The Doors That Opened: Inclusive Employment in Practice

UNDP Albania

February 2, 2026

Joel spent years in therapy learning patience through piano. But he wanted real-world responsibility. Now at Neptun, he organizes shelves and manages a bank account. — Joel spent years in therapy learning patience through piano. But he wanted real-world responsibility. Now at Neptun, he organizes shelves and manages his own bank account.

UNDP Albania

For many young people with disabilities, the road to independence often ends too early. Training stops, support fades, and opportunities simply never arrive. But this time the story is unfolding differently. Learning has moved beyond the classroom and into the places where "real life" happens—behind café counters, along warehouse aisles, and at corporate reception desks.

The Space for Skills and Employment Network (HAP) is a structured support platform that connects jobseekers with disabilities to employers, job coaches, and key institutions, including municipalities and the National Agency for Employment and Skills. Implemented by Jonathan Center Albania and Special Needs Albania—grantees of the EU for Labour Market Inclusion (EU4LMI) Programme—the initiative was created to bridge long-standing gaps that have kept young people with disabilities on the margins of the labour market. By combining tailored skills development with employers willing to open both opportunities and mindsets, HAPT demonstrates that when inclusive systems are in place, ability can truly shine.

When Uendi first entered "Te Xhoni" café, the world felt loud and overwhelming. Today, she moves with precision.

UNDP Albania

Five Lives, One Thread

Every morning, five young people wake up, dress for work, and step into roles they once wondered if they would ever hold. Their diagnoses vary—but they are connected by a single, powerful truth: Someone believed they could work, and then gave them the chance.

When Uendi first entered "Te Xhoni" café, the world felt loud and overwhelming. Today, she moves with precision. The routine of cleaning tables and organizing the space has grounded her. She is no longer the quiet girl standing uncertainly in the corner; she is a colleague and a contributor.

Joel spent years in therapy learning patience through piano. But he wanted real-world responsibility. Now at Neptun, he organizes shelves and manages a bank account. His favorite milestone? "Paying for dinner myself," he says with a smile. For Joel, work bought him more than a salary; it bought him a seat at the table.

Thanks to the EU4LMI project, Elda now sits behind the reception desk at Mercedes-Benz Albania—organized, poised, and proud.

UNDP Albania

Her disability never dimmed Elda’s spirit, but they often blocked her path. Through HAP, she sharpened her communication and rediscovered her confidence. Today, she sits behind the reception desk at Mercedes-Benz Albania—organized, poised, and proud. She doesn’t just have a job; she has proof that she belongs.

For Dea, HAP didn't change who she was—it changed what the world expected of her. Working at "Te Xhoni," she completes tasks independently and interacts warmly with customers. Her family sees the change: she is happier, more self-assured, and has embraced a new identity as a capable young woman.

The world can be unpredictable for Adi, but at Mercedes-Benz Albania, he has found peace in precision.

Organizing spare parts in the warehouse suits his love for order. He returns home calmer and prouder, proving that inclusion provides more than a paycheck-provides a sense of belonging.“Inclusive employment is more than a social mission; it is a strategic partnership. When the private sector opens its doors to diverse talent, it doesn’t just change a life—it strengthens workplace culture, drives innovation, and builds a society where everyone has a seat at the table. True inclusion begins when businesses stop being bystanders and start becoming the architects of opportunity says Randi Davis, Resident Representative of UNDP.

The HAP Network supports 80 jobseekers with disabilities through vocational training and job coaching. By preparing 40 specialized job coaches, the project ensures that the bridge between the private sector and the community of people with disabilities is sustainable and professional.

By November 2025, 61 jobseekers with disabilities benefited from the intervention. Twenty-four have completed vocational training, and nine have secured employment in different companies through the HAP Network and NAES active labour market programs. Their integration into the labour market is further supported by 27 trained job coaches.

In addition, the programme provides psychological support and awareness-raising activities to the families of all 61 beneficiaries, strengthening their overall well-being and inclusion.

EU4LMI The EU for Labour Market Inclusion (EU4LMI) project is funded by the European Union and implemented by UNDP Albania in partnership with the Swedish Public Employment Service and the Albanian Disability Rights Foundation.

Working alongside the National Agency for Employment and Skills and 12 civil society organizations and their partners, EU4LMI focuses on those often left behind. Rather than offering quick fixes, the project builds long-term empowerment through:

Personalized counseling and social support.
Direct job-matching and employer mediation.
Professional job-coaching to ensure long-term retention.

By turning social policy into professional practice, the project advances Albania’s EU accession journey, proving that a more inclusive labor market is a cornerstone of the country's European future.

The doors are open. But the true success of HAP and EU4LMI isn’t found in the numbers on a report; it is found in the quiet confidence of a morning commute and the dignity of a hard-earned paycheck. By choosing inclusion, these employers have proven that when we stop looking at limitations and start looking at potential, we don’t just change a career—we change a life. The road to employment no longer has to end too early; for Uendi, Joel, Elda, Dea, and Adi, it is only just beginning.