Peer2Peer is a preparation program for the job market, based on a one-to-one dynamic between a university student and a disabled person looking for work, aiming to provide an experience where two different realities meet.
With this program, both participants benefit from the opportunity of getting to know a world different from their own and how to deal with it. As a result, they overcome the fear of the unknown and are surprised by each other's unexpected abilities.
In addition, Peer2Peer helps raise awareness among younger generations – the future leaders – of the need to create a more inclusive community by educating about the importance and added value of including people with disabilities in the job market. This program also offers university students the opportunity to get in touch with this reality and break down possible prejudices.
The program runs over eight weekly sessions, consisting of workshops and one-to-one sessions, in which peers work together on topics such as identifying their own capabilities, interests, and personal goals, learning about the job market, developing tools such as Curriculum Vitae (CV), the Capability Profile (PC) and preparing and simulating job interviews with recruitment and selection companies. At the same time, the peers develop friendly relationships throughout the program, which leads to a very positive sense of belonging and group spirit.
The Peer2Peer pilot project was developed as part of the Employability theme, aiming at Nova SBE students and people with disabilities who wanted to prepare to apply for the job market.
After the pilot project, Peer2Peer was delivered to Nova SBE students, who have since put this program into practice in collaboration with the Careers@Nova SBE team.
Thus, in the second edition of Peer2Peer, developed at Nova SBE, the project's autonomy was verified. Contributing to this is the development of the Peer2Peer Implementation Manual, which, since then, has served as a guide to those who want to carry out the project at their university.
The third edition kicked off in February 2020, and it was expected to expand Peer2Peer to the NOVA School of Law. Assuming this goal, two students and a coordinator of the career team of this school participated in this third edition. However, the arrival of COVID-19 did not allow its continuity. Therefore, in February 2022, Peer2Peer editions and its expansion process will resume.