Leicht. Bewerben.: "Simple Language can break down online barriers and communicate content so everyone can understand"

Writing an informative job application can be hard but it’s crucial if you want to find a job. Especially young people with learning disabilities often struggle with this feat. That’s why the KulturLife non-profit organization has launched the "Leicht. Bewerben" project (English: Applying. Made Simple). Along with her colleague Helen van Ravenstein, Chiara Dickmann is committed to making it easier for young people to access the labor market - in so-called Leichter Sprache (English: Simple Language).

Ms. Dickmann, why "Leicht. Bewerben."?

Chiara Dickmann: "Leicht. Bewerben." aims to help people with disabilities with the digital job application process. An interactive learning tool in Simple Language guides users through the process of writing a digital application. Once completed, it allows them to download their personal resume and cover letter in Simple Language.

Our daily work with adolescents and young adults has shown that many of them have a difficult time creating a digital (online) job application. We also noticed that it is harder for people with disabilities (people with learning disabilities or non-native speakers for example) to access job opportunities, especially in the primary labor market. According to the annual Inklusionsbarometer (English: Barometer of Inclusion) of Aktion Mensch in collaboration with the Handelsblatt Research Institute, people with learning disabilities on average spend 109 days more looking for work versus people without disabilities. The unemployment rate is 13.4 percent. Meanwhile, labor force participation is an essential aspect of living a self-determined and fulfilling life. That's why we decided to develop "Leicht. Bewerben".

How can "Leicht. Bewerben." help to promote inclusion in the German labor market?

Dickmann: Over the past ten years, the job application process has been almost fully digitized. That’s why we need tools that ensure that these processes are/become more transparent and easy to understand. Hence we have developed an innovative learning tool in Simple Language for people with disabilities to empower them to successfully participate in online job application processes.

Leichte Sprache (Simple Language) is a simplified version of German and is used in inclusive school settings, as well as to accommodate non-native speakers (migrants and refugees) and make the initial integration process easier. So far, conventional job application tools and materials are solely available in standard language, which is why our tool is meeting the immediate needs of this target audience.

What’s more, our project also addresses the need of 156,000 German companies. According to Section 71 of the German Social Code (§ 71 SGB IX), companies with more than 20 employees must ensure that at least five percent of their personnel are people with disabilities. In 2016, 32,000 jobs remained unfilled. Employers are required to pay a so-called "Ausgleichszahlung" (compensation payment) for each unfilled mandatory position for people with disabilities (§ 77 SGB IX). This is yet another reason to fill these jobs.

Why is Simple Language important, especially in a digital setting?

Dickmann: According to the 2018 ARD/ZDF Online Survey, more than 90 percent of Germans aged 14 and over use the Internet. Most people use the Internet as a tool for viewing, listening, reading content and communication. Given these statistics, it’s easy to lose sight of the group of people who are not online or are unable to use the Internet – examples include the elderly or people with disabilities or even people for whom language presents a major challenge. Simple Language can break down these online barriers and communicate content so everyone can understand.

What does inclusion mean to you? 

Dickmann: Inclusion to us means limiting experiences of social exclusion of our target audience and creating a more inclusive and accessible labor market. After the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in 2006, it is crucial to facilitate full and effective participation and inclusion in society on an equal basis with others for people with disabilities. This starts with the use of Simple Language. Having said that, not only is our tool intended to integrate our target audience into the primary labor market, but it can also provide guidance to anyone, who is dealing with a job application for the first time and is in need of support. This is also part of our understanding of what inclusion means: to promote societal and social togetherness that includes everyone and eliminates any type of exclusion.