Ms Lucianne Bird:

I agree with the Deputy. There probably was a missed opportunity. As an organisation, we always keep an eye on what is happening in Europe and we are, therefore, aware of the European Year of Skills. We are also involved in the European rehabilitation platform and I have talked about the project in which we were involved in that regard. We were conscious of our digital enhancements and we timed them to align, as I said earlier. We are now moving in to the sustainability area. We are, therefore, very aware of that issue.

If we are going to try to change the world of work for people with disabilities and people for whom the labour market is distant, we have to look at creating awareness and a culture within employment and companies that includes and accepts difference and divergence. That is critical and it is an area on which the European Year of Skills could have focused. For us, it is about ensuring transversal skills are valued. These are the skills that people need to manage emotions, their environment and positive and negative changes in their lives, which are all things that people have to do in the workplace. Focusing on those as skills that are built pre-employment and that people can take into employment is very important and it is a focus that, as I said, has been missed a little.