Supported Employment as a Paradigm Shift and a Cause of Legitimation Crisis

Abstract

Supported employment in its original form represents a new service paradigm, where services are organised as individualised supports aimed at securing the presence of disabled people in their local communities. Using Finland as an example, this article analyses difficulties that arise when a new service paradigm is introduced that is incompatible with the old forms of service. In this case, the accession of Finland to the European Union brought with it an active employment policy of a marginalised workforce. Along with this development, funding for supported employment projects threatened to produce a legitimation crisis in old service organisations. The crisis was managed in two ways. First, the concept of supported employment was redefined to more accurately fit into old forms of service. Secondly the project activity was ceremonialised and its goals were made ambiguous.