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Hannoversche Werkstätten gem. GmbH

A - DESCRIPTION OF THE GOOD PRACTICE

The Hannover Workshops - charitable LLC.

Overview
The Hannover Workshops (Hannoversche Werkstätten gem. GmbH), a charitable limited liability company, was founded in 1997 as the successor company to the Hannover Centre for the Disabled (Behindertenzentrum Hannover, BZH) which had been set up in 1977.

Location
Hannover and Hannover Region, Lower Saxony, Germany

Field of activity
Q Human health and social work activities

Ultimate purpose

  • To improve social cohesion/inclusion
  • To provide educational opportunities
  • To create or conserve employment

Scale
Regional

Start date
1997

End date (if applicable)
ongoing

Short description
Hannoversche Werkstätten create opportunities for people with disabilities to develop their personal and vocational skills within the areas of working, living, and gastronomy. Within the field of vocational training, people with handicap receive vocational qualifications in correspondance to the professions on the general job market. Within the area of assisted living, Hannoversche Werkstätten encourage and support disabled people on leading an independent, self-determined and dignified life.

Key words    
Disabled people
Health and social care
Skills development
Education/learning
Addressing unemployment

Objectives
As stipulated in the Social Security Statute Book (Sozialgesetzbuch SGB IX § 136), the concept and tasks of a workshop for the disabled are:
... for those people with disabilities who due to the nature or severity of the disability cannot or cannot yet be (re-)employed on the general job market ....

  •  to ensure appropriate vocational training and employment,
  • to maintain, develop, improve or regain their ability to work and become employed and thereby to continue developing their personality.
  • It fosters the transition of those who are suited to the general job market with the help of suitable measure ...

The workshop is open to all disabled people (...), if one can expect that after having taken part in vocational training (at the latest) they will yield at least a minimum amount of productive work that can be put to good economic use.           

Activities
With a main workshop venue in Kleefeld, and premises in Hainholz, Kirchrode and Rethen all covering the vocational training area, The Hannover Workshop also provide a domicile for assisted living (the Hannoversche WohnAssistenz) and offer a home for people with autism in Lüdersen. At the main workshop venue in Kleefeld, the activities' range include: wood and metal working, cleaning services, industrial assembly work, textile processing, laundry services, manufacture of brooms & brushes, basket work for chairs, bicycle workshop, car maintenance, electronic scrap recycling; printing & newspaper sales, postal services, administration & office technology; gardening & landscape gardening, floristry, farming, firewood; gastronomic services. Furthermore, according to the individual special needs, the opportunity of different assistance is given: There are groups with extra supervision, groups of people with severe multiple disabilities, and support groups.

Achievements
The institution currently employs roughly 1,000 people in the workshops and about 250 members of staff for group supervision, specialist services and administration.