Breaking the sound barrier
A digital information and coaching platform to promote employment beyond hearing impairment
Phase 1
Type of project: Feasibility study
Disability concerned: Hearing impairment
Topic: Work
Status: Completed
People who are considered to have limited abilities are in fact the bearers of specific skills and resources that are useful to the smooth running of the economy and society. The main objective is therefore to change the relationships between the players concerned.
Context and problematic
The project is part of the Federal Council’s Disability Policy 2023-2026, which is structured around 4 areas, including Work, in this case access to employment for people with a hearing impairment.
After compulsory schooling, people with hearing impairments go on to training, gain a diploma and start looking for a job. The support they once had disappears and they find themselves at a loss when it comes to dealing with a world of work that is reluctant to hire them. This persists throughout their working lives, with people with hearing impairments suffering an unemployment rate three times higher than the Swiss average.
The project is based on two observations:
1. People with hearing impairments are often well trained and have specific skills.
2. Employers who have taken on people with a hearing impairment report a positive experience, whereas employers who have never done so are still prejudiced.
Objectives
People who are considered to have limited abilities actually have specific skills and resources that are useful to the smooth running of the economy and society. The main objective is therefore to change the relationships between the players involved.
The sub-objectives of the feasibility study are:
1. Identify the elements of the problem and the problematic according to the scientific literature.
2. To identify the types of resources available for the professional integration of people with a hearing impairment.
3. Search for deaf people and employers willing to participate in exploratory research.
4. Drawing up an agenda.
The final objective is to create a digital platform providing access to resources for both people with hearing impairments looking for work and potential employers.
