Promoting Social Inclusion
with Supporting Policies

by Alberto Borghi, picture by Ramiro Castro Xiques

Duccio Campagnoli, Councillor to Productive Activities in the Emilia-Romagna Region presents
intervention plans in support of the differently abled.

R. In general, the role of the Region is to put in place supporting policies and to create incentive for productive activities. From this point of view, the various interventions intend to provide support to the needs of the different productive sectors even to different types of businesses. If they own a business whether it is small, mid-size or whether they are self-employed, people who are differently abled can find opportunities to support their activity in different measures: among the different measures of the three-year regional plan for productive activities, according to L.R. 20/94, or by accessing Artigiancassa funds.
In particular, the Region promotes through such tools, the adoption of computer and telephone technologies for central management, production management, commercialization, as well as research and planning activities. Such technologies are characterized to reduce significantly the barriers that may exist for the differently abled who are involved in working activities. With these tools, there is even support for investments in safety and quality of the work organization, while there are specific interventions for the promotion of full quality and the adoption of systems for social responsabilities.
Specifically, within the framework of Docup OB2 and the limits of certain areas of the regional territory, two notices have been put into place in Measure 1.4 action C) concerning specifically social organizations and contributions for "promoting social inclusion of persons in situations of discomfort and those in conditions of disadvantage in respect to the work market."
An ulterior intervention plan is to create awareness within the Provinces responsible for the management of support interventions of small-scale businesses and to recognize as priorities those business projects, matching those proposed by the law, and which involve persons who are differently abled.

D. In this context, what does this mean for the growing workplace automation?

R. The experience in the management of Measure 1.4 action C) of Docup OB2 has demonstrated how, in the context of support to productive activities, the growing workplace automation has offered new opportunities not only for work, but also for the creation of businesses by differently abled people. So the workplace automation is intended to play an increasingly considerable role as a key to accessing work, whether is is independently or within an organization, in productive sectors, or services to businesses or people. Based on innovative economy and knowledge, regional policies encourage the development of the information society through the Telematic Regional Plan and the development of research activities to reinforce the immaterial economy of knowledge, more and more necessary to make the whole economic system competitive. In an economy based on knowledge, a community based on knowledge is asserted, and no doubt is capable to overcome many of the traditional barriers for persons who are differently abled.

D. What prerogatives can the regional legislator be proud of compared to what exists on the regional level in terms of protection of the differently abled?

R. The regional legislator has a better knowledge of the needs of the area, thanks also to the programming of activities which involve the various territorial agencies in order to specifically define productive activities, supporting policies developed according to the various people including those who are differently abled.