Info Brief – Self-Employment Programme for People with Disabilities
This Programme aims to help unemployed people with disabilities achieve their dreams and start up their own businesses.
It is implemented by the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy (MLSP), the Employment Service Agency (ESARM), with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
What do you need to do to participate in the Programme?
- – Complete an application form
- – Submit an application
- – Get an opinion on what type of work you can do
- – Take part in the trainings
- – Prepare a sustainable business idea
- – Work together with a mentor
- – Register your business/ legal entity
- – Sign an Agreement
What can you gain by joining the Self-Employment Programme?
- – Soft skills
- – A certificate for a completed entrepreneurship training
- – Professional mentor support
- – Administrative support from the Employment Service Centre
- – MKD 270,000 for procuring equipment and/or materials
- – A possibility for additional financial support for employees in the amount of MKD 92,000 or MKD 184,000 to be used for procurement of equipment and/or materials
What are the rights and obligations of Self-Employment Programme participants?
- – To sign a Participation Consent Statement;
- – To regularly attend trainings and meetings;
- – Until the company is registered, the participant should continue to regularly report to her / his employment service center;
- – Once the business is registered, it needs to be reported to the Employment Service Agency
- – Each company, beneficiary of the measure, will be provided with supervising services in the course of 2 years;
- – The persons that will use funds for 2 years cannot be recorded as unemployed until the expiration of the Agreement;
- – If the company’s founder stops working before the end of the first i.e. the second year from the date of the business’ registration (except in case of death or permanent disability), the – person is obligated to repay the funds within 12 months.
- – 80% of the grant funds need to be repaid if s/he stops working before the end of the first year;
- – 60% of the grant funds if s/he stops working before the end of the second year from the date the business is registered;
- – If after the expiry of the first six (6) months following the registration, the business fails to make any financial transactions (i.e. to pay the gross salary), a warning letter is issued. If there’s still no financial transaction three months after the delivery of the letter, a procedure for repaying the received funds will be initiated.
