DuoDay is a European initiative in which France has been participating since 2018. This year, for the first time, Fairmat will be taking part in Duoday on the 18th of November.

The idea behind DuoDay

DuoDay’s intention is to offer people with mental and emotional impairments the opportunity to participate in and experience the work environment. It’s a day where, across the country, companies, communities and associations welcome people with disabilities, pairing them with a volunteer professional to accompany them throughout the day, either in person or remotely.

The standard program of this day:

• finding out about of the business
• active participation
• immersion in the company

This day represents an opportunity to connect, to change our perspective and, together, overcome our prejudices.

 

Move the lines together

This day is an opportunity for connection and inclusion, setting the scene for future collaborations. November 18th will be the 7th edition of DuoDay since its inception in 2016.

DuoDay, why, for whom?

“It is easier to disintegrate an atom than a prejudice” – Albert EINSTEIN.

1/ DuoDay is FOR EMPLOYERS, whether companies, communities, associations, or any other structure. DuoDay allows organizations to find out more about the professional assets and qualities of workers with disabilities as part of a friendly exchange. Equally, it is an opportunity for organizations to involve their people, changing perspectives on diversity and disability in particular. It’s a chance to communicate the organization’s social values, and to lead by example in terms of social policy commitments.

2/ DuoDay is for PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES: DuoDay allows the person to experience a work environment, specify a professional project, start an integration journey, to demonstrate their ability to integrate, perform and be independent.

3/ DuoDay is for PROFESSIONALS in integration, support, and training for people with disabilities. DuoDay is an opportunity to understand employers’ expectations and obstacles to better support them in their plans to integrate employees with disabilities. It also offers a new experience for the people you are working with, the chance to expand your network of the companies you can partner with, and the satisfaction of organizing successful pairings that will help the people who need it most.

The genesis of DuoDay

The DuoDay concept was created in Ireland in 2008, adopted in Belgium in 2010, then spread throughout Europe in the following years.

In France, DuoDay was born in Lot-et-Garonne at the initiative of a medical and social establishment, ESAT AGNELIS – ALGEEI, welcoming disabled workers in a protected environment. In 2018, under the leadership of Ms. CLUZEL, Secretary of State for Persons with Disabilities, it was deployed at national level, mobilizing businesses and stakeholders across the country with the wonderful stories that emerged..

DuoDay: how does it work?

Everything starts here and now: whether you are an employer and want to offer a DuoDay, a person with a disability who wants to experience a DuoDay, or a support organization that would like to provide a new option to your audience, submit your application via the online forms.

The DuoDay team and its local partners throughout the territory will take care of the rest (organization of duos, formalization of internship agreements, etc.).

Finally, on D-Day, it’s up to you! People will meet, exchange, work together or observe a work environment. This day will help open new conversations and bring new perspectives.

At Fairmat, inclusion is not just a word. It is a philosophy. So it was natural for us to participate in this event. The initiative comes from our CEO, Ben, who launched the idea on our Slack, and introduced many of us to DuoDay. The whole team is behind the initiative, and welcome the company’s efforts to support inclusion.To know more about DuoDay, click here, and to hear more about DuoDay at Fairmat, follow us on Linkedin