDs & upgrade youth work through innovation. Moreover, JOBS4ALL aimed to improve the skills & competences of Youth Workers working with YPwDs to foster them training methodologies that will improve the current state of the art regarding available training programmes. In particular, JOBS4ALL pioneered a Training Programme for YPwDs & Youth Workers using VR to improve existing methodologies, which provided the opportunity for YPwDs to learn in a safe virtual environment & to acquire skills & knowledge to effectively undertake the tasks & responsibilities, which are necessary in 3 specific work environments. The setting was the Employment Hubs so as to build a Business Community with the participation of all stakeholders to enhance work opportunities & to foster structural dialogue to enhance equal participation in the labour market for all.
Based on desk research carried out before the application, the idea for the project stemmed from two basic facts. Firstly, the low percentage of employability of Young People with Disabilities (YPwDs) & the restrictions & limitations they face when they are employed due to the misinformation of their employers & co-workers & also due to the lack of facilities & accommodations that would make the working environment more inclusive. Businesses need to demonstrate the willingness & recognize the importance of fostering social inclusion in their work environments by ensuring that they are adequately aware of the financial, legal & societal advantages they will obtain in the long term. YPwDs are likely to face specific barriers in entering & sustaining employability activities, some of which can limit life chances for certain YPwDs. Secondly, it was identified that training programmes addressed to YPwDs are not only minimal but also often only use traditional training methods with innovation, such as using emerging technologies missing completely. Another limitation is that they fail to address all the skills that are necessary for YPwDs to successfully enter the labour market, such as digital, employability & soft skills.