- ABILITIES: INTRODUCTION TO SDG’S
The idea of a platform, where people can directly connect with each other and with companies, specializing into the emerging data science field, and discover new job opportunities, is the core of our challenge. Our mission seems to be the empowering of people with autism disorders, who demonstrate high levels of intelligence and abilities in data analysis and software testing to have equal job opportunities, as well as the democratization of the access to big data.
Nowadays, there is no denying that diversity is one of the most talked problems. There are so many kinds of diversity but if we take a look at business market we will understand that there are lot of people who don’t have the chance to prove what they are able to do. Actually, these are people with disabilities who are frequently not considered potential members of the workforce.
In fact in developing countries, 80% to 90% persons with disabilities of working age are unemployed. More specifically, in Asia and Pacific the unemployment rate is usually double that of the general population and often as high as 80% and more. Moreover, in European Union there are approximately 40 million persons with disabilities and of these 43% to 54% were of working age in 1998. Persons with disabilities are two to three times more likely to be unemployed than others. Two- thirds of unemployed respondents with disabilities said they would like to work but could not find jobs. Furthermore, we should also focus on the fact that for graduates of four-year colleges the employment rate, for both men and women, is 89,9% and for college graduates with disabilities 50,6%.
The Social Development Goals (SDG) of our challenge seem, after all, to be clear. What is so inspiring about this project is that through our effort, the goal of reduced inequalities (1) among all people will gradually be accomplished. People with any kind of disorder will have access to equal opportunities for personal evolution, creating a sustainable society and empowered economy (2), that will be truly based on the whole workforce. Under these circumstances, people will be more open towards every kind of diversity, rejecting prejudice and racism, that have been grown for years in most societies. In addition, the democratization of access of big data seem to be our last social goal (3), empowering people to get involved into understanding and analysing this data, so as to enhance people’s life in meaningful ways.
At this point, we would like to thank miss Betty Tsakarestou(Professor and Head of Advertising and Pr Lab at the Department of Communication, Media and Culture, Panteion University), for inspiring us through “Social Issues, Social Innovation and Corporate Responsibility” class to come in touch with such an issue.
links: http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0950017005055669
The team: Fotini Panavou, Anastasia Zapadioti, Vasilis Plegas, Mélanie, Lou
