Troublegang

The project turns obvious disabilities into superpowers! People with disabilities are the greatest experts on workplace accessibility due to their limitations. This is done both through physical testing of jobs and workplace accessibility, and breaking down barriers among existing employees. Troublegang is a team of four people with the most common types of disabilities who test jobs with employers. It then places suitable people with a particular type of disability in those positions. The findings are truly bizarre, for example, a person with a sight loss can work in a sorting office?!

Opening up new employment opportunities for people with disabilities in the labour market is oftentimes a challange. People with disabilities are often limited to minimum-wage labour or working in social enterprises, which are in high demand for people with disabilities but often have limited spaces for employment.  

Troublegang offers employers and their employees a new perspective on accessibility in the workplace through the perspectives of people with disabilities. The employer receives information about the physical accessibility of their workplace (surfaces, entrances, toilets, hardware, software) for different types of disabilities. People with disabilities also consult on the accessibility in the workplace with employees and their teams. 

Workplace assessments are done by and for people with disabilities. The aim is to connect people with disabilities to jobs targeted towards their needs. Troublegang organises its work placements based on four types of the most common disabilities instead of a specific disability. Troublegang works directly with employers to assess work placements. 

Troublegang is unique for its structure of working with multiple types and combinations of disabilities. There are similar services in the Czech Republic, but they are often targeted to people with a specific disability and accompanied by a non-disabled person. Team members share their barriers and experiences openly to overcome difficulties and make a difference in the workplace. 

The project is completely scalable. People with and without disabilities in all localities face challenges and have individualised needs at work. We are currently discussing with our Austrian partner and Slovak colleagues about the possibilities of bringing our project to their regions.