Disability and Diversity Management: critical issues and training perspectives

Abstract

The issue of work inclusion of people with disabilities pertains to economic-social, legislative
and educational-pedagogical aspects. In relation to the recent Istat data (2019) on the active
participation of people with disabilities in the world of work, it is increasingly necessary to identify
work inclusion paths designed by effective territorial networks of public and private actors.
In particular, the contribution aims to investigate the training aspects of the Disability Manager’s
professional figure, highlighting the importance of the pedagogical contribution in order to raise
awareness and promote an inclusive culture within the company contexts for the development
of each person’s capabilities (Sen, 2004) and support the self-determination process (Giaconi,
2015; Cottini, 2016). The Disability Manager, in fact, is identified as the first support contact for
the worker with disabilities, both during access to employment and for the performance of
his/her duties or for any possible conflict or inconvenience situation. Its task is also to develop
operational proposals that facilitate the inclusive process in the business context in addition to
the reasonable adaptation of work-stations, tools and workplaces.
In order to make the work experience a self-empowerment process (Caldin, Scollo, 2018), as well
as a possibility of expression of citizenship rights and social duty, special pedagogy is the science
par excellence capable of promoting and support the training of company specialists who guarantee
the welfare conditions of workers with disabilities.