Elena Iarskaya-Smirnova and Igor Novikov spoke at the session "Entrepreneurship and Self-Employment of People with Disabilities: Realities and Opportunities" as part of the "Open for All" Forum!

On November 25, the Cyberdom space in Moscow hosted a session titled "Entrepreneurship and Self-Employment for People with Disabilities: Realities and Opportunities," organized as part of the All-Russian Inclusive Forum "Open for All." Among the participants were Elena Yarskaya-Smirnova, head of our laboratory, and Igor Novikov, research intern at ILSIR and head of Everland.

The discussion was also attended by  Mikhail Osokin, Deputy Chairman of the All-Russian Society of Disabled People and Director of Regional Development ; Yaroslav Nilov, Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Labor, Social Policy, and Veterans' Affairs;  Emin Askerov , Chairman of the Social Innovation HUB in Central Asia and founder of the Green TAL social workshop (Kazakhstan);  Vladimir Vainer , Director of the Non-Profit Organizations Sector Development Division, Agency for Strategic Initiatives; and  Maxim Isayev , Social Entrepreneur. The session was moderated by  Natalia Kremneva , Director of the Social Projects Support Fund.

The discussion touched on motivation, barriers, and ways to support entrepreneurs with disabilities. Among other topics, the discussion addressed the stereotype that people with disabilities have low motivation to work. As Elena Iarskaya-Smirnova
noted  , motivation to work is a combination of many factors: "Barriers and resources play an important role. According to the survey, people with disabilities participating in the Abilympics professional skills competition prioritize intrinsic motivations related to self-realization. However, extrinsic motivation is also important—the desire for autonomy, increased income, and overcoming limitations in employment. The main barrier, according to the survey of people with disabilities who aspire to be entrepreneurs, is a lack of knowledge and a variety of useful information. It is crucial to learn how to engage with the motivation of people with disabilities, not just by convincing them of the benefits of entrepreneurship, but by supporting them in their efforts to overcome key barriers." It should be noted that the survey in question is part of a study within the framework of the RSF project 25-28-20277 "Barriers and drivers of involving young specialists with disabilities in individual labor and entrepreneurial activity through participation in professional skills competitions (using the Moscow Abilympics Championship as an example)", carried out at the ILSIR under the supervision of Elena Iarskaya-Smirnova.

Elena Iarskaya-Smirnova

Elena Iarskaya-Smirnova