Abstract
BACKGROUND: Brazilian laws have have progressively mandated opportunity and access to community and work life for people with disabilities and other historically disadvantaged populations. Legal mandates to companies to bolster employment opportunities have included specific quotas for companies to hire people with disabilities and for providing youth apprenticeships. Under these mandates, companies struggle to meet the quotas, and, despite the laws, workforce participation for people with disabilities remain well below expectations. OBJECTIVE: This article presents an approach to address these challenges using processes implemented through an international exchange of knowledge and methodology as well as case examples of individuals and companies who have benefitted from this approach. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Customized employment strategies were featured when Programa Integrando began working with students in Rio de Janeiro public schools in 2008. The case examples illustrate not only this process, but how disability hiring or YAP quotas were addressed by the hiring companies. CONCLUSIONS: It is important to emphasize that quotas, YAP, and disability hiring policies and initiatives are not enough to face the existing challenges of gaining work access, especially for people with intellectual disabilities. Connecting employers to job candidates is an essential part of the process.